About Me

I’m Adéle, a Senior Behaviour Therapist and Designated Safeguarding Lead working with autistic children and young people, and with the people and systems around them.

But even before that, beyond the job title, I’m a writer, a lifelong learner, a lover of the ocean and someone who finds meaning in stories. I’ve always been fascinated by what sits beneath the surface: the things people communicate without words, the experiences that shape us, and the small moments that can create lasting change.

That curiosity follows me everywhere, from my personal life into my work with young people and the teams who support them.

Throughout my career, I have worked at the point where individual support meets whole-school practice: developing Positive Behaviour Support plans, leading behaviour and safeguarding processes, analysing patterns, coaching teams, and helping staff turn theory into something that works in the reality of a classroom on a wet Tuesday morning.

What I believe

Behaviour is communication. The goal is never simply to reduce or manage behaviour, but to approach it with curiosity and connection: to understand what a young person is communicating, increase autonomy, and create environments where they feel safe, understood and able to participate.

My work draws on functional assessment, structured teaching, AAC, sensory-informed practice and collaborative problem-solving. These are not just approaches to reference in a document; they are practical tools for understanding the reasons behind behaviour and designing support that respects the individual child. All of this is underpinned by a trauma-informed approach that recognises the importance of safety, relationships and trust.

My practice has been shaped by a range of approaches including Makaton, DIR/Floortime, SCERTS and Team Teach. While each model offers different tools, they share a common purpose: supporting communication, strengthening relationships, maintaining dignity and keeping young people safe.

Safeguarding is woven through everything I do. Every child and young person has the right to feel safe, understood and respected. For autistic young people and those with complex needs, this means more than responding when something goes wrong. It means creating environments where risks are understood, communication is supported, and staff feel confident to recognise, report and respond to concerns. Safeguarding should live in everyday interactions, not in a folder on a shelf.

The best support is never created in isolation. It comes from genuine partnership between educators, therapists, families and, most importantly, the young person themselves. A significant part of my work is building those teams: growing staff confidence, developing shared understanding, and creating consistency around the people we support.

Beyond individual support, I work to develop sustainable practice across organisations by strengthening Positive Behaviour Support, improving training, embedding effective systems and ensuring policies reflect the real people they are written for.

Because the true measure of change is not what happens in a leadership meeting on a Monday afternoon. It is what happens in a classroom on a Tuesday morning, or at the desk of a staff member searching for a way forward after a difficult day.

A significant part of my work involves building the capacity of others: supporting teams to understand behaviour differently, developing staff confidence, and embedding practices that continue to make a difference long after the training session has ended.

If you are working to improve understanding, inclusion and quality of life for neurodivergent children and young people, I would love to connect.

Photos

Get in Touch

I’d love to hear from you.

Send Message