Laura Dunn

Over the years, I have worked in a range of settings, primarily children’s homes and mainstream primary schools, focusing on developing communication skills

In home environments, I have often supported pre-verbal children Using ABA techniques, I help them make their first steps toward spoken language by teaching them to communicate needs and desires through requesting Building rapport is key, discovering what a child enjoys and using it to motivate learning I work closely with parents to identify the non-verbal cues their child uses, and it is incredibly rewarding to help families witness their child’s first words, signs, or symbol-based requests Supporting children to communicate for the first time has been among the most fulfilling experiences of my career

Whilst working in school settings I have worked for many years in Early Years Foundation Stage, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 Tailoring the main stream curriculum to meet the needs of my specific children is one of my biggest strengths In my current role I have provided support to colleagues who have looked to me for support with their practice and generally helped with the smooth running of the classroom

Working mainly on a self-employed basis has strengthened my adaptability, organisation, and self-reliance My workdays are varied, often involving several children across different settings, and I have learned to manage time and resources efficiently Collaboration is also central to my practice; I co-founded a small charity (Bluedoor) providing affordable ABA teaching in South Yorkshire, where we trained and supported volunteers who went on to build successful careers in the field

During my time with Bluedoor, and since then, I provided lots of hands on training to colleagues at the beginning of their careers I think I communicate well and work best when demonstrating how to work with a child