SASS meet the team

‘Hi, I’m Becca. As the lead for the Specialist Autism Support Service, I am proud to be part of a team that puts the wellbeing and education of our autistic young people at the heart of what we do. All of our team members share a passion for developing good autism practice and work hard to ensure that all of our young people are well supported both in their educational settings and at home. Within the SASS team, we are always looking for new ways to support our young people and to ensure they have every opportunity to learn, develop and achieve their full potential.

‘Hi, I’m Sarah. As a specialist teacher within SASS I love being able to support professionals and families with strategies and resources tailored to a specific context and situation. Every autistic young person is individual and unique, so I really enjoy working with a team around the young person to discover what will work for them. I feel very proud to be working for SASS, raising the profile of autism and its positive differences. I am passionate about maintaining the self-esteem of autistic individuals and safeguarding their mental health.

Hi, I’m Beci, a specialist teacher for the Specialist Autism Support Service (SASS). I’ve worked in schools since qualifying as a teacher in 2005, beginning my career as an English teacher and SENCo in mainstream settings. This is my third year working as part of the wonderful SASS team; we are passionate about supporting autistic young people, their families and schools to develop neuro-affirming strategies and mindsets that help our neurodivergent pupils thrive. As a mum of three school-aged children with experience of waiting for assessment on the neurodevelopmental pathway, and as someone who was diagnosed as autistic myself last year, I have a personal and professional commitment to championing neurodiversity. I have a particular interest in demand avoidance and I am passionate about supporting our community to better understand and embrace neurodivergence.

Hi, I’m Emma and I’m an Occupational Therapist in the SASS team. I have worked with autistic young people for over 20 years and am enjoying the opportunity to deliver training and support to parents and professionals. Within the team my specialty is sensory processing and integration differences, I am also interested in the interaction of sensory differences with anxiety and executive function skills. I am constantly amazed by young people’s lived experience of autism and sensory differences and the unique perspective and challenges that this can present them with.

Hello. As administrator for the Specialist Autism Support Service my role is very varied and no two days are quite the same. I work closely with the professionals on the SASS team to ensure we are doing all we can to support autistic children and young people and their parents and carers. We are a very friendly and professional service.

Hi, I’m Hayley. I have worked at Fosse Way School for 20 years in different age groups from 4 to 19-year olds including working in Fosse Way House which is an onsite residential at Fosse Way School. I have worked for the Specialist Autism Support Service for 6 years. My area of expertise is helping with is with Early years, Nurseries, and KS1 children. Alongside this I work with parents, nursery and school staff to help with strategies to make the children happy in their surroundings and to deal with day-to-day situations.

Hi, I’m Jazz. I have worked at Fosse Way school for 10 years, supporting young people across a range of key stages. I have also worked supporting families in the home with being able to access the community. I have worked for the Specialist Autist Support Service for three years. During this time I have supported young people across primary and secondary. I really enjoy working directly with pupils and making sure that their voice is heard and listened to.

Hi, I’m Jess. I have worked in several special schools supporting children and young people with special educational needs in different roles. My last role was in Fosse Way House which was a residential setting for young autistic people. I have recently joined the wonderful SASS team. I will work alongside children and young people with strategies and tools to support them through their education. I will also work with families and professionals for the best possible outcomes.

Hi, I’m Frankie. I have been a Special Educational Needs Teacher for seven years at Fosse Way School. I have worked mainly in primary, supporting our youngest learners to settle into school and in KS2, supporting our most complex behavioural pathway. Through my teaching career, I found supporting families through home visits so rewarding and I really enjoy working closely with parents and professionals. I have extensive experience working with pre-verbal individuals and enjoy supporting their communication, being their voice, safe place and ensuring their needs are met. I am a very chatty and approachable person!