Jo is a speech and language therapist by background, and has worked in the NHS and across the private, voluntary and community, education and local authority sectors in Derby and the West Midlands. During her earlier career, she worked with children with complex communication disorders.

In the last 10 years, her work has focussed primarily on early intervention. Most recently, Jo worked at Derby City Council developing a whole-system strategy to support children’s speech language and communication in the early years as part of the Department for Education Early Outcomes Fund programme.