1. What are feelings?

Togetherness is an international NHS team sharing evidence-based teaching and learning about emotional wellbeing and preventative mental health. The foundational Solihull Approach model has a rich 30-year history of impact since its creation by a team of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) clinical psychologists, psychotherapists, and health practitioners, all passionate about raising emotional health.

The Togetherness whole school approach also includes whole school training, staff CPD and learning resources for parents and carers.

Hazel leads the Togetherness team at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust. She began her career as a clinical psychologist working with adults but soon developed an interest in early intervention and prevention. This led to her training as a child psychotherapist, working in children’s mental health. Hazel led Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in Solihull before developing the Solihull Approach model, which underpins Togetherness. The model embeds key ideas and messages from research into practical training for practitioners and accessible information to parents. She advocates for access across the population to relationship-focused emotional health learning for families and anyone working with them.

An experienced engagement and communications specialist, Samantha leads external affairs for Togetherness, an NHS emotional health programme with national and international reach. She is passionate about early intervention and preventive mental health, championing emotional awareness for parents and families. Responsible for international partnerships and strategic relationships, Samantha is knowledgeable about universal practices to raise community mental health across sectors. Samantha has more than 15 years’ experience leading strategic communications in small and large organisations in education, charity and health sectors, including media relations, public affairs, community engagement and marketing.

Clare is an experienced primary teacher with extensive experience across the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1. She has a strong background in curriculum design and development, contributing to programmes across EYFS, Key Stage 1, and Key Stage 2, ensuring they are engaging, inclusive, and pedagogically effective.

Before joining Developing Experts, Clare served as a QA Inspector for a childcare agency, rigorously applying the Ofsted inspection framework to evaluate and enhance educational provision. She also brings insight into school governance, supporting strategic decision-making and understanding the operational and pedagogical challenges faced by schools.

Clare is committed to delivering high-quality, evidence-informed learning experiences that inspire curiosity and foster academic and personal growth. She maintains a deep knowledge of current educational research, teaching strategies, and best practices to continually enhance teaching and learning outcomes.

Matthew is an experienced and qualified educator, with a background in both classroom and outdoor settings. He is passionate about making learning engaging for all involved and creates content which enhances children’s experiences in education and those delivering it. With a strong belief in the value of education, Matthew recognises the importance of enabling children and adults to access any curriculum content with ease, regardless of their backgrounds. In his spare time, Matthew loves being with family and friends; additionally, he has a keen interest in the performing arts and volunteers time as a voice-over artist.

Victoria is an experienced teacher who has taught in a number of diverse settings. She taught in primary schools, mainly Year 6, for many years before moving into SEN provision. Here, she lead the Sixth Form and designed multiple curriculums that promoted life and work skills to best prepare young people for adulthood. SEN, and particularly autism, is where her passion lies and she is dedicated to making curriculums and careers accessible and inclusive to all.

Victoria has lead on different subjects over her years in education including science, DT, art and phonics.

In her spare time, Victoria loves reading, writing and performing on stage in musicals in and around Manchester!