Laura Tarrant Specialist Teaching

PDA Society Service Directory
Organisation Name: Laura Tarrant, Specialist Teacher
Service Type:
  • Mentoring, Counselling and Coaching
  • Education (including Alternative Provision)
Description of services:

Neuro-affirming teaching and mentoring support, tailored to match the needs of each child and family. Support is in-person and/or remote, where appropriate. • Specialist Teaching, including for children Educated Other Than At School (EOTAS), home schooled/educated, not able to attend school. • ARTiculate (Therapeutic Art) - an evidence based approach for supporting emotional wellbeing and mental health. • Specialist Coaching, Mentoring and Support (for parents, children/young people or schools).
Contact email address: teaching@lauratarrant.co.uk
Where do they offer their services:
  • Online
  • England - East of England
Has this organisation read the finding safe and appropriate support guidance on PDA Society's website: They have read the safe and appropriate support guidance and commit to working in the way it describes.
Does this organisation or members of its team provide services or hold titles that are regulated?: Yes
Regulatory bodies this organisation or team are registered with:

The Teaching Regulation Agency
Qualifications this organisation holds to undertake the work they do:

• I am a Qualified Teacher with a Masters Degree in Autism (Children) and extensive teaching and leadership experience (Deputy Headship) across all age ranges. I have twelve years experience as a Specialist Advisory Teacher (Speech, Language, Communication and Autism) for a large local authority, training and advising educational settings. I now work independently, both directly with neurodivergent children and their families, but also with schools. • I have additional training in ARTiculate (Therapeutic Art) for Educational Professionals and in the Developmental, Diagnostic and Dimensional Interview (3di) for Autism Assessment. My research focus for my Master’s degree was PDA and neurodivergent girls.
Does this organisation have a clear and transparent charging policy: Yes
Does this organisation have a publicly available safeguarding policy: Yes
Does this organisations team have up to date, clear DBS checks: Yes
Does this organisation have insurance that covers the work they do: Yes
Does this organisation have a publicly available Data Protection Policy or statement that explains how you keep data safe: Yes
Does this organisation have a publicly available Complaints Policy: No
Does this organisation have a publicly available Health & Safety Policy: No
Does this organisation commit to setting clear and manageable expectations about communications and stick to them: Yes
Does this organisation commit to setting clear and respectful boundaries and not pursuing a personal relationship with people they work with: Yes
What experience does this organisation or team have of autism:

I have worked with neurodivergent children for over twenty five years, in both teaching and advisory roles. I have taught in both mainstream and specialist settings and been an accredited trainer for the Autism Education Trust and for the National Autistic Society. I am a highly experienced Specialist Advisory Teacher, having previously worked across a large county, developing and delivering Autism and PDA specific training for schools and other Local Authority teams. My particular areas of professional interest are Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), Autism, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), situational mutism, neurodivergent girls and anxiety.
What experience does this organisation or team have of working with PDAers/ people who struggle with demands:

Throughout my teaching career there have always been autistic children who needed a particularly creative, collaborative approach to do well. Whilst demand avoidance was not widely known about twenty five years ago, those children shared many differences, strengths and personal qualities with the PDAers that I work with today. PDA ultimately became a key professional interest for me, and was the research focus for my Masters degree. Through the course of twelve years as a Specialist Advisory Teacher for a Local Authority, I met many more PDAers, from pre-schoolers to those moving into adulthood. Time spent with children, their families and their teachers has resulted in a comprehensive understanding of the changing challenges through each phase of education. I now work independently and specialise in teaching, coaching and mentoring PDAers and their families on a daily basis. Alongside this, I continue to carry out consultancy with educational settings.
How does this organisation keep their knowledge up to date:

I actively read new research, publications and relevant social media. I join professional development courses, and I work collaboratively with other like-minded colleagues including Educational Psychologists, Occupational Therapists etc. Above all, I continue to learn from every child I work with, through listening to what they have to say about their experiences and carrying this forward in my practice.
Is this organisation committed to trying to accommodate sensory sensitivities / differences: Yes
Is this organisation committed to working creatively and flexibly with demand avoidant people, focusing on meeting their individual needs (within the boundaries of your working agreement): Yes
Is this organisation committed to also trying to accommodate any co-occurring conditions people have: Yes