Personal statement

I am a qualified Social Worker of twenty plus years.  My background is in Children and Families where I also worked as a Child Protection Officer.  I also worked for ten years in the voluntary sector supporting families experiencing homelessness in Glasgow.  Latterly, I supervised a multi-disciplinary team who supported both the adults and the children in the family who were experiencing homelessness. 

As well as working for the University of Strathclyde, I have my own business as an Independent Practice Teacher which I have been running for six years.  I was one of three practice teachers in Scotland, shortlisted for a SASW award for 'Practice Teacher of the Year 2018', with my student winning 'Student Social Worker of the Year 2018', thanks to a fantastic learning team and placement agency.  My practice teaching students mainly work with a charity which supports people seeking asylum in Scotland.  I feel very strongly that we need to do much more to help people (families and children included!) that come to Scotland seeking safety and essentially a chance to 'live' without fear. 

I am passionately committed to challenging social injustice, in all its forms, and firmly committed to sound anti oppressive, relationship-based social work practice.  I have lectured and written on this subject and believe it is the heart of all good practice. I thoroughly enjoy the work I do and it gives me great satisfaction to support and nuture the next generation of Social Workers who will go on to help make a better 'Us' which is what Social Work is all about.

"Every contact that you have, has the potential to lift, energise and act as a turning point for people"