{"id":48,"date":"2024-05-01T10:02:03","date_gmt":"2024-05-01T10:02:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/tass\/?page_id=48"},"modified":"2026-06-18T11:01:56","modified_gmt":"2026-06-18T11:01:56","slug":"who-are-we","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/routledgelearning.com\/tass\/who-are-we\/","title":{"rendered":"Who are we?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-base-element-background-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--60);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--60)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide text-center has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide is-content-justification-center is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-f56f9fcf wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><nav style=\"--separator: &quot;\/&quot;\" class=\"wp-block-breadcrumbs\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\"><ol><li><a href=\"https:\/\/routledgelearning.com\/tass\/\">Home<\/a><\/li><li><span aria-current=\"page\">Who are we?<\/span><\/li><\/ol><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n<h1 class=\"has-text-align-center alignwide wp-block-post-title has-large-font-size\">Who are we?<\/h1>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns alignwide is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-7387b849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:25%\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<media-player  load=\"visible\" id=\"vidstack-video-block_8847d6f14e34a11b2ad326f92a52da5a\" class=\"vidstack-video\" title=\"Who are we\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/s3-euw1-ap-pe-ws4-cws-documents.ri-prod\/TASS\/videos\/NEW-Who-are-we.mp4\">\n  <media-provider>\n                  <track src=\"https:\/\/routledgelearning.com\/tass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/04\/NEW-Who-are-we-en-US.vtt\" kind=\"subtitles\" srclang=\"en\" label=\"English\">\n                        <media-poster\n          class=\"vds-poster\"\n          alt=\"\">\n        <\/media-poster>\n\n  <\/media-provider>\n  <media-video-layout><\/media-video-layout>\n  <media-controls class=\"vds-controls\">\n      <media-controls-group class=\"vds-controls-group\"><\/media-controls-group>\n  <\/media-controls>\n<\/media-player><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:25%\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"background-color:#c8f6ec;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--60);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--60)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide is-horizontal is-content-justification-left is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-04b0c6ab wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized has-custom-border is-style-rounded\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"955\" src=\"https:\/\/routledgelearning.com\/tass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/05\/Alex-photo-1024x955.jpeg\" alt=\"Photo of the author Alex Kelly\" class=\"has-border-color has-white-border-color wp-image-59\" style=\"border-width:5px;aspect-ratio:1;object-fit:cover;width:200px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/routledgelearning.com\/tass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/05\/Alex-photo-1024x955.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/routledgelearning.com\/tass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/05\/Alex-photo-300x280.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/routledgelearning.com\/tass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/05\/Alex-photo-768x716.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/routledgelearning.com\/tass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/05\/Alex-photo.jpeg 1053w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Alex Kelly&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alex is the author of the Talkabout publications. She worked as a speech &amp; language therapist (SLT) for 37 years, primarily in the area of social communication. She spent 23 years working in the NHS but now runs her own business &amp; spends her time writing &amp; lecturing around the UK &amp; abroad.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I have always loved my work and would probably sum up my passion for social skills with the fact that I believe that we all want the same thing for our children when they leave school:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>We want them to feel happy with who they are.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We want them to have a good circle of support and to know how to make friends if they want them.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>We want them to be able to engage in meaningful activities and to experience success in life in whatever motivates them.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These 3 things will have an impact on that child\u2019s happiness and quality of life and so I believe that children should be supported to develop a healthy self-esteem and the communication skills necessary to navigate their world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I worked initially in the NHS \u2013 spending 10 years working in London and then 13 years in Hampshire, in the south of England, where I became the Trust Lead for adults with mental health difficulties and learning disabilities. I left the NHS in 2009 to set up my own business and I have been working independently ever since. I now have returned to focusing on Alex Kelly Ltd and provide training and consultancy work on developing social skills, self-esteem and relationship skills. I am also pursuing a second vocation and am currently training to become a part-time priest.