0191 367 0634| admin@sensesupport.org
Meet the Senior Leadership Team
Who We Are
Claire Daniels
Founder and Director
Claire is the founder and Director of SENse Support, where she leads the strategic growth and development of all services, including the alternative provision, multi-disciplinary assessments of needs and our advocacy service. With over 20 years of experience working with disabled children and their families - spanning legal, educational, and therapeutic contexts - Claire brings a uniquely comprehensive perspective to the world of special educational needs.
Claire’s expertise is deeply rooted in lived experience. She is a neurodivergent former looked after child, as well as the mother of neurodivergent children, and understands first-hand the barriers faced by families navigating complex systems. This drives her passion for creating inclusive, neuroaffirming, and trauma-informed services that are responsive to real-world need.
Originally working as a litigation executive in complex paediatric brain injury cases, Claire transitioned into education in 2011 and is a qualified SENCO with First Class Honours in both Education and Special Educational Needs. She is widely recognised by professionals and families across the country for her integrity, drive, and unwavering advocacy for children who have been misunderstood, excluded, or overlooked.
In addition to her leadership role within SENse, Claire also provides professional supervision to a range of professionals working within the field of SEND, supporting the development of reflective, resilient, and neuro-affirming practice across the SEN sector.
Barry Daniels
Director of Governance and Compliance
Barry serves as SENse Support’s Director of Governance & Compliance, providing strategic leadership, oversight, and assurance across safeguarding, compliance, risk, health and safety, data protection, and organisational governance. His work ensures that SENse Support operates safely, ethically, and fully in line with statutory expectations and best practice.
Barry brings a distinguished background to the organisation, shaped by more than 20 years of aviation experience, including an 18-year military career as an RAF pilot. During this time, he flew a range of aircraft and undertook complex operational responsibilities in high-intensity environments. Alongside his flying duties, Barry held the position of Pilot Safety Officer, a role that required exceptional precision, analysis, and leadership in managing safety-critical systems.
In this capacity, Barry was responsible for:
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Overseeing fleet-level Safety Management Systems
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Conducting incident and accident reviews
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Leading risk assessments and mitigation planning
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Monitoring compliance with regulatory standards
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Supporting a Just Culture of reflection, accountability, and continuous learning
His aviation work demands a disciplined approach to risk, governance, and decision-making — skills which translate directly into his role at SENse Support.
Barry originally completed a Law degree, providing a strong grounding in statutory interpretation, accountability frameworks, and organisational duty of care. He further strengthened this expertise by obtaining a Level 3 qualification in SEN Law, deepening his understanding of the legal frameworks surrounding special educational needs, local authority duties, and the rights of children and families. He has also undertaken training in neuro-affirming practice in education, ensuring that governance decisions at SENse Support balance statutory responsibilities with a deep respect for neurodivergent identities, student voice, and trauma-informed relational practice.
At SENse Support, Barry brings:
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Expert oversight of safeguarding and compliance systems
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Robust governance challenge and scrutiny
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Specialist insight into risk management and safety culture
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A disciplined, integrity-driven approach to accountability
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Strong capability in auditing, reviewing, and improving organisational systems
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A clear understanding of SEND legislation and its practical application
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A governance approach grounded in neuro-affirming and trauma-informed principles
Barry’s unique blend of legal training, SEN law expertise, military aviation experience, safety governance, and neuro-affirming educational practice provides SENse Support with a highly skilled and balanced governance perspective. His leadership helps ensure that the organisation continually strengthens its compliance frameworks, embeds best practice, and upholds the highest standards of safety, dignity, and transparency for the children, families, and staff we serve.
