Meet the Grow & Thrive team!
The team here at Grow & Thrive work together to ensure individuals get the support they need. Over the years, we’ve developed a process that puts you at the centre of everything that we do. Our talented hand-picked, multidisciplinary team are passionate about this too, and their clinical work is driven by the Grow & Thrive ethos. We really are with you on the journey to understanding neurodiversity. Every single step of the way.
The Grow and Thrive Team
Jude Philip
Clinical Lead, Consultant Speech & Language Therapist/ Chief Executive Officer
With qualifications from Queen Margaret University and Edinburgh University and a wealth of experience working and mentoring for the NHS in Speech and Language Therapy (SALT), Jude has continually demonstrated her passion for supporting families. After a few years offering part-time private SALT, she joined forces with Katy to found what you now know as “Grow Communication”. Jude’s desire to ensure all voices are heard and wanting to help them thrive is integral to the Grow ethos. And in her role as Clinical Lead, she is always reading, researching and continuing to learn and develop evidence-based practice, in order to make sure that Grow is at the forefront of the profession.
She says: “I love what I do and value the trust families put in us at Grow.”
They say: “Jude went above and beyond with help and support not only for our son but for the whole family. Our son loved his assessment sessions. We now have some added support from the nursery since they have read Jude’s very detailed and in-depth report – had we not had this we could quite possibly have been waiting a while! Would highly recommend Jude for support, advice and guidance with any Speech and Language worries”.
Mum of 3 1/2 year old
Specialist Experience & Training
Autism assessment, diagnosis and support (trained in ADOS-2, DISCO) Girls and Autism, Attention Autism
Selective Mutism advanced training (specialising in SM + Autism)
LSVT LOUD (dysarthria with cerebral palsy), PROMPT, Colourful Semantics, Intensive Interaction
A range of AAC training – Podd, apps for iPad, Eye-gaze, PECS, AAC and literacy
Speech and Language Therapist Team
Natalie McCarron
Specialist Speech and Language Therapist
Natalie McCarron is a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist (SLT). Natalie has a BA in Spanish and French (2009), a BSc Hons in Speech and Language Pathology (2017), and is studying for an MEd in Autism from University of Strathclyde. Natalie is a registered member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RSCLT) and registered with the Health Care Profession Council (HCPC).
Natalie has worked as a Speech and Language Therapist since qualifying in 2017 and has experience working with a wide range of ages in the NHS, mainstream and additional support needs schools, and the private sector. She has developed a special interest in assessing and supporting individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions and currently works as part of a multidisciplinary neurodevelopmental assessment team in the NHS. Natalie has received extensive training in the assessment and support of individuals with Additional Support Needs including ADOS-2, Talking Mats, and CIRCLE and she regularly attends Continuous Professional Development sessions with colleagues e.g. selective mutism, genetics in neurodevelopmental conditions. Natalie also has practical experience of teaching English as an Additional Language in an inclusive school environment with children and young people with a wide range of abilities, and supporting adults with learning disabilities, neurodevelopmental conditions and mental health difficulties in the community prior to qualifying as a Speech and Language Therapist.
Jane Macer
Consultant Speech and Language Therapist
Jane Macer is a Consultant Speech and Language Therapist specialising in Child and Adolescent Mental Health and complex neurodevelopmental needs.
Jane trained in 1976 in Edinburgh, moving to the Blackfriars School of Speech and Language therapy London and gaining distinction in her clinical work. In 1989 she gained a Masters Degree in Human Communication Studies at City University, focusing on interaction patterns in pre-school age autistic children. She is trained in a range of assessments and interventions specific to autism and neurodevelopmental conditions.
In mid-career, Jane worked as lead SALT clinician for children at the Kings College and Maudsley NHS Trust in Camberwell , moving to The Donald Winnicott Centre and Queen Elizabeth Children’s Hospital in Hackney London.
Throughout this time Jane also worked at the National Autistic Society Lorna Wing Assessment Centre as an associate clinician carrying out assessments with families.
In 2003 Jane and her family moved to Scotland to be near extended family. Since relocating, she has had a number of roles, including a resource development project with Talking Mats when it was based at Stirling University. After a period of time working at the State Hospital Carstairs with neurodiverse men, Jane returned to full time work with looked after young people. Over the past 10 years, s has been developing a broad based therapeutic service for children in a specialist care setting in Fife.
Clinical Psychology
Dr Jill Ogston
Clinical Psychologist
Dr Jill Ogston is a Clinical Psychologist. She has a BSc (Hons) in Psychology and a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, both from University of Glasgow. Dr Ogston is registered with the Health Care Profession Council (HCPC).
Dr Ogston has worked in a National Autistic Society school and held a specialist Autism post within the NHS for eight years, providing assessment, diagnosis and intervention and support to people with neurodevelopmental differences and their families.
