Testimonials
“We work in a volatile and unpredictable world, our focus is on responding, relating and recovery. Shona has supported a significant shift in our culture that is supporting our staff with the skills, competence and courage to work in a truly therapeutic way. Shona has a deep and powerful understanding of young peoples' development, which she shares through training and team discussions. Shona brings new ideas and solutions to complex issues, giving the team the confidence to try new things and explore their own practice.”
Alison Morley, Chief Executive, Balnacraig School
“I have worked with Shona Quin for the past 3 years in a care and education setting for looked after young people who have significant emotional needs. As an experienced CAMHS clinical psychologist, Shona is a highly valued member of the therapeutic team. Her role has included: contributing to developmental assessments, formulation of young people’s needs and supporting staff in their understanding and development of appropriate strategies. Shona contributes regularly to the mandatory training programme and her contributions have made a qualitative difference to our model of care and service delivery. Her sessions are always engaging, informed, well attended and positively received. Shona has many personal and professional qualities which make her a warm and responsive colleague, highly attuned to the needs of both the young people and staff team. She has a wealth of knowledge and experience to offer and has been an asset to our service. Shona’s creativity and enthusiasm for her work shines forth and she is clearly driven to make a difference to the lives of young people. We have been very fortunate to engage Shona’s services.”
Jane Macer, Speech and Language Therapist, Starley Hall School
I have worked with Shona for the last 3 years and in addition to the training, support and guidance she offers to staff as well as the assessments and individual work she offers to children and young people; she has also provided support to myself in my role as a senior manager. Shona always offers time to meet and problem solve, and because of her detailed knowledge and experience of working with children with developmental trauma her advice and suggestions are always pertinent and immensely helpful.
Alison Middleton, Head of Education, Starley Hall School
“As a new member of staff, this session has helped me understand the child’s thoughts and given me ideas on how to help support the child with daily transitions”
Residential care worker, Transitions Training
“I really enjoyed this workshop and hope it will improve my daily practice and care”
Residential care worker, Attachment Workshop
“Shona’s insight into both the inner worlds of kids and also the functioning of teams and systems is invaluable in our day to day work. She respects the relational approach on every level and adapts her approach within a diverse group of practitioners. From training, to coaching and listening to our teams her varied ways of working meets the need of the individuals and the organisation which in turn equips us to be our best with our kids.”
Jill Neilson, A Life Explored
"Shona has been working with us in Aberlour since 2018 and offers training, team consultations and clinical supervision for managers and the senior team, who provide management and leadership for Aberlour’s Sycamore Service in Fife. Penny Noel joined us last year to replicate this service for Aberlour’s Sycamore Services in the Highlands. Shona and Pen have created an important space for the whole service to think about its approach to working with children, utilising their expertise in trauma sensitive approaches to looking after our children. Through this work we have seen our teams being more confident in their ability to not only respond to children’s needs but to also identify and respond to gaps in children’s developmental histories. The team consultations and clinical supervision provide an important space for teams and individuals to ensure that they feel contained in their work. We feel privileged to have Shona and Pen involved with us. Their expertise, skills and knowledge blended with their personal approach allows us to really invest in our children’s houses to help the children receive the love, care, support and attention that we believe all children are entitled to."
John Ryan, Aberlour Sycamore services
"To Pen - Feedback from our staff team has always been positive and I have seen staff anxieties reducing after spending time talking to you….. All your feedback has been helpful and constructive and you have offered reassurance to our team…… (it has been) helpful reflecting on what I am managing well and how best to process more complex situations. Overall, it has been extremely beneficial having you on board and your feedback and support has been very specific to our needs."
Manager, Aberlour Sycamore services
Alison Morley, Chief Executive, Balnacraig School
“I have worked with Shona Quin for the past 3 years in a care and education setting for looked after young people who have significant emotional needs. As an experienced CAMHS clinical psychologist, Shona is a highly valued member of the therapeutic team. Her role has included: contributing to developmental assessments, formulation of young people’s needs and supporting staff in their understanding and development of appropriate strategies. Shona contributes regularly to the mandatory training programme and her contributions have made a qualitative difference to our model of care and service delivery. Her sessions are always engaging, informed, well attended and positively received. Shona has many personal and professional qualities which make her a warm and responsive colleague, highly attuned to the needs of both the young people and staff team. She has a wealth of knowledge and experience to offer and has been an asset to our service. Shona’s creativity and enthusiasm for her work shines forth and she is clearly driven to make a difference to the lives of young people. We have been very fortunate to engage Shona’s services.”
Jane Macer, Speech and Language Therapist, Starley Hall School
I have worked with Shona for the last 3 years and in addition to the training, support and guidance she offers to staff as well as the assessments and individual work she offers to children and young people; she has also provided support to myself in my role as a senior manager. Shona always offers time to meet and problem solve, and because of her detailed knowledge and experience of working with children with developmental trauma her advice and suggestions are always pertinent and immensely helpful.
Alison Middleton, Head of Education, Starley Hall School
“As a new member of staff, this session has helped me understand the child’s thoughts and given me ideas on how to help support the child with daily transitions”
Residential care worker, Transitions Training
“I really enjoyed this workshop and hope it will improve my daily practice and care”
Residential care worker, Attachment Workshop
“Shona’s insight into both the inner worlds of kids and also the functioning of teams and systems is invaluable in our day to day work. She respects the relational approach on every level and adapts her approach within a diverse group of practitioners. From training, to coaching and listening to our teams her varied ways of working meets the need of the individuals and the organisation which in turn equips us to be our best with our kids.”
Jill Neilson, A Life Explored
"Shona has been working with us in Aberlour since 2018 and offers training, team consultations and clinical supervision for managers and the senior team, who provide management and leadership for Aberlour’s Sycamore Service in Fife. Penny Noel joined us last year to replicate this service for Aberlour’s Sycamore Services in the Highlands. Shona and Pen have created an important space for the whole service to think about its approach to working with children, utilising their expertise in trauma sensitive approaches to looking after our children. Through this work we have seen our teams being more confident in their ability to not only respond to children’s needs but to also identify and respond to gaps in children’s developmental histories. The team consultations and clinical supervision provide an important space for teams and individuals to ensure that they feel contained in their work. We feel privileged to have Shona and Pen involved with us. Their expertise, skills and knowledge blended with their personal approach allows us to really invest in our children’s houses to help the children receive the love, care, support and attention that we believe all children are entitled to."
John Ryan, Aberlour Sycamore services
"To Pen - Feedback from our staff team has always been positive and I have seen staff anxieties reducing after spending time talking to you….. All your feedback has been helpful and constructive and you have offered reassurance to our team…… (it has been) helpful reflecting on what I am managing well and how best to process more complex situations. Overall, it has been extremely beneficial having you on board and your feedback and support has been very specific to our needs."
Manager, Aberlour Sycamore services
