My experience working with children began with my first postgrduate job.After gaining a BSC in Psychologyin 1990. I started work as a residential social worker in a community home for teenage boys. I worked in this challenging environment with children aged between 12 and 17 for a year before moving on to work in one of two secure centres run by the Home ffice at the time.I worked ona mixed unit with youmg people who either needed to be in a secure environment to protect themselves or because they had perpetrated serious crimes. I was a group worker in the unit and worked on a one to one with young women who had eating disorders and who self harmed.Many of the youngmen were sex offenders.I have a postgraduate Diploma in Psychodynamic Approaches to Counselling in Schools awarded by Wessex Counselling Service in 2015 It was whilst I was working here that I began my counselling training by undertaking a certificate in person centred counselling in 1993.

I went on to work in a hostel for young homeless people. Then as a group worker for young people with emotional and mental health problems in a therapeutic community run by the Richmond Fellowship.

I offered counselling and group work in this role.

I then continued my counselling training whilst working at Bristol Drugs Project as a project worker who managed a busy drop i n and carried a counselling case load.I gained a Diploma in Counselling in 1998.

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Whilst most of my post qualifying counselling experience has been working with adults; largely within the NHS I pursued an interest in working with children in 2003. I became a volunteer counsellor at the Bridge Foundation working with children in an Easton primary school for 12 months. During this time I supported three primary school children and attended weekly supervision at the Bridge Foundation.