I grew up with lots of children around me and was often the babysitter for my street!
Whilst studying O levels at College I volunteered one day a week in an infant school which prompted me to train as a primary school teacher.
I studied at Reading University and went on to teach in 3 primary schools in London for 5 years.
It was during this time I started to see the impact of children’s experiences outside the school environment and how this affected their emotional wellbeing and learning in the classroom.
I became more interested in their welfare than teaching, wanting to be in a role where I could directly support children and their families.
To gain experience in this, I volunteered in a Women’s Aid refuge, doing direct work with the children and providing emotional support for their mums.
This prompted me to change careers and study to become a social worker at Sheffield University.
I qualified as a social worker in 1997 and worked in children’s safeguarding teams in Barnsley and Sheffield before moving back to Hull - my home city.
Working with children and their families can be immensely challenging, but also so rewarding and enjoyable, particularly building relationships with families, and working with them to come through some very difficult times.
Possibly due to my background in education, I developed a real interest in supporting and developing students this led me to becoming a Practice Educator.
I then stepped out of front-line practice into my current role which includes co-ordinating the newly qualified ASYE programme.
It really is a pleasure to be a part of a student’s/ NQSWs career and seeing them develop into confident social work practitioners.