An award winning team
We have a small but dedicated team here at DAISY, and our staff members have been proud to have received Outstanding Clinical Initiative of the Year 2019, for redesigning an autism assessment pathway to improve services for young people and their families. As a team of highly experienced professionals we have NHS backgrounds, including that in Community Paediatrics, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and Learning Disabilities. We comprise a Clinical Psychologist, Specialist Speech and Language Therapists and a Consultant Psychiatrist. We’ve got you covered.
Dr Richard Dearden - Chartered Clinical Psychologist and Director of DAISY Psychology Services.
As a Clinical Psychologist, I am committed to working in partnership with others to develop a shared explanation for your experiences, including thoughts, feelings and behaviour. I have spent over 13 years studying the field of psychology and hold the following qualifications and registrations:
- Winner of ‘Outstanding Clinical Initiative of the Year’ award in 2019
- Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from The University of Hull
- Registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
- Registered Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society
- Registration with the Association of Child Psychologists in Private Practice (AChiPPP)
- Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2). Trained to Clinical Reliability
- Autism Diagnostic Interview - Revised (ADI-R). Trained to Clinical Reliability.
- BSc in Psychology from The University of York
Over the past 11 years, I have enjoyed working across a range of NHS and private health settings, supporting children, adults and older people within both community and inpatient contexts. Throughout my training and post-qualification, I have been passionate about helping families who access Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). I have developed extensive experience of providing different types of psychological therapy and offer both supervision and consultation to the systems around young people, including education.
Alongside private work, I continue to work clinically within community CAMHS and specialise in providing assessment of Autistic Spectrum Conditions as part of an award winning paediatric multidisciplinary team. For many families, considering and undergoing an assessment of autism is a long journey and can often involve a range of feelings – I have found it a privilege to be a small part of this story and I remain dedicated to providing support throughout the assessment process. I founded DAISY Psychology Services in 2018 with a strong commitment to providing high-quality, evidence-based assessments for a range of neurodevelopmental conditions, with a strong focus on autism.
Joanne Hemingway - Specialist Speech and Language Therapist.
I qualified with a degree in Speech and Language Sciences from the University of Newcastle in 2004. Since then, I have worked with a variety of paediatric caseloads and currently practice as Clinical Lead for Early Years Complex Needs within a busy NHS Trust. I am also the lead Speech and Language Therapist within an award winning multidisciplinary autism assessment team, meaning I have a wealth of experience in working with a range of professionals when assessing the needs of children with social communication difficulties. I have also undertaken further training and certification in The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) and More Than Words – The Hanen Programme. I am also qualified to use the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2) when assessing young people for possible autism.
Frances Roberts – Specialist Speech and Language Therapist.
I am an experienced practitioner who is passionate about providing a comprehensive and thorough assessment for autism, whilst ensuring the process is an enjoyable experience for the young person. Since graduating from the University of Sheffield with a Masters in Human Communication Sciences, I have worked with people with autism spectrum conditions in a range of settings, including mainstream and specialist schools, child development centres and the criminal justice system.
Within my current NHS role, I work as a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist as part of an award winning Paediatric Autism Assessment team, as well as providing intervention to pre-school age children who have social communication difficulties. I am trained in using the ADOS-2, Hanen More Than Words, Social Thinking, Lego Therapy and Colourful Semantics.
Beth Kena – Specialist Speech and Language Therapist.
I have specialist experience of working with neurodevelopmental conditions both within the NHS and independent settings. I have worked across different age groups within nurseries, mainstream and specialist provisions, colleges and clinics, and currently work as part of an award-winning autism assessment team within the NHS.
I have enjoyed working with people targeting a range of areas such as speech difficulties, Developmental Language Disorder, and complex needs, with my area of specialism being autism, neurodevelopmental conditions and complex needs in the early years. I am passionate about providing an exceptional level of care, using evidence-based practice, and developing my clinical skills to offer families the highest standard of treatment. Amongst completing a wide variety of training, I am also a qualified ADOS-2 practitioner.
Dr Mini Pillay - Consultant Psychiatrist.
I have worked as a psychiatrist within the NHS for over 20 years. I hold a Degree in Medicine and Surgery, and I am registered as a Member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. After training in various sub-specialties, I pursued a career in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and have been working as a Consultant within CAMHS for nearly 10 years. My particular area of focus involves working with young people with a diagnosis of autism and/or learning disabilities.
I am trained in both the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2) and Autism Diagnostic Interview, Revised (ADI-R) and have participated in multidisciplinary assessments for over 10 years. I feel strongly about ensuring that additional needs due to neurodevelopmental difficulties are identified early so that adequate support can be given to children and young people at a time where it is crucial to make a difference. In addition to my clinical role, I have also held formal NHS responsibilities in clinical leadership, medical management and medical education.
Every one of us at Daisy is passionate about listening to your unique story. We love to acknowledge your real-life experiences and challenges, and we are dedicated to giving you our full and undivided attention.