MEET OUR TEAM
At Highland Child Development Centre, we are committed to providing excellent multi-disciplinary support for children facing challenges in learning, communication or emotional regulation. Founded by three expert clinicians with extensive experience of paediatric services in the North of Scotland, our mission is to transform the way support is delivered to our local community, so that every child has the tools they need to thrive. ​​Thank you for considering our service as a partner in your child's unique journey.
DR SONIA GLEESON
Founder and Consultant Clinical Psychologist
Sonia has always been drawn to attachment, systemic and neurobiologically informed models. She has enjoyed extensive further training following qualification, and applies this to her practice. Across her twenty years in the NHS, this has evolved into specialist expert knowledge considering how biological and epigenetic factors, along with experiences, have shaped a child’s presentation. This allows for confidence and greater accuracy when making diagnostic decisions. ​ Sonia works from a respectful and compassionate foundation, seeking to establish trust and safety. Keen to promote inclusion of those with additional needs, Sonia seeks to explore the voice of the child through whatever means possible. Sonia is passionate about working together with families who have experienced adversity across generations, as well as with individuals who have not always lived with biological parents. Many years of supporting biological and adoptive families with experience of foetal alcohol spectrum has led to a strong desire to increase knowledge of this condition. Ultimately, she hopes to reduce stigma and reduce common misperceptions through promoting community support for mothers of children with FASD. In addition, it has long been her ambition to work in the community with young people to help them understand how brains develop, to promote emotional regulation strategies, so have greater ability to consider their own choices. Sonia would like to extend this to include preventative work addressing prenatal exposure to alcohol, and information about the ways babies’ brains are influenced by their environment. In her spare time, she relaxes by cooking, yoga, and walking.
CLARE MORSE
Founder and Speech & Language Therapist
Clare is a Speech and Language Therapist with over 10 years experience working across a range of NHS and private services. After graduating with First Class Honours from Strathclyde University, Clare began her career in NHS Grampian, and quickly developed a specialism in working with young children with complex communication difficulties. She later gained a MSc in Autism (with Distinction) from Queens University, Belfast, where she worked in post-diagnostic support for families. Other posts that Clare has completed include working as an Acute Paediatric Speech and Language Therapist at the Royal London Children's Hospital, and a Neurodevelopmental Advanced Practitioner in Highland. Clare's approach to her therapeutic work is strongly rooted in combining evidence-based principles with play-based interventions, to create an environment which is as much effective as it is fun. Having worked with numerous families facing challenges associated with significant communication difficulties, Clare is passionate about creating an environment which is equally supportive of the child and of the adults around them. Outside of work, Clare loves to be outdoors, and she is a jack of all trades (but master of none!) in adventurous sports, including horse riding, climbing, skiing, biking and running.
SARAH GALLAGHER
Founder and Speech & Language Therapist
Sarah is a highly specialist Speech and Language Therapist and has worked across NHS Highland and Highland Council Services for over 13 years. Sarah has specific experience in neurodevelopmental assessment and diagnosis, with extensive skills in the use of the ADOS-2, and completing post graduate study in Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Sarah also has significant experience in assessment and intervention for children and young people with a range of complex communication needs. Sarah is a Regional Makaton Tutor and trained in communication approaches such as PECS and PODD. ​​​​​ ​ Sarah is passionate about providing a service unique to each child, young person and family. Sarah listens to each individual story and provides an empathetic and tailored approach in her assessment and intervention work. Above all, she loves getting to know the children, young people and families she works with in the Highlands. Sarah grew up in Inverness and now lives locally with her 2 children, husband and dog. Sarah spends her (rare) spare time cycling, walking and drinking coffee.
OUR FOUNDERS
OUR TEAM
DR BOB BAGNALL
Specialist Doctor
Bob returned to live in the Highlands to be near family having studied, trained and then worked as a Doctor in Glasgow for over 25yrs. His most enjoyable jobs included Paediatrics and Psychiatry, and he developed both by working as an Out of Hours General Practitioner and Specialty Doctor in CAMHS. During this time Bob combined his skills in caring for children and their families in community and clinic settings to better understand the value of their real-life experiences in ensuring practical medicine. Neurodiversity and diagnosing and prescribing for ADHD is where he has been naturally drawn over his lifetime and hopes that his experience doing this in the NHS will help patients wishing to navigate this timeously. After working locally in NHS Highland CAMHS and In-patient Adult Mental Health he currently works part-time in the Highland Gender Specialty Service. Bob qualified with MBChB 1996 Glasgow, holds JCPTGP (Joint Committee Postgraduate Training General Practice) 2005 registration number 54365 and General Medical Council registration number 4306384. He is also an Approved Medical Practitioner in Scotland under Section 22 of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) Act.
DR FHIONNA MOORE
Clinical Psychologist
Fhionna is a clinical psychologist with 6 years of experience delivering evidence based psychological assessments and therapies in the NHS. She has an active research programme looking at managing risk, models of mental health support for children and young people, and the ways that masculinity impacts on mental health. She lives near Inverness with her dog Bear who demands all of her spare time.
DR BRINDA PARAMOTHAYAN
Specialist Doctor
Dr Brinda Paramothayan has over 30 years NHS experience. As a GP and Clinical Lead for Child and Adolescent Mental Health for SW London she learned to understand the complexity of assessing and managing Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). ​ She completed her Medical degree and intercalated Physiology degree at the University of Liverpool. She obtained Diplomas in Child Health, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and Membership of the Royal College of General Practitioners while at the University of Southampton. Hospital posts included Paediatrics and Psychiatry. ​ Dr Brinda worked as a GP in Teddington for 20 years, where she was well-regarded and popular amongst patients and colleagues. Here, she developed a specialist interest in children and young people’s mental and physical health. As Clinical Lead for Child and Adolescent Mental Health in South West London, she helped design a local, accessible pathway for ADHD and ASD assessments and worked closely with headteachers to implement a whole school approach to emotional wellbeing and the introduction of mental health support into schools. ​ Most recently, Dr Brinda worked at Richmond CAMHS, where a key part of her role was to reduce the time between diagnosis and treatment for young people with ADHD. Dr Brinda takes a holistic approach when assessing children, acknowledging the impact of mental health on their overall wellbeing. She understands the frustration of delay in diagnosis and the effect on the young person and their families, having seen this first-hand in her years as a family doctor and as a parent.
AMELIA WILLIAMSON
Child & Adolescent Psychotherapist
Amelia worked with children with complex needs and learning disabilities in education and social care for 15 years before becoming a therapist. Her specialism was helping parents understand their child’s communication and learning needs through playing with them together, and has done lots of training in this area. Amelia also has a Master in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy and has worked as a therapist in schools, for charities and in the NHS. She uses play and art to help children feel safe so they can share and explore their experiences and feelings. She is also trained in systemic practice and dyadic developmental psychotherapy (DDP) and takes a holistic approach to understanding a young person’s behaviour and needs. Amelia loves getting stuck into hands on play with young people, following their lead.
Coming Soon
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Post Diagnostic ADHD Service
OUR HOME
Our main base is at our clinic on Academy Street in Inverness, where we have two welcoming spaces to meet with you and your family. We understand, however, that many families in the North of Scotland live further afield, and our aim is reduce the stress of having to travel to an appointment with your child. We will aim to offer our assessment and intervention services as flexibly as possible, which may include online sessions, videos, or we may even make arrangements to come and visit you in your area.
