Following her Post Graduate Certificate in Education and teacher training at Trinity and All Saints College, University of Leeds, Carmen later gained a Post Graduate Diploma in Psychology at the University of Sunderland in 2005.

Since then she has worked as a Specialist Teacher (Mental Health) in a range of CAMHS and education settings including special schools, mainstream primary and secondary, further education, a pupil referral unit and within children’s social care.

She has completed further training in the workplace including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (Foundation and Intermediate) for children and adolescents at Newcastle CBT Centre. She is trained in the use of assessment tools, including the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2) and follow-up reliability training. Carmen has a wide range of training and experience in delivering evidence-based parenting Programmes, including Incredible Years Parenting Programme, New Forest Parenting Programme, Triple P (for parents of adolescents) and Mellow Parenting. Carmen has worked extensively in multi-disciplinary autism assessment clinics and previously as part of an ADHD pathway in CAMHS which has helped her to develop her neurodevelopmental assessment skills over the past 20 years.

Carmen follows a child-led approach that is neurodiversity-affirming in order to best support children and young people to realise their full potential in adulthood.