Yvonne Walker

Experience

I am a chartered psychologist. I have worked with children for over 16 years, originally as a teacher in mainstream and special education. My professional background is in educational psychology, providing me with experience and expertise in the psychological assessment of children aged 0-19 in family contexts, public care as well as educational. I have also undertaken additional training and gained experience in the assessment of adults in the context of personality, education, cognition, child protection, child and family assessment and the assessment of parenting. My background in special educational needs, together with additional experience assessing adults have equipped me with a level of expertise in working with parents/adults with learning difficulties.

I have provided assessments for court for children who have been sexually abused, physically abused or neglected, and children with special educational needs, and have advised on how their needs can be met. I have advised in residence and contact disputes. I have assessed sibling groups and advised on placement and contact for those children. I provide assessments for court of parent’s cognitive abilities, intellectual functioning and parenting capacity. I am experienced giving evidence in court.

I have experience of working in the social services department for ‘looked after children’ in a local authority and have sat on foster/adoption panel. I have worked on a Youth Offending Team and sat on the panel. My work with the Youth Offending Team involved the assessment of risk and assessing and working with young offenders and their families; gaining psychological insight of the offender’s perspective on his or her own behaviour as part of an analysis of offending behaviour. I have also contributed to pre-sentence reports in the areas of assessment of cognitive and/or emotional development.