Karen McInnesKaren McInnes has recently moved to Norland College as Research Fellow Previously she was Programme Leader: Postgraduate and International in the Institute for Education at Bath Spa University. She has been an Award Leader for the MSc Play Therapy an MSc Play and Therapeutic Play at the University of South Wales and completed her PhD in play and learning in the early years and qualified as a play therapist whilst there. She has also been a Senior Researcher with Barnardo's UK Policy and Research Team researching various issues affecting children and their families and making policy recommendations based on her research. Karen has extensive experience working with young children as a play therapist, speech therapist and teacher. She has published on various aspects of early years education and play and is the co-author of The Essence of Play (Routledge, 2013).