I have always been a sociable person and naturally enjoy spending time with people.
I have had many roles that have allowed me to work with people of many different ages before becoming a Social Worker and these would be always working directly with people of different age groups which allowed me to build my skills and confidence.
I completed a degree in Sports Science in 2009 and began to work more with children directly through sports programmes within communities and developed children’s enjoyment of sports, play and achievement in deprived areas around Hull and East Riding.
I knew after completing the community programmes that I wanted to work more directly with children as I loved to see them thrive.
I began working directly with primary school children who experienced issues with learning, behaviour and their emotional understanding and abilities.
This was very rewarding as I was able to form positive and trusting relationships with these children and provided them with the one-to-one support they needed.
I introduce them to activities and clubs to further support them and boost their self-esteem and confidence.
This employment allowed me to learn about the different needs of children and about the difficulties they face. I worked with families that had a Social Worker and would attend different meetings in relation to the children.
I was curious to further pursue a career in social work as I wanted to further support the children I was working with beyond my role at the school as I knew that I could form positive and trusting relationships with children and adults and wondered what my involvement and skills could contribute to a better outcome for children and families.
I completed a Masters in Social Work at Sheffield Hallam University in 2016.
I was lucky enough to have a placement during my second year on my degree with one of the Children’s Locality teams working directly with children, young people, and families. This confirmed that this was the route I wanted to pursue after graduation, and I was able to secure employment within one of the Children’s Locality teams.
I have 6 years’ experience working with children, young people, and families in relation to child protection of varying levels and adoption and gained lots of experience of working together with families through challenging and rewarding times.
I have always been realistic about the demands of social work and believe that I have coped due to being supported well within a team and through my learning and development and past skills I had learnt through employment and in life.
A career in social work means that no day is ever the same, there is constant change, challenges to face and problem solving to happen.
You need to be resourceful and outward thinking, reflective and open to change. I remember that I became a Social Worker to help to form positive relationships and to support families when they are in times of need and support.
I love to see people achieve, develop, and grow in their lives, abilities, and potential. In my own free time, it is about enjoying being outdoors with friends and family, visiting new places and enjoying food and drink.