Dr Samantha Todd

Dr Samantha Todd is a Principal Clinical Psychologist for the Clinical Service for Children with Disabilities, CAMHS, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

The Clinical Service for Children with Disabilities is a team of clinical psychologists and specialist learning disability nurses. The service provides assessment and intervention for children and young people aged up to 18, who have an autism spectrum diagnosis, severe learning disabilities, or complex physical and sensory disabilities. Interventions often focus on challenging behaviour or mental health difficulties in this client group.

Samantha works closely with Dr Jo Bromley who is the Service Lead and Consultant Clinical Psychologist within the team and also a member of Autism@Manchester.

Samantha and Jo have published a number of publications in the field of autism and intellectual disability, including:

• Dr Samantha Todd (2013), The Little Book of the Autism Spectrum
• Dr Jo Bromley (Ed) (2012), Clinical Psychology and People with Intellectual Disabilities, 2nd Edition

Alongside Dr Christine Mellor, they are co-authors of Riding the Rapids: Living with Autism or Disability, a group-based intervention for parents and carers. Riding the Rapids was evaluated in a controlled trial by the Social Policy and Research Unit at the University of York which has been found to reduce behaviour difficulties and increase parents' sense of coping. Download the report (PDF, 922KB).

Training for practitioners in Manchester in the delivery of Riding the Rapids, is provided by the Clinical Service for Children with Disabilities. Outside of Manchester, it is provided by the authors via a social enterprise, Encompass Psychological Services LLP.