Grantham doctor sets up training company to support families of children with autism and special needs
An A&E doctor and his partner have set up special training and support to help families understand neurodiversity in children.
Dr Edward Crook, who works at Grantham Hospital, and his partner educational psychologist Dr Emma Lynch, are both passionate about helping children with autism and the wider spectrum of special needs.
The couple decided to set up their own company to help bridge the gap between families and professionals in understanding children’s diverse needs. For years they had both seen first-hand the lack of understanding and the frustration and heartbreak it was bringing.
Edward himself was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult and this diagnosis only came about due to the support of LAMDA during his time training to be an actor. There was a realisation that he might need some support and they arranged for an assessment with an educational psychologist.
Edward, who divides his time now between acting and working in A&E, drew on his own experience of going unnoticed for so long, and felt that the many facets and nuances of neurodiversity were still largely misunderstood or not spotted in time.
As a result of his experience, the idea for The Bigger Picture Training Company was born.
Edward said: “So many times when I have been working in A&E I have seen people come in because they just didn’t know what else to do or where to go.
“There’s a huge gap in knowledge within both the medical and education sectors and many families are feeling overwhelmed at home and struggling to get support or the correct advice from professionals. They are often passed around without conclusion and in the meantime the kids are left behind.
“My own diagnosis with ADHD and challenges with fitting into the traditional learning methods of educational framework, at times, really gave me an indicator that there is so much more that can and needs to be done…”
The Bigger Picture Training Company and its diverse training and support services has been welcomed with open arms, with professionals able to book on to training and families can register their interest and self-enrol following a quick response from Emma who will work with them to understand their specific needs.
Edward added: “Emma and I both felt that we could combine our skills along with the help of a team of like-minded professionals, and offer training and resources not just to families who really need the help but to professionals across diverse sectors (not just medical and educational) to equip them with the tools and informational to spot the signs, and create support programmes for each child they see.”
Emma said: “There needs to be an understanding that not everyone learns in the same way, and a much broader awareness to the fact that many kids are going under the radar and really struggling both at home and at school.
“We don’t want that to continue. Within our training framework we are effectively bridging that gap between health and education and providing the knowledge and resources that we hope can make a really positive difference to lives.
“I’ll always respond personally to all family enquiries and we want to be seen as that friendly, supportive and nurturing place that we know people need. We’ve also been very conscious in keeping our costs accessible and will waive fees for lower income families. Ultimately, we want to help empower families so they can empower their children to flourish.”
Further details here: www.thebiggerpicturetrainingcompany.com