Hirstwood Training

Chris Barson founded Positive About Autism in January 2009. Prior to that, Chris was External Training Manager for the National Autistic Society. Chris has a long involvement with disability and autism. Chris first joined the National Autistic Society (NAS) in 1996 as a Project Officer in Wales on a Children in Need project reviewing short term care provision. After working with the NAS Regional Development Team promoting service development throughout the UK, Chris went to work at the Royal College of General Practitioners, in 2000, where he managed Professional Development and Quality programmes. Chris rejoined NAS in 2004. Chris has contributed to the design and delivery of courses provided by Canterbury Christ Church University, and the University of Cumbria. Chris is a contributing author to ‘The Autism Spectrum in the 21st Century: Exploring Psychology, Biology and Practice’ Jessica Kingsley Press 2010 (Highly Commended 2011 BMA Medical Book Awards).

Richard Hirstwood is the founder of and lead consultant for Hirstwood Training. He is passionate about enabling educators/practitioners to maximise the impact of delivering sensory learning opportunities, in a sensory room or other learning environments, with the resources available to them. He has developed innovative ways of delivering key skills and competencies via face to face training; coaching sessions; and hands-on work with teachers and teaching assistants; as well as creating bespoke portfolios of training videos for more than a hundred individual schools and settings. His extensive experience is based on practical knowledge, giving him insight into what works and what doesn’t in multisensory practice. Regular sessions with children and adults with autism and all additional needs in a variety of multisensory and classroom settings enable him to maintain this level of excellent practice.