Course Attended / Achieved: CACHE Level 2 Understanding Mental Health in the Early Years
When I started the course, I had what I thought was an in-depth knowledge of child development due to qualifications I had gained during my career and so my intention was to update the knowledge I already had. What I didn’t realise was how much neuroscience has progressed and continues to progress, and what an impact this new knowledge would have on my career decisions and life choices.
Before the course had even finished, I was inspired to make changes in my workplace as Deputy Manager to ensure that we were doing everything to support the children in our care. Using the knowledge I was gaining I ensured our key-person system was more robust by bringing in a two key-worker system. I shared what I was learning with the staff and supported them to build relationships based on my knowledge of the child’s developing brain in the first 1001 days and the importance of attachments.
Once the course had finished, I was able to support a new looked after child in our setting with more emphasis on trauma informed care than we would have in the past. I was able to recognise areas where extra support was needed and because of the course I had the extra confidence to work in close partnership with social workers and foster carers, knowing that I had the knowledge to back up any observations or opinions that I felt needed communicating.
The passion of the tutors who led the course and their ability to further bring out the passion inside me led me to seek an alternative career with children that I would be able to use my new knowledge in. This encompasses my experience of additional needs and my years of experience as SENCo into one position that I successfully secured at a local independent special school just a few months after finishing the course.
The biggest life change, however, has been the passion for a more in-depth understanding of mental health in children and young people – a spark that was ignited that left me needing to gain even more knowledge to support children. When I was told about a Foundation Degree in supporting children and young people’s mental health and well-being, I jumped at the chance to enrol and started university this September. I can’t thank Jo and Sonia enough for sharing their passion with me, supporting me to believe in myself and for giving me the confidence to take the steps that I have.