I began working for Chapter 1 in June 2000 and was initially employed in a new post as the Family Assessment Co-ordinator working solely with two projects in the South West where the organisation undertook Parenting Assessment work for Social Services. In May 2001 I became Area Manager in the South West and am currently an Operations Director supervising projects in Restormel, Exmouth, Exeter and Yeovil with portfolio responsibility for service delivery and good practice, communications and regulation/legislation.

Prior to joining Chapter 1 I was a Social Worker in Yeovil in South Somerset in a Children and Families team and it was when I took on a client who was placed in Graham House that I first became aware of the work of Chapter 1. 

Before training to be a Social Worker I worked for eight years in a specialist and innovative education service in Devon.  We supported primary age children with behavioural and emotional difficulties in mainstream schools and worked with the schools and teachers on behaviour management issues and understanding children’s behaviour.

When my children were young I was a registered child-minder and became very involved with our local playgroup, as you do, so I have been working with children and families in some capacity or another for most of my working career.