I have been working in the field of psychological assessment and intervention with children and adults since 1984.

My qualifications are B.A. (Hons.) in Psychology (1984, University of Reading); M.Sc. in Clinical Psychology (1989, Institute of Psychiatry, University of London); Ph.D. in Psychology: management of violent behaviour (2005, City University). I have also completed the British Psychological Society's post qualification training in clinical neuropsychology (1999). In addition to my clinical qualifications, I have a number of management certificates including NVQ 5 and Diploma. I am a Chartered Psychologist registered with the British Psychological Society and I am a Registered Psychologist (Clinical and Forensic) with the Health Professions Council www.hpc-uk.org who, since July 2009, have been the regulatory body for Psychologists in the UK.

I have a broad spectrum of experiences with vulnerable people in both community and hospital settings (secure and non-secure). This varies from working in generic community learning disabilities services (1989-1994), to managing a psychology department in a medium secure psychiatric unit where I also held a specialist and highly complex caseload (1994-2000), and holding the position of Consultant Lead Clinician, Forensic Clinical Psychology (Learning Disability) Services (2000-2007). In addition, I have worked as a researcher for Headway , a charity set up to give help and support to people affected by brain injury. My work has involved assessment and intervention with children, adults, and families.

Currently I run my own psychological practice which includes supervision of health and social care staff working with adolescent and adult offenders in inpatient and community settings in South Wales, work for the prison service conducting psychological risk assessments for Parole Board hearings, providing an expert witness service to a range of customers such as the BPS, Criminal and Family Courts, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, and the Customs & Excise Prosecution department, as well as consultancy to government departments.  I have provided written and oral evidence to the criminal, civil and family courts, as well as to mental health review tribunals and parole board hearings.  I am on the Practitioner Psychologists' Fitness to Practice Panel of the Health Professions Council.

I have a clinical and academic interest in violence that I have maintained since publishing my Ph.D. which focused on violence prediction and management. This has included work within a medium secure setting for both male and female offenders, many of whom had violently offended or killed. It has also involved work with families in community settings. In connection with my violence risk assessment and management expertise, I teach Doctoral Clinical Psychology Trainees.

I have acted as anonymous peer reviewer for Home Office research publications and I am a registered expert reviewer for the journals Psychology, Crime & Law and the British Journal of Learning Disabilities. In addition, I have collaborated on documentation for the Welsh Assembly concerning the needs of offenders with learning disabilities. I have been invited to review grant applications for the Nuffield Foundation.  I have assisted the Prison Reform Trust in relation to their project 'No One Knows' , which addresses the needs of people with learning disabilities in prison. In addition, I provided input to the Care Services Improvement Partnership (CSIP) work which culminated in the publication of their handbook for professionals in the Criminal Justice System working with offenders with learning disabilities ('Positive Practice, Positive Outcomes').