I was born and raised in South Manchester, and I went to school in Altrincham. I did not have an easy time at school, but I was very creative and loved to paint. I studied Art History at York University as I obsessed with artwork and history books- it just seemed the most logical thing to do! After university I tried a few different jobs before working in a residential home for people with learning difficulties. I found this work very rewarding and after a few years I decided to go to university to qualify as a special needs teacher. I have a passion for working with people with additional needs and facilitating opportunities for them to succeed, achieve their goals and live meaningful lives. I have led arts programmes, worked as a PA and most recently I was on the SEN team at a mainstream secondary school.
When I worked in the secondary school, I started to notice that girls with similar behaviours and interests to me were being diagnosed with autism and ADHD. So, I began to investigate by reading as many books and articles as I could get my hands on. By the time my diagnosis came through I had fully immersed myself in researching neurodivergent conditions. Suddenly it started to make sense why I did not cope very well at school. I began questioning how the school system is built and considering all the barriers there are to accessing education. I needed to become the adult that I needed growing up. I made the decision to enrol onto a MA in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and qualified as a SENCo, which helped me develop a better understanding of approaches and pedagogies.
Manchester Young Lives places the young people right at the heart of every decision. My role is to oversee the EHCP process and assess the quality of the provisions, so that our young people are fully supported as they progress towards their next steps. I feel so fortunate to work for a company with such strong values, innovative thinking and high aspirations for young people.