Meet our Autism Assessment Team
What makes Lancefield Private Clinic great is our incredible team. Passionate, experienced, specialist and approachable, we truly have the best of the best. Get to know our team, who are dedicated to making sure your expectations are not only met, but exceeded.
Michaela Reavey
Clinical Director and Specialist Speech and Language Therapist
Michaela is a highly experienced Specialist Speech and Language Therapist with more than 20 years’ experience assessing and supporting children and young people with speech, language and communication needs.
She has extensive specialist expertise in autism assessment and diagnosis and has worked as a diagnostician across a number of autism assessment services. Michaela is trained in the administration and scoring of the ADOS-2 and ADI-R and regularly undertakes diagnostic assessments and second opinions.
She is registered with the HCPC and is a member of the RCSLT and ASLTIP. In 2014, she received the Autism NI Laura Millen Award for Excellence in Speech and Language Therapy.
At Lancefield Private Clinic, Michaela is Clinical Director and leads the multidisciplinary diagnostic team.
Lauren Heaslip
Specialist Speech and Language Therapist
Lauren is a highly experienced Specialist Speech and Language Therapist with extensive expertise in assessing and supporting children and young people with speech, language and communication needs.
Since 2010, she has worked within a multidisciplinary Autism Diagnostic and Intervention Service, developing specialist knowledge in autism assessment and support. Lauren is trained in the administration and scoring of the ADOS-2 and has completed additional consensus training through Newcastle University.
She is registered with the HCPC and is a member of the RCSLT and ASLTIP. Lauren has also worked in independent practice since 2017.
At Lancefield Private Clinic, Lauren is a valued member of the multidisciplinary diagnostic team.
Judith McLernon
Advanced Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist
Judith is an Advanced Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist with more than 25 years’ experience in child development and paediatrics.
She specialises in the assessment and diagnosis of autism in children and young people and is trained to administer the DISCO and ADOS-2 diagnostic assessments. Judith also has extensive experience supporting children and young people with coordination, functional and sensory processing differences.
She is registered with the HCPC and is a member of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists. Judith currently works as Clinical Lead Occupational Therapist within the Child and Adolescent Autism Service at Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.
At Lancefield Private Clinic, Judith is a valued member of the multidisciplinary diagnostic team.
Siobhan Mawhirk
Specialist Speech and Language Therapist
Siobhan is a highly experienced Clinical Specialist with more than 25 years’ experience working across autism and mental health services.
She has worked within community, residential and forensic settings, providing specialist assessment and intervention for children, young people, adults and their families. For the past 10 years, Siobhan has been Lead Clinician within the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Autism Assessment Service at Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.
She is registered with the HCPC and CORU and is a member of the RCSLT. Siobhan is also a certified ADOS and ADI trainer and delivers specialist training to health and social care professionals across Northern Ireland and England.
At Lancefield Private Clinic, Siobhan is a valued member of the multidisciplinary diagnostic team.
Kate Cullen
Advanced Specialist Occupational Therapist
Kate is an Advanced Specialist Occupational Therapist with more than 17 years’ experience in paediatric assessment and intervention across health, education and independent practice.
She specialises in supporting autistic children and young people and currently works within a multidisciplinary autism diagnostic and intervention service. Kate is trained in the administration and scoring of the ADOS-2 and ADI-R and has extensive experience completing neurodevelopmental assessments.
She is registered with the HCPC and CORU and is a member of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists. Kate is also an Advanced Sensory Integration Practitioner with postgraduate qualifications in sensory integration.
At Lancefield Private Clinic, Kate is a valued member of the multidisciplinary diagnostic team.
Debbie Paul
Specialist Occupational Therapist
Debbie is a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist with experience assessing and supporting children and young people aged 2–18 with a range of speech, language and communication needs.
She has specialist expertise in working with autistic children and young people and holds a Master’s degree in Autism Spectrum Disorders from Queen’s University Belfast. Debbie is also trained to research reliability standard in the administration and scoring of the ADOS-2 assessment.
She is registered with the HCPC and is a member of the RCSLT.
At Lancefield Private Clinic, Debbie is a valued member of the multidisciplinary diagnostic team.
Dr Emmet Kinsella
Consultant Clinical Psychologist
Dr Kinsella is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist with extensive experience providing psychological assessment and therapeutic support to neurodivergent children, young people, adults and families across NHS and independent services.
He has worked within Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and specialist multidisciplinary autism services, with a particular interest in supporting mental health and promoting positive autistic identity. Dr Kinsella is trained in the administration of the ADOS-2 and ADI-R and has extensive experience in differential diagnosis and complex assessment.
He is registered with the HCPC and is a member of the British Psychological Society. Dr Kinsella is also an honorary lecturer at Queen’s University Belfast.
At Lancefield Private Clinic, he is a valued member of the multidisciplinary diagnostic team.
Lorraine McErlean
Specialist Speech and Language Therapist
Lorraine is a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist with more than 37 years’ experience supporting children with additional needs, including autism and learning disabilities.
She currently works as Lead Clinician within the Child Development Speech and Language Therapy Team at Belfast Health and Social Care Trust. Lorraine has extensive experience in autism assessment and is trained in the administration and scoring of the ADOS-2 and BOSA.
She is registered with the HCPC and is a member of the RCSLT. Lorraine also chairs the regional Speech and Language Therapy Autism Working Group and has contributed to the development of professional training and competency standards across Northern Ireland.
