Brief Curriculum Vitae – Qualifications - Diana Maria Laura BIRCH

(for full CV please see download page)

     Professional Appointments –

Medical Director Youth Support – International NGO established in 1986 (UK charity Reg 296080)

Former Director and Trustee YSUSA (International Youth Service and Research Group) working in conjunction with Childrens Hospital Los Angeles Division of Adolescent Medicine. This branch has now closed down and we are servicing our US projects directly through Youth Support

Experience –  widely experienced medical and public health professional highly qualified in several fields.  

As medical director of Youth Support responsible for planning, developing and executing clinical services both in the UK and overseas.  In this context have set up services for addiction and alcohol treatment and rehabilitation; units for traumatised children and families; public health and vocational centres; and safe centres for street children and runaways. Work has been based in the UK; Italy; Russia; Jamaica and the USA. Services in Afghanistan have been placed on hold due to the tragic cirumstances there.

Experience encompasses –

Paediatric, adolescent, family, public health on international basis at senior consultant level. Working with deprived groups across varied cultures including refugee youth.

Refugees and Asylum Seekers – have conducted studies of children and youth in war zones including Afghanistan and regularly perform medical assessments for young asylum seekers.  

Psychological, psychotherapeutic, mental health work with individuals and families - have worked with addicted and psychopathic personalities and a variety of disorders such as borderline personalities, learning disabilities and with children in situations of physical, emotional and sexual abuse.

Research - am a leading authority on adolescent health and early pregnancy and parenting and have conducted Longitudinal studies of our patient groups over a twenty plus year time span and have worked on the British Cohort studies (London University) and Millennium Cohort (Institute of Child Health). We have also conducted studies on traumatic stress in Italy and field studies with children and young people in Afghanistan.

Assessment and medico legal work As a leading authority on Child Protection, Adolescence, teenage pregnancy and early parenting am often called upon to prepare legal reports for the courts on young people and families particularly in child protection, family disturbance, substance abuse and domestic violence. as well as Factitious Illness syndromes and family conflicts, custody and contact issues and child alienation.  The assessment work and medico legal context has been formally evaluated in published work.’

Teaching – wide experience of teaching both professional (medical, teachers, social work and police) and general audiences and youth - lecturing, seminars, workshops, literature and books, online and interactive material and multimedia presentations. Have taught courses both in UK and Internationally and have given ‘Grand Rounds’ at los Angeles Children’s hospital on several occasions.

Management / Administration – managed large department of NHS child health and school services in several London boroughs (Wandsworth, Merton Sutton, Lambeth and Southwark). 26 years experience of running an International NGO.

Media, IT and Computing – fully qualified Microsoft and Internet engineer. Experience of multimedia and documentary production.

 Medical School Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine, University of London

Medical School Prize Certificates Paediatrics; Tropical Medicine; Venereal Diseases (Now known as Sexually Transmitted Diseases)

Qualifications - Degrees

LRCP MRCS (Licentiate Royal College of Physicians; Member Royal College of Surgeons) June 1970

MBBS (Bachelor Medicine Bachelor Surgery) University of London Oct 1970

DCH - Diploma in Child Health - (London) Sept 1972

MRCP (UK) -Member Royal College of Physicians - Jan 1977

MD (London University) – Doctorate Medicine - Oct 1986

MSc Psychotherapy St George's Hospital London University - June 1989

MFCH (Member Faculty of Community Health) Sept 1989

Accredited Consultant Community Paediatrics 1987

FRCPCH Fellow Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health 1997

FRIPH Fellow Royal Institute Public Health 1997

FRCP - Fellow of Royal College of Physicians - 1998

FSAM - Fellow Society for Adolescent Medicine (USA) 1998

MAE –Member Academy of Experts 2005

Other Qualifications and Certificates

Psychotherapy

London University MSc Clinical Psychotherapy St George's Hospital Medical School. Trained 1986-1989

Transactional Analysis - 1979 - 1987.  Institute of Transactional Analysis

Psychodrama Training - Holwell Centre (Marcia Karp).

Experience in substance abuse treatment programmes including Hazeldon and AA models. TA Course Addiction and alcoholism – Institute of psychiatry  1985

Assessment and Paediatrics -

University of London/ National Association for Mental Health Certificate. Approved assessor mental handicap /ability including qualification in Stanford Binet scales, Schonell, Reynell language assessment Sept 1973

Child Audiology/assessment of Deaf child Braidwood audiology unit and St George's Hospital 1973

Ruth Griffiths child development scales 1976

Advanced Paediatric Course - Great Ormond Street - 1976

Assistant Police Surgeon - forensic examination child /adult sexual abuse - joint course 1986. Developed training programme for paediatricians and community doctors Lambeth / Southwark and multidisciplinary protocol and guidelines for Camberwell.

Member of Academy of Experts 2005   onwards.

Contraception and sexuality

Family Planning Basic certificate 1973

Family Planning advanced (IUCD) certificate 1974

Family planning Instructing Doctor's course 1978

CPD Continuing Professional Development updated to present and valid licence to practise renewed.