Dr Helena Odine Bunn
Academic and Professional Tutor (Principal Lecturer)
University of East London
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AE 1.23, Stratford Campus
School of Psychology
The University of East London
Stratford Campus
London
E15 4LZ - h.bunn@uel.ac.uk
Helena graduated in Psychology from University of Bucharest, Romania, before moving to England and completing a Professional Doctorate Programme in Educational and Child Psychology.
Whilst in Romania, Helena worked as a practitioner psychologist, whilst taking on roles of university part-time tutor, then lecturer, assistant director and lastly, director. She participated in national and international activities with Germany, Israel and Finland, focused on special educational needs practices and support systems for specific groups of disadvantaged groups (immigrant and publicly fostered). Helena’s publications in Romania are mainly tackling these professional issues.
After coming to England in 2004, Helena extended her expertise within the areas of complex medical condition and its effects of development and education, post-traumatic growth, safeguarding and client participation. She currently works as a senior educational psychologist within Norfolk Local Authority, and as an academic and professional tutor (principal lecturer) at the University of East London. She also provides expert evidence in Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal and Family Court cases, with a specific interest in developmental needs of former Romanian orphans and immigrants. She provides consultancy and positive coaching services to organisations and individuals.
Helena has undertaken research and has produced materials in special educational needs, inclusion, children with complex medical conditions and looked after children. Her current research interests include making a positive difference in perceptions related to disadvantaged groups, transition and post-traumatic growth. She has taught courses in aspects of human development, diversity, research methodology, special educational needs, psychological assessment and organisational change.
Helena’s passion guiding her work, has been and remains, to search for and identify the “diamond in the rough” in every individual, to help the individual shine by inviting and co-constructing impactful stories and then to amplify those stories to individuals and to others, and promote the process of positive change.
Expert Witness - Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal and Family Court cases
Honorary Treasurer - British Psychological Society, Division of Educational and Child Psychology national committee
Overview
Research Fields
• Traumatic events, psychological growth and resilience (research lead)
• Effectiveness of ARROW intervention in children with literacy difficulties (research lead)
• Cross-cultural validation of student, parent and school personnel school climate survey in no-continental United States contexts (co-researcher)
Collaborators
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Research
Publications
Funding
Interests
Portfolio
PY8103: The Process of Psychological Assessment (Module Leader, 2017-2018)
PY8106: Professional Practice in the Real World (Module Co-Leader, 2016-2017, Module Leader, 2013-2016)
PY8107: Developing the Competent and Reflective Practitioner in Simple Systems (Module Leader, 2016-2017)
PY8108: Research: Data Analysis (Module Co-Leader, 2016-2017)
PY8112: Professional Practice Placement in Educational and Child Psychology 1
Collaborative research projects focused on evaluation of intervention programme (e.g. FRIENDS)
Organisational change projects delivered in special and mainstream schools
Research focused on improving teaching strategies and pupils specific interventions, whilst working in Romania