Meet our team
We are Witherslack Group. The UK’s leading education provider for children and young people with special educational needs as evidenced by sector leading Ofsted judgements and our unmatched placement stability, school attendance and outcomes for young people.
Our unique integrated team-around-the-child model and inspirational environments are key to our seamless delivery of education, care and therapeutic support. This enables children and young people to thrive in and outside of the classroom and coupled with our sector leading Futures programme, optimises outcomes and future contribution to society. We don’t give up, and by this we are seen as the destination of choice by parents, carers and professionals alike.
Meet a small selection of our clinical team, who offer advice and expertise through events, webinars, podcasts and articles
Billy Smallwood
Clinical Director
As Clinical Director for the Witherslack Group, Billy is responsible for setting the clinical direction and strategy, ensuring we consistently maintain the highest standards of care across all our locations. Her expert leadership and profound clinical insights are pivotal in shaping the therapeutic services Witherslack Group provide to children and young people with complex needs.
Billy brings extensive practice and strategic management experience gained within specialist schools, residential, and foster care setting and children and Adolescent Mental Health Services across the NHS, charity, and independent sectors. She specialises in developing and implementing evidence-based therapeutic models of practice designed to effectively meet the social, emotional, and mental health needs of every young person in our care.
Are you interested in learning more about how to support challenging behaviour? Watch our free webinar presented by Billy.
Waveney Patel
Regional Clinical Director
Waveney Patel is a Regional Clinical Director and an accomplished Consultant Clinical Psychologist with extensive experience in child and adolescent mental health (CAMHS) and family services. She is instrumental in guiding our clinical strategy and ensuring the therapeutic approach across her region is consistently high-quality and rooted in strong clinical evidence.
Waveney's core specialisms include Clinical Psychology, strategic leadership in healthcare settings, and deep expertise in supporting young people with complex needs, including those with Autism Spectrum Disorders and broader Mental Health challenges. Her commitment is to ensure that every young person in our care benefits from expert, thoughtful, and effective interventions.
Read Waveney's article on sensory needs and school anxiety.
Bridgitte Calder
Regional Clinical Director
Bridgitte is one of the Regional Clinical Directors for Witherslack Group and and an HCPC Registered Forensic Psychologist. She brings comprehensive experience from various settings, including justice, health care, education, and social care. Bridgitte has been dedicated to supporting children and adolescents since 2020, with her early experience on inpatient CAMHS wards before joining the Witherslack Group in January 2024.
Compassion and safety are at the core of Bridgitte's practice. She is deeply committed to providing the security necessary for young people to address their difficulties, empowering them to move toward a fulfilling life. As a key clinical leader, Bridgitte is particularly passionate about promoting trauma-informed and compassionate care and ensuring that therapeutic information and practices are accessible and effective across her region.
Watch Bridgitte's latest webinar, Exploring Self-Harm In Young People With SEN.
Laura Oliver
Senior Occupational Therapist
Laura brings nearly two decades of dedicated experience as a highly skilled Occupational Therapist (OT). For the past 19 years, she has specialised in paediatric care, focusing on empowering children and young people to thrive.
Her expertise is centered on enhancing motor skills, boosting independence, and facilitating successful engagement in school and leisure activities. As a Qualified Sensory Integration Practitioner, Laura provides specialised support to manage sensory needs effectively in both home and educational settings.
Laura has a broad background working with young people facing physical disabilities, neurodevelopmental challenges, and mental health support needs. Her approach is focused on creating positive, meaningful, and measurable outcomes.
Are you looking for advice and support for helping your child brush their teeth? Read Laura's article below.
Birgit Forstmaier-James
Occupational Therapist
Birgit is an experienced Occupational Therapist who studied in Germany and Belgium before moving to the UK in 2002. She discovered her passion for paediatrics and has specialised in the field since 2005, gaining extensive clinical experience across community, social, and educational settings. Birgit has strong expertise in assessing children with complex needs and has worked as an Autism Practitioner in both Wales and England. Prior to joining Witherslack in 2023, she worked as Professional Lead for Children’s Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy Services in Wiltshire, providing clinical leadership and service development across multidisciplinary teams.
Since joining Witherslack, Birgit has provided essential clinical support, specifically helping children and young people with trauma recovery, educational progress, and independence skills development. Beyond her clinical duties, she actively supports the home and school leadership team with service development initiatives and shares her expertise by delivering a wide range of training sessions and webinars for colleagues, professionals, and caregivers both within and outside the organisation.
Are you looking for advice and support to support your pupils in the classroom? Watch Birgit's webinar, Benefits Of Sensory Learning In The Classroom.
Chloe Savage
Assistant Psychologist
Chloe is an Assistant Psychologist who works with children with special educational needs, as well as those who have experienced adversity or trauma. As someone who is herself Dyslexic and ADHD, she understands first-hand the difference a caring and attuned adult can make.
After graduating with a degree in Psychology and Counselling, Chloe became Head of Year 7, supporting students through the transition to secondary school and advocating for inclusive practices for those with additional needs. She has also worked as a Family Project Worker, helping families navigate challenges and create positive, sustainable futures.
To learn more from Chloe, watch her latest webinar for more advice and support on how to support your pupil's sensory needs in the classroom.