Summary
Overview
Work history
Education
Skills
Certification
References
Timeline
Generic

Claire Shepherd

Carryduff,Belfast

Summary

BA (HONS) Early childhood qualified Early Years manager and Practitioner with extensive experience working within early years, pre school and summer programme educational and early intervention settings who is committed to making positive impact on young people with a learning disability lives.

Skilled, experienced and passionate with a background in leading and managing a team, day to day operational management of Mencap children's centre and summer programmes and strategic development of early years and education services.

Dedicated to educational, social and emotional growth for optimal child development. Skilled in using exceptional communication skills to build positive, productive relationships with children and their families.

Overview

22
22
years of professional experience
23
23
years of post-secondary education
1
1
Certification

Work history

Children and Early years assistant manager

Mencap NI
Belfast
08.2019 - Current
  • Manage a team of staff, volunteers and students delivering an early year's intervention programme for children and their families aged 2yrs - 3yrs.
  • Manage a team of staff, volunteers and students delivering an summer programme for children and their families aged 4yrs - 18yrs.
  • Hold responsibility for the day to day operational delivery of Mencap children centre service and summer programmes including all responsibilities listed under 'Manager in charge' within early years registration within Belfast health and social care trust.
  • Maintained, updated and ensured strict organisational compliance to children centre policies and procedures, regulatory and legal requirements and legislation to ensure student and staff safety and wellbeing.
  • Maintained professional development in line with current and best practice within early years and education to ensure incorporation within practice.
  • Named child protection officer, maintaining at a high standard of child protection and safeguarding duties in relation to concerns in line with Mencap policies and procedures.
  • Ensured the incorporation of early years Cor Advantage curriculum within the setting.
  • Effectively managed and contributed to records, reports and files that are required for regulated services.
  • Work effectively within a multi disciplinary team and a range of stakeholders developing and maintaining both internal and external; relationships that support teh effective delivery and quality improvement of the early years and summer programmes.
  • Created alongside the early years team an environment, providing planning and delivery of engaging learning opportunities and exceptional care to promote child development. setting realistic and achievable tasks to maximise learning and development.
  • Engage with and maintain professional relationships with families to ensure a quality provision.
  • Oversaw the strategic development of Mencap's children centre through the creation of early learners programmes.
  • Effectively manage children centre and summer programme budgets and reporting requirements.
  • Used expert organisational skills to manage time and resources efficiently.
  • Complied with and maintained all requests asked

Keyworker

Mencap
01.2010 - Current


  • Keyworker to 6 children and families yearly with a variety of learning disabilities and/or complex needs.
  • Support children's learning and play within a holistic, caring and therapeutic environment, enabling them to develop and achieve vital skills and knowledge that may take longer to achieve if they didn’t have access to this vital preschool service
  • Close engagement with children and their families throughout the academic year, providing vital support and advise, educationally and advising of different strategies to improve many vital areas of life including behaviour support, communication, sleep regulation, the importance of looking after yourself as well as your child and any interventions required for the issues that may arrive
  • Work within a varied multi-disciplinary team, providing advice and support to families and identifying any underlying issues which may need to be addressed
  • Ensure a holistic and inclusive approach to learning while following individual programs
  • EPATS training programme facilitator (Early-Positive Approaches to Support) supporting families who have children with a diagnosed or a suspected learning disability through a needs-led approach
  • Through this I have gained experiences in delivering a range of evidence based programmes to families
  • Monitoring and evaluation of child learning - Continually recording and evaluating strategies being used with the children and families to support the children’s learning needs and adapting support on an individual basis to meet the needs of the children
  • Effectively manage and lead Mencap summer scheme programmes throughout the summer months and organized special events with outside organizations and local playgroups.

Special Needs Classroom Assistant

Oakwood School and Assessment Centre
01.2004 - 01.2010
  • Special needs classroom assistant
  • Effective management of general assistants within the room, contribute to the continued support and care of the pupils, implement and contribute to the authorised support programs for children and to provide a stimulating, fun and safe environment for all the children
  • Effective working within a multi-disciplinary team, enabling children to gain full access to the pre school curriculum, activities and materials at their individual levels of development
  • Implementation of children’s individual medical needs and appropriate programmes to deal with any challenges that arose
  • Responded to changing needs of pupils and staff to provide maximum help and support.
  • Safeguarded student health and wellbeing within educational settings, taking appropriate action when needed.
  • Encouraged student interaction in group activities, maintaining sensitivity to various special needs requirements.
  • Assisted teacher with using support equipment and incorporation of individual learning goals/plans
  • Observed children during social interactions and encouraged positive choices for minimising and resolving conflicts.
  • Supported teachers in managing challenging student behaviour, conducting progress meetings to provide feedback and recommend appropriate action.
  • Helped teachers with lesson plan development, class preparation and student mentoring, improving overall department attainment.
  • Created positive, engaging learning environments to improve student experiences.
  • I provided advice and support to the children’s families and assisted with the continual assessment and evaluation of the their development and learning.