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:60px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide is-layout-flex wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-medium is-resized has-custom-border is-style-rounded\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2410\" height=\"2414\" src=\"https:\/\/routledgelearning.com\/tass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/06\/Naomi-photo-edited.jpg\" alt=\"Photo of the author Naomi Pearson\" class=\"has-border-color has-white-border-color wp-image-121\" style=\"border-width:5px;width:200px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/routledgelearning.com\/tass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/06\/Naomi-photo-edited.jpg 2410w, https:\/\/routledgelearning.com\/tass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/06\/Naomi-photo-edited-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/routledgelearning.com\/tass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/06\/Naomi-photo-edited-1022x1024.jpg 1022w, https:\/\/routledgelearning.com\/tass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/06\/Naomi-photo-edited-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/routledgelearning.com\/tass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/06\/Naomi-photo-edited-768x769.jpg 768w, https:\/\/routledgelearning.com\/tass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/06\/Naomi-photo-edited-1533x1536.jpg 1533w, https:\/\/routledgelearning.com\/tass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/06\/Naomi-photo-edited-2045x2048.jpg 2045w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2410px) 100vw, 2410px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Naomi Pearson<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Naomi is a speech and language therapist (SLT) with 24 years\u2019 experience working in both the NHS and independent sectors. Naomi is due to complete a PhD in 2024 investigating the effectiveness of the Talkabout programme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I have worked with Alex since I qualified and have been delivering Talkabout training with Alex since 2009. I have always loved this aspect of my work as a speech and language therapist, and I have always been motivated by the theory and research behind any intervention. So it was on a journey back from a training course in Wales, where a conversation occurred between Alex and I where the idea for a PhD was born! I wanted to explore the evidence we were seeing and hearing about more. Why did it work? Did the hierarchy play a part? What were the factors that meant success? These were my initial questions, and the following 5 years were all about developing an effective methodology for investigating the Talkabout programme in a robust manner. The re-design of the TASS was an integral part of this process, and my PhD concluded with a study which evaluated the psychometric properties of the TASS. Although so much progress has been made I am in a position now when I am nearing the end of my PhD journey, where I have so many more questions I would like to investigate. This is such an important area of work and has such a huge impact on so many people, so I will be spending a portion of my time for the rest of my career investigating this topic, and hopefully adding to the evidence base.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2022 I became the Managing Director of Speaking Space (Romsey) Ltd, based in Hampshire. This is a company that was set up by Alex in 2011 to provide a day service for adults with autism and\/or learning disabilities and also a speech and language therapy service to local schools. We also provide training in many aspects of communication including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Talkabout social communication training<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Makaton<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Speech, language and communication needs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Total Communication<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Communication and behaviour<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">You can find out more about us and our work at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.speakingspace.co.uk\">www.speakingspace.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<section id=\"section-block--block_87cf63c1934c3b9db9f25fc66934f9bf\" class=\"section-block\" style=\"background-color:#c8f6ec;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50);margin-right:0;margin-left:0;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0\" class=\"align wp-block-acf-block-json-section has-background\">\n    <div class=\"container-fluid\">\n        \n    <\/div>\n<\/section>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Alex Kelly&nbsp; Alex is the author of the Talkabout publications. She worked as a speech &amp; language therapist (SLT) for 37 years, primarily in the area of social communication. She spent 23 years working in the NHS but now runs her own business &amp; spends her time writing &amp; lecturing around the UK &amp; abroad.&nbsp; [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"no-title","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-48","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/routledgelearning.com\/tass\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/48","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/routledgelearning.com\/tass\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/routledgelearning.com\/tass\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/routledgelearning.com\/tass\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/routledgelearning.com\/tass\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=48"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/routledgelearning.com\/tass\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/48\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":754,"href":"https:\/\/routledgelearning.com\/tass\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/48\/revisions\/754"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/routledgelearning.com\/tass\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=48"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}