Advisory Board
We are very fortunate to have worked with many talented professionals within their field for years. They have advised, guided, and worked alongside us helping us think things through when sometimes you just need their expertise too. They have always supported our passion to help young people to gain positive education experiences.
To ensure each young person has the very best, we are privileged to offer our own advisory board as part of Approach Education Ltd. By working together this enables further positive outcomes for each young person. A range of expert professionals who are giving their time to troubleshoot or advise us when I need it. We value their commitment and belief in this service.
Tom Ellison
Tom Ellison has over thirty years’ experience of children’s residential care and, in particular, the specialist residential care of Young people suffering with poor mental health.
Initially working directly with young people in the third sector, Tom became the director of a specialist provider for young people who had experienced severe sexual abuse in 2004.
Subsequently, Tom occupied senior, board level, positions with a number of specialist providers of children’s residential care. In that time, Tom developed a reputation for improving failing services and bringing specialist therapeutic approaches to formally generic children’s services providers.
Between 2014 and 2022, Tom played a prominent role in the leadership of Young Foundations, a national organisation delivering residential care, education and clinical support for young people leaving Tier 4 CAMHS care. In that period, Young Foundations doubled in size and in 2018 received the prestigious Laing Buisson Award for Innovation in recognition of the company’s pioneering hybrid clinical/social care model. Young Foundations went on to win the Laing Buisson Children’s Services Award in 2020 for excellence in children’s residential care.
In late 2022, and after eight and a half years’ service, Tom left Young Foundations to found Ellison Lynd Consulting, with a view to working with local authorities, the third sector and independent providers to improve outcomes for children in residential care.
Tom holds undergraduate and post-graduate degrees in Psychology and post-graduate qualifications in both Management Studies and Strategic Management.
Lynda Morgan
Lynda is currently the Lead Teacher for Maplefields Training and Development, an arm of Maplefields Academy, an outstanding special school situated in Corby Northants for pupils with social emotional and mental health difficulties (SEMH). She leads the team in providing Training and Development for school staff in primary, secondary and special schools, together with an outreach service for North Northants Local Authority.
Lynda has been a teacher for forty-eight years and has over time held three Headships, led the Teaching school Alliance, worked for several Local Authorities as school improvement partner, is an NLE (national leader in education) and has recently retired as an Ofsted lead inspector.
Lynda’s specialist interest and knowledge lies in SEND and she is passionate in supporting schools to improve the opportunities, pathway and outcomes for students with aspects of special needs and/or disability in all types of school provision.
In addition to her teaching qualifications Lynda has a Masters Degree from Leicester University.
Belinda Greasby
Belinda is a registered Social Worker who graduated from the University of Birmingham in 1996 with a Diploma in Social Work (DipSW) and a MSocS (Social Work). Since this time she has worked predominately with children and families in the West and East Midlands. Prior to this in 1987 she qualified as a Primary School Teacher graduating from Edge Hill College (Lancaster University) with a BEd Hons (Primary Specialist 3-11years); working for 7 years in schools in the West Midlands during the introduction of the National Curriculum.
Belinda has worked as a Social Worker and Manager in all areas along the Family Support continuum from Early Help through Child Protection/Safeguarding and Children in Care, through to Fostering; Adoption and Post Adoption Support. Within the remit of Quality Assurance and local Safeguarding Partnerships she was in the role of Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO); Child Protection Conference Chair and Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) for over 13 years. She has facilitated multi agency training in the safeguarding arena and mentored Social Work students and newly qualified staff.
During her time as a registered Social Worker she has been involved with a diverse community of children aged 0-18 years and with those who have additional needs; up to 25. Belinda has led in change management in many areas of professional practice and has been part of a range of multi agency partnerships, focusing on improving opportunities for children, including setting up Surestart Centre with community leaders in the early to mid 2000's.
Belinda met Emma Green whilst working for a local Safeguarding Partnership in 2016. Emma devised and facilitated a bespoke educational package for a teenage girl Belinda was working with who was transitioning from a mental health hospital setting into the community, empowering her to identify her strengths and gain nationally recognised qualifications in many areas of education. She works tirelessly to empower and enable children to find their strengths and talents and to achieve the very best they can. By working with the team around the child and individualising programmes; setting clear targets and regularly reviewing progress , Emma provides a flexible approach to maximising a child’s potential through active listening and positive engagement.
Belinda stressed her pleasure and excitement to join the Advisory Board for Approach Education and she looks forward to being a part of the transformational work that is being undertaken.
Educational Psychologist
I have worked (as a visiting consultant educational psychologist) with Emma over several years whilst in her role as headteacher. I have found Emma to be hard working, an effective communicator at various levels, this includes in the role of leadership, with parents, student and commissioners.
I would describe Emma as a highly effective leader which includes technical knowledge such as various codes of practice [SEN COP 2015] as well as Disability Discrimination Act [Equality Act 2010].
Emma has always been willing to undertake further professional development to improve the outcomes of the most vulnerable students in society.