Family Support

Make A Wish Foundation
01.2004 - 01.2010
  • This coincided with studying an access to university course and my degree
  • Here I would work evenings and weekends when required
  • Here my role included family support for children and their families whom were fighting life threatening illnesses and granting truly magical wishes
  • I would, on occasion visit their family homes, supporting them through difficult periods and advising effective strategies for them to implement
  • Finally I would take great pleasure in fundraising for and grating their desired wishes.

Tesco
Connswater shopping centre
01.2002 - 01.2004
  • This part time job coincided with studying for my NVQ levels two and three in early years care and education
  • Here I worked Saturdays and Sundays
  • The purpose of this was to gain experience in public relations
  • This role helped me gain experience in inter-personal relations and I thoroughly enjoyed my time here.

One-to-One Classroom Assistant

Stanhope Street Nursery School
01.2002 - 01.2004
  • Here I worked as a one-to-one classroom assistant to a child with ASD
  • My main role was to support and care for the child
  • I planned and implemented authorised programmes to enable them to gain full access to the nursery curriculum, ensuring an inclusive approach throughout the nursery
  • Also supporting the child’s family with their struggles both within the nursery setting and the home environment, ultimately preparing the child for moving into a special education setting.

Education

Stranmillis Primary School
01.1989 - 04.1997

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Newtownbreda high school
01.1997 - 04.2002

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Castlereagh College
01.2002 - 04.2007

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Stranmillis University Belfast
01.2007 - 04.2011

Early Years Care and Education, NVQ Level Two - undefined

Castlereagh College

Early Years Care and Education, NVQ Level Three - undefined

Castlereagh College

Certificate in Foundation Studies - Biology and Sciences - undefined

Queens University

BA (Hons) Early Childhood studies - undefined

Stranmillis University College

Skills

  • Experienced and passionate Early childhood Manager
  • Managing and leading an team of staff, students and volunteers
  • Effective Leadership skills
  • Experienced Cor Advantage and pre school curriculum
  • Early childhood education advocate
  • Collaborative worker within an Multi disciplinary team
  • Commented to Child protection and safeguarding principles
  • Family support and Engagement
  • Effective communication skills
  • Classroom and centre management experience
  • Demonstrated Mencap Values

Certification

· Child Protection and safeguarding officer

· Attention Autism and curiosity programme

· Highscope, cor advantage

· Solihull foundation approach to parenting

· Elklan speech and Language, Level 3

· Early positive approaches to support facillitar training

· Positive approaches to behaviour management

· An introduction to P.E.C.S

· P.E.C.S training

· Makaton Language Programme Levels 1 - 4

· Makaton Language Programme Levels 5 - 8

· Sensory Programme Training

· A.S.D Level 1

· A.S.D Level 2

· A.S.D Level 3

· Sensory Integration Challenging behaviours

· Sensory Integration for PLMD

· Working effectively alongside parents

· Intensive Interaction

· Manual Handling

References

References available upon request.

Timeline

Children and Early years assistant manager

Mencap NI
08.2019 - Current

Keyworker

Mencap
01.2010 - Current

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Stranmillis University Belfast
01.2007 - 04.2011

Special Needs Classroom Assistant

Oakwood School and Assessment Centre
01.2004 - 01.2010

Family Support

Make A Wish Foundation
01.2004 - 01.2010

Tesco
01.2002 - 01.2004

One-to-One Classroom Assistant

Stanhope Street Nursery School
01.2002 - 01.2004

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Castlereagh College
01.2002 - 04.2007

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Newtownbreda high school
01.1997 - 04.2002

Stranmillis Primary School
01.1989 - 04.1997

Early Years Care and Education, NVQ Level Two - undefined

Castlereagh College

Early Years Care and Education, NVQ Level Three - undefined

Castlereagh College

Certificate in Foundation Studies - Biology and Sciences - undefined

Queens University

BA (Hons) Early Childhood studies - undefined

Stranmillis University College

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