As an experienced professional within the field of SEND, Sarah is a huge asset to our charity. She was witness to Jonathan’s very earliest demonstrations of letter recognition and her unwavering belief in him undoubtedly contributed to the literacy journey that followed. We are very grateful for her insight and expertise.

I was one of those children that played ‘schools’ and always wanted to be a teacher when they grew up. As a teenager this quickly became a dream to be a Special Educational Needs/Disabilities (SEND) teacher.

I studied for a BEd at the University of Plymouth (taking every SEND module and opportunity possible, including an exchange to an American university). Upon completing my BEd I returned to America to study for a MEd in special educational needs/disabilities.

I’ve worked in the SEND field for 25 years in a a diverse range of roles – Deputy Head, Assistant Head, Teacher, Local Authority Education Officer and Educational Publisher.

I now work as BackPocketTeacher – an author, trainer and consultant in the field of child bereavement, specialising in the (sadly often overlooked) needs of bereaved children with SEND. I’m also a freelance training facilitator for the national child bereavement charities Winston’s Wish and Child Bereavement UK.

In October 2020 I began studying for a PhD alongside my work as BackPocketTeacher. I am researching bereavement and SEND, specifically how children who are non-verbal communicate grief.

Every child that I have had the pleasure of working with has taught me so much – confirming my belief that every child deserves the best possible education – this is every child’s RIGHT.

It is an absolute honour to be an ambassador for Teach Us Too.