Our Trustees

Our Trustees bring together a powerful blend of expertise in education and advocacy, united by a shared commitment to improving young people's mental health. With decades of collective experience across schools, educational leadership, and mental health initiatives, they play a vital role in shaping and supporting our vision and direction.

Their guidance ensures that our programmes are impactful, inclusive, and aligned with the real needs of students and educators. Together, they champion our mission to embed mental health education at the heart of every young person’s school experience.

Meet The Trustees

Nick Burnett

Nick is a consultant, coach, and author with a rich background in education and leadership. As the owner of Nick Burnett Consulting and a Non-Executive Director for Team Teach Australia & New Zealand, he has trained over 8,000 people. Nick is the creator of Becoming HumAIn and Myriad of Leadership Conversations, focusing on the intersection of humanity, AI, and education. A former teacher, senior leader, and principal, he is known for designing impactful learning experiences and writing extensively on educational topics.

Claire Bramwell

Claire is a passionate advocate for young people, with over 20 years’ experience supporting those who struggle to be seen, heard, and understood. As Recruitment Manager at NW Care Group, she combines expertise in trauma-informed practice, positive behaviour support, and child development with a creative background in music and performance. Claire champions relational care, ensuring vulnerable young people with complex needs have trusted adults and safe spaces to thrive. In her role as a Trustee and Workshop Facilitator with The SEND Foundation, Claire brings frontline experience and insight to amplify young people’s voice

Paul Bray

Paul has over 25 years of mainstream and SEND experience as a teacher and school leader. An internationally published author, SEND educational scholar and renowned tutor. He has spoken at many National and Global conferences, including the World Education Summit, two Global Education Solutions Conferences and was iCERi Inclusion & SEND Conference Chair, 2023.

Jody Roberson

With over 35 years of experience in education, Jody brings a deep and diverse background to their work supporting young people. As a licensed social worker and licensed school psychologist, they have dedicated their career to understanding and addressing the emotional, behavioural, and academic needs of students. For the past nine years, they have served as an international school psychologist, working across cultures to promote student well-being and inclusive educational practices. Their extensive expertise helps shape impactful mental health initiatives that empower young people to thrive both in and out of the classroom.

Melanie Borough

Melanie is a multifaceted professional with a rich and varied career spanning psychotherapy, media, education, and community engagement. As a qualified psychotherapist and spiritual coach, she is passionate about supporting emotional well-being and personal growth. Melanie has worked extensively with children, combining her skills as a music teacher and therapist to create nurturing, expressive environments for young minds. Her experience in TV presentation and directing, alongside work in PR, has strengthened her ability to communicate and advocate for meaningful causes. Deeply rooted in faith-based and charity work, Melanie is dedicated to building strong, compassionate communities through both her professional and voluntary efforts.

Abdi Omar

Abdi is the Founder & CEO of Limitless Minds Group, a motivational speaker, and a leading advocate for inclusivity and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). Born in Somalia and living with cerebral palsy, Abdi has transformed his lived experience into a powerful platform for change. With over 17 years of AAC experience and a decade in public speaking, he empowers individuals and organisations to embrace diversity through tailored mentoring, training, and consultancy. Through LMG, Abdi is breaking barriers and championing a world where everyone, regardless of ability, has the tools to thrive.

Toni Bailey

Toni joined Creative Education Trust as Director of SEND in May 2023, following his role as Assistant Director of SEND and Inclusion for Peterborough and Cambridgeshire local authorities. His career began as a residential care worker before training as a primary teacher, eventually returning to his passion for supporting children with special educational needs. Since 1998, Toni has worked across primary and secondary special schools, serving as headteacher in three residential settings specialising in SEMH, autism, and complex needs. He has chaired a national SEMH network and worked as a consultant, advising schools, academies, and local authorities on SEND and alternative provision. His expertise has extended internationally, supporting specialist education across Europe and with the Ministry of Education in New Zealand.

Andy Howard

Andy Howard is Executive Headteacher (SEMH) at New Bridge Specialist MAT. With over 35 years in education, including two decades in leadership, he has led and advised schools internationally on SEND, SEMH, trauma, neurodiversity and deprivation. Andy has worked as a headteacher and consultant in the specialist sector, supporting innovation and inclusive practice for vulnerable young people. A Founding Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching and Distinguished Fellow of the International Forum of Inclusive Practitioners, he has received a Global Inclusion Award for his contribution to building inclusive education worldwide.

Welcome Message from the Founder

Welcome to The SEND Foundation.

My name is Beth Widdrington, and I am proud to be the founder of this organisation. Having worked with children and in education for many years, particularly within the SEND sector. I have always carried a passion and a heart for children who need that extra support. Alongside my professional experience, I am also a parent of a teenage daughter, which has deepened my understanding of the challenges young people face today.

Over the years, I have seen first-hand how education has changed, and with it, how mental health concerns have risen among young people. I wanted to create something that truly makes a difference—an organisation that doesn’t shy away from difficult but vital conversations.

Topics such as health, healthy relationships, consent, and abuse are often avoided in traditional education, yet they are central to the wellbeing of our children. Too often, young people are left to search the internet or social media for answers, when what they really need is a safe space and trusted adults to guide them with honesty, compassion, and truth.

My commitment to this work also comes from a personal place. As a young person, I faced my own struggles with mental health due to unhealthy relationships. Those experiences left me determined to ensure that today’s young people are better equipped, to understand what is healthy and what is not, to recognise when something isn’t right, and to feel empowered to protect themselves from harm.

At The SEND Foundation, our work is centred around the Who Am I programme. We are determined that, through this, we can save lives and empower young people to set healthy boundaries. Our vision is to make this programme accessible to all children and, in time, to see it embedded within the curriculum, so every child, regardless of background, has the opportunity to learn these life-changing skills.

At the heart of everything we do is a simple but vital belief: every child should know the importance of speaking up, being heard, and having access to the right information and support. Our mission is to give young people the tools, knowledge, and safe environment they need to navigate the world with confidence, resilience, and hope.