The Summer Hill Team

Kirsty Finnegan

Kirsty Finnegan is the Founder of and Lead Speech and Language Therapist at Summer Hill Speech Therapy. She has worked in the NHS and Independent sector for a decade across nurseries, schools and specialist settings, and she is passionate about helping children to achieve their best. She is trained in several approaches e.g. 'Black Sheep Press Narrative' and 'Using Stories to Build Bridges', and will ensure your child receives specific support, ensuring therapy is fun! Kirsty has worked full time in a school for two years as the Specialist Speech and Language Therapist, during which she delivered training to staff on a weekly basis and carried out joint therapy sessions, developing a co-teaching model.

Kirsty specialises in ASD and preschool language delay; she has trained in Social Thinking, Intensive Interaction, SCERTs. She is also fluent in the Makaton sign language and has experience of using a range of low tech and high tech Alternative and Augmentative Communication systems.

Lydia Wesolowski

Lydia Wesolowski is a speech and language therapist with 15 years’ experience of working in the NHS. She has worked in a variety of settings with a wide and varied caseload, with her specialism being children with complex needs.

Lydia believes in giving everybody a voice to communicate their needs, emotions and views. This involves working directly with the child and with key adults within the child’s life to support their participation in education and society. Supporting children and families to build these life-long skills is what Lydia believes is one of the most rewarding things about this career. Creating fun and exciting therapy to empower children and build their independence is a privilege and a wonderful journey to be part of.

Nicole Gilbert

Nicole Gilbert qualified as an SLT in 2017 and has4 years experience working in the NHS. She has worked in a variety of clinical areas, from early years to secondary age children, in both mainstream and specialist education settings. From her experience working as a therapist and also volunteering for a charity that supports children with complex needs in Romania, she has a particular interest in working with children/young people with ASD.

Communication is essential in all areas of life and everyone has the right to communicate what they want to say. She is therefore passionate about the use of AAC (e.g. sign/visuals) to explore methods of communicating that work for an individual, whilst empowering the adults around them to make this part of everyday life. She is looking forward to the learning and opportunities my new role will bring and excited to see the positive impact we can give to children and the adults around them.

Anneline Rouhana

Anneline graduated from the University of Cape Town in 2006. Her first role was in a school for children with dyslexia and other learning difficulties. Here she developed a passion for nurturing children’s speech, language and literacy and linking these skills to an education setting. Since then she has worked with children in mainstream primary schools, private practice and online therapy, both in South Africa and Ireland, where she lived for six years. She is very excited to be joining the team at Summer Hill Speech Therapy and bringing along my passion for creative, playful therapy to help the wonderful children she meets and grow their skills and confidence in communication. She can’t wait for all the interesting conversations we’re going to have!

Stephanie Holmes

Stephanie qualified from the University of Sheffield in 2011. She started her career in Derby, working within the NHS in a wide range of provisions. From there she moved to Thailand where she worked as a Speech and Language Therapist in a Special Educational Needs school and a mainstream international school. She loved working with children from a range of cultural and language backgrounds!

Her favourite thing about being a Speech and Language Therapist is working with children and having fun in therapy! She loves seeing the progress the children make with their communication skills and being part of their journey. Communication influences every aspect of life and it's a privilege to support children with such an important skill. She is looking forward to meeting the families and schools she will be working with soon.