At Lancefield Private Clinic, Lorraine is a valued member of the multidisciplinary diagnostic team.
Jackie Wardlow
Specialist Social Worker
Jackie is a qualified Social Worker with extensive experience supporting children, young people and families with complex needs and mental health challenges.
She has worked across therapeutic residential care, community services and multidisciplinary child development settings. Jackie currently holds a specialist Child Development Practitioner role within a multidisciplinary autism diagnostic and intervention service, where she supports families throughout the assessment and diagnostic process.
She is trained in the administration of the ADOS-2 and ADI-R and has extensive experience completing autism assessments in line with NICE guidelines. Jackie is registered with the NISCC and is a member of the British Association of Social Workers.
At Lancefield Private Clinic, Jackie is a valued member of the multidisciplinary diagnostic team.
Dr Katrin Lehmann
Consultant Nurse and Family Therapist
Katrin is a Consultant Nurse and Family Therapist with more than 20 years’ experience working within child and adolescent mental health services.
She has extensive experience completing complex autism assessments and is a certified user of the Diagnostic Interview for Social and Communication Disorders (DISCO). Katrin is also an independent non-medical prescriber and has specialist expertise in autism, mental health and gender variance.
She is registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council and the UK Council for Psychotherapy. Katrin completed her PhD in 2020 and has published research relating to autism and gender variance.
At Lancefield Private Clinic, Katrin is a valued member of the multidisciplinary diagnostic team.
Louise Heywood
Specialist Speech and Language Therapist
Louise is a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist with more than 16 years’ experience assessing and supporting children and young people with speech, language and communication needs.
She has worked across education, community clinics, Sure Start and early years services, including as a Lead Speech and Language Therapist. Louise currently works within the Child and Adolescent Autism Service at Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, specialising in autism assessment and intervention.
She is trained in the administration of the ADOS-2 and ADI-R. Louise is registered with the HCPC and is a member of the RCSLT.
At Lancefield Private Clinic, Louise is a valued member of the multidisciplinary diagnostic team.
Paula Hasson
Specialist Speech and Language Therapist
Paula is a Clinical Lead Speech and Language Therapist with more than 25 years’ experience assessing and supporting children and young people with speech, language and communication needs.
For the past 12 years, she has held Clinical Lead roles within Belfast and Northern Health and Social Care Trusts, leading Speech and Language Therapy teams across clinics, schools and multidisciplinary services. Paula has extensive experience supporting children with additional needs, including autism and learning disabilities.
She is trained in the administration of the ADOS and is registered with the HCPC and CORU. Paula is also a member of the RCSLT.
At Lancefield Private Clinic, Paula is a valued member of the multidisciplinary diagnostic team.
Dr Caroline Thompson
Chartered Clinical Psychologist
Caroline is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist with more than 15 years’ experience working within Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.
She has extensive experience providing psychological assessment and therapeutic support to children, young people and families. She also has significant experience supporting autistic young people, with a focus on recognising their individual strengths and helping them navigate any associated challenges.
Caroline is trained in the administration of the ADOS-2 and has extensive experience completing autism assessments in line with NICE guidelines. She is registered with the HCPC and is a member of the British Psychological Society.
At Lancefield Private Clinic, Caroline is a valued member of the multidisciplinary diagnostic team.
Lisa Maguire
Specialist Social Worker
Lisa is an experienced Social Worker with a specialist background in child and adolescent mental health and autism services.
She previously worked within Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, providing mental health assessment and therapeutic support to children, young people and families. Lisa currently works within the Child and Adolescent Autism Service at Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, specialising in autism assessment and post-diagnostic support.
She is trained in the administration of the ADOS-2 and ADI-R and is registered with the Northern Ireland Social Care Council. Lisa also contributes to the development and delivery of neuro-affirming autism training.
At Lancefield Private Clinic, Lisa is a valued member of the multidisciplinary diagnostic team.
Kate Vernor
Bookings and Client Liaison
Kate is an integral part of the Lancefield Private Clinic team, and has been with the practice since day one.
With a background in business, she is perfectly suited to manage the administrative duties of a busy clinic. She is often the first point of contact for parents and guardians, from making the appointment with families, to answering queries and providing reassurance ahead of your appointment. Kate always aims to make your experience at Lancefield Private Clinic as comfortable and stress free as possible.
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At Lancefield Private Clinic, Kate is a valued member of our administrative team.
Rachel Ross
Business Development and Operations
Rachel joined the Lancefield Private Clinic team after 20 years' experience in business and management.
Specialising in operational management and business development, Rachel ensures Lancefield runs efficiently and effectively behind the scenes. Rachel manages quality assurance at Lancefield, and leads strategy, processes, and procedures.
Rachel is a valued member of Lancefield Private Clinic's administrative team.
Dr Ruth Sutherland
Associate Specialist in Community Paediatrics
Dr Sutherland is an experienced Paediatrician working in the NHS in the Northern Trust as an Associate Specialist in Community Paediatrics. Dr Sutherland has many years’ experience in the realm of child development, and has a specialist interest in the assessment and management of children with Autism.
As part of her NHS work she sees a variety of children with a wide range of medical and developmental issues. During her time as a Paediatrician, she has completed and appropriately updated her Griffiths Developmental Assessment, ADOS, ADIR and QB trainings. Dr Sutherland has full registration with the GMC.
