Meet the Need's impassioned mission is to support schools to be authentically inclusive, where needs are identified and met, and where whole school well-being is seen as the foundation to future success. My goal is to reduce exclusion by enabling schools to strategically and effectively support children and young people with SEN.

I work alongside schools to develop effective practice through a multi-layered, systemic, and preemptive approach. I aim to help schools to:

• develop whole school vision and thinking;
• encourage the engagement of whole communities;
• support professional learning and staff development;
• implement effective interventions as well as adapt the wider curriculum where necessary;
• develop supportive policies;
• connect appropriately with approaches to behaviour management
• implement targeted responses and identify specialist pathways.

I have worked with children and young people with social, emotional, and mental health difficulties and associated behavioural difficulties throughout my career with a proven track record of outstanding practice. I have resided in a variety of roles and settings, including:

• SEMH 7-16 residential care
• Inner London primary SEMH teaching;
• Mainstream schools in Australia, South Africa, and the UK;
• Infant mainstream
• Secondary SEMH
• member of the DfE working party developing the current SEN Code of Practice

As well as in a large primary mainstream school in the role of:

• SENCO
• Nurture Lead
• Enhanced provision lead
• Operational group panel member for Gedling Area Primary Partnership (SEMH)
• Outreach Support for the local area

Kat is an outstanding practitioner, judged consistently by myself, senior staff, visiting inspectors and HMI. Her incredibly diligent, intelligent approach based on the study of research, and theory combined with her own experiences means that the Nurture settings she has developed and led are second to none. Kat has also facilitated training for other schools and consultancy groups such as Osiris. Feedback is always superb. Her sense of care, calm, firm love and generosity of self when supporting staff and some of our most vulnerable pupils and families is phenomenal, a truly inspirational individual whom I have been lucky to learn from and laugh with.

Sharon Gray O.B.E

HMI said it's the greatest transformation he's seen in SEND provision for a long time. Thank you for the brilliant work you do to support my colleagues in the Trust.  You are BRILLIANT. Thank you 

Trystan Williams - Venturers Trust

Thanks again lovely amazing people! You were so awesome feedback is already super positive!

Toni Bailey - Chair 'engage in their future'

national association for school leaders in the

 SEMH sector

The whole day was captured beautifully by the very talented Kat Booker which will be displayed at our Embark Foundation offices and keep the key messages alive. 

Matt Crawford - Trust Leader of Embark Federation and NLE 

• June 2024 Embark Federation annual school's conference 2024
• October 2021 Sandwell Headteachers Conference - Nurturing practice and Nurture groups: A practical approach to meeting SEMH needs in schools
  July 2019 Osiris: Stephenson's Academy "Principles of Nurture" - Milton Keynes
• July 2018 Nurture UK (formerly Nurture Group Network) Summer School Conference
• April 2018 Hastings Opportunity Area- Mental Health Programme Workshop
• July 2016 engage in their future Annual Conference - Bristol
• October 2015 Catalyst Psychology: Mental Health in Schools Conference -Manchester
• October 2015 NAHT: Education Conference 2015 - Manchester
• March 2015 Osiris: SEND Conference 2015 London
• November 2014 Engage in their Future: Annual Conference - Bedford
• November 2014 The Key: Special Educational Needs Conference
• November 2014 Nurture Group Network: Nurture Groups - Nottingham
• November 2014 Department for Education (DfE): SEND CoP working party - London
• June 2014 London Leadership Strategy: The Future of SEN Conference - London
• June 2014 Teachology: Raising the Achievement of Children with SEND - London
• January 2013 Capita: Special Educational Needs Conference - Manchester