She is trained in ADOS-2 and DISCO and has extensive experience in administering holistic diagnostic assessments. Giving an individual and their family a profile of their strengths and areas for development is an important part of her role. She also has significant experience in offering mental health intervention to people on the autism spectrum both within the NHS and independent sector.
Dr Claire Hogarth
Clinical Psychologist
Claire Hogarth is a qualified Clinical Psychologist who completed her undergraduate degree in Psychology in 2006 and went on to spend 6 years working in psychological research including time spent within the Department of Psychological Medicine at the University of Glasgow.
Claire completed her postgraduate Doctorate in Clinical Psychology also from the University of Glasgow in 2015 and went on to work within Community Paediatrics and CAMHS settings in the NHS. In this role she worked with children and young people who had a variety of neuro developmental presentations and complexities as well as those with significant mental health difficulties.
Claire currently works with adults in clinical health psychology but still very much enjoys time spent working with children and their families.
Anna Bogaczyk
Clinical Psychologist
Anna is a Clinical Psychologist who completed the Statement of Equivalence in Clinical Psychology via the British Psychological Society in 2010 and after qualifying she spent 13 years working in the NHS Adult Psychology Service.
Anna’s main area of expertise is working with adult clients with mental health difficulties. As a part of her role, Anna has been involved is completing autism assessment and supporting other clinicians in carrying out adult ASD assessments as well as working with neurodivergent clients in therapy. She has experience working with families and young people within a neurodevelopmental assessment service and previously worked in a residential National Autistic Society school providing individualised support for young people.
Anna competed DISCO training in 2016 and has extensive experience in delivering psychological assessments and formulations with clients experiencing mental health difficulties as well as those who are neurodivergent. She continues to work with adult clients as well as with young people and their families.
Partner Organisations: Grow works with the following fantastic partner organisations to ensure that we can meet individuals families needs.
Dr Judith Piggot
Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist
Grow and Thrive works with a partner organisation SMARTS for Life. Dr Piggot has been a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist for over 20 years. She is a specialist in mental health and neurodevelopmental presentations and passionate about making a difference for people presenting with mental health and developmental difficulties.
Dr Piggot was a Clinical Lecturer in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Glasgow University, during which time she gained an M.Sc. in Genetics with distinction and a PhD in Neuroscience, before undertaking Post Doctoral training at Stanford University, California in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neuroscience. Dr Piggot was then appointed to Clinical Senior Lecturer in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Consultant Lead for Specialist Autism Spectrum Service, University of Cardiff, and joined the Academic Faculty and Clinical Director of the Centre for Autism Research and Treatment (CART) in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of California, Los Angeles, where she started to develop the SMARTS approach before relocating back to Scotland and taking up a consultant position in the NHS.
What people say about Judith and SMARTS:
Working with Judith and SMARTS has been transformational in understanding our child’s strengths and needs. We have made changes which help us to help her through understanding more about how brains work.
Parent of teen
Occupational Therapist & Physiotherapist
Grow and Thrive works with partner organisations who are able to support with Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy needs.
Susan Doogan – Specialist Children’s Occupational Therapist – Motorvate Therapies (www.motorvatetherapies.co.uk)
Kirsteen Grieve – Specialist Children’s Physiotherapist – Movement Physiotherapy https://www.movementphysiotherapy.co.uk
Office Manager
Samantha Harrison
Office Manager
I love working at Grow. Apart from being part of something really amazing that truly helps people (which motivates me every day), the team here at Grow are incredibly supportive of each other, as well as of our clients.
It’s a nourishing environment where we can work flexibly and in harmony with our work/life balance.
There is a culture of encouragement, appreciation, understanding and tolerance here at Grow that I have never experienced in the workplace before.
Non-Executive Directors
As a Social Enterprise Grow & Thrive Limited is also required to have a team of Non-Executive Directors. Our Non-Execs are a fantastic team of experienced professionals from a range of areas.
Lois Cameron
Director of Talking Mats
Lois interviewed Jude for her first SLT job in 2003 (she was successful). Lois is an SLT by training and worked in Adult Learning Disability within the NHS for many years. Lois is a founding director of Talking Mats – a social enterprise whose vision is to improve the lives of people with communication difficulties by increasing their capacity to communicate effectively about things that matter to them. Talking Mats is an innovative, award-winning communication tool and is based on extensive research and was designed by Speech and Language Therapists.
Jim Dearie
Business Consultant
Jim is an experienced business development professional with a strong track record. Jim is the director of UXL-Limited delivering results with a broad range of industrial and commercial clients in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Jim has developed his technical and commercial skills in a number of management positions in the electronics industry in Scotland, public sector agencies and currently as managing director of Uxl. He has continually developed his skills and knowledge from his early formal training in Mechanical and Production Engineering (HND) and his qualifications include an MBA from the University of Strathclyde.
Vacancy
If you would be interested in joining the non-executive board at Grow please contact us to arrange a discussion
