COMING from a close family and having a mother who was a childminder, I always knew from an early age that my career path would take me to work with children to help and support them in some way, writes Angharad Young, Ceredigion County Council social worker in the Adoption Team.

Originally from Cardiff, I moved to Ceredigion when I was 16 years of age with my family. After finishing my education in Dyffryn Teifi Secondary School, and then spending three years in Bangor University studying a BA in Sociology and Criminology, I then completed a Diploma in Social Work.

In 2004, I was lucky enough to get a placement as a project worker within the Social Services Team in Lampeter with ‘Looked After Children.’ As soon as I achieved my diploma, I become an official social worker with the Children and Families Team.

In 2009, after having my first child, I changed roles and started working within the Adoption Team, and this is where I have been ever since.

Here in the Adoption Team in Ceredigion there is myself and Shirley Harris; as a small team we work very closely with equivalent teams in other counties including Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Powys. As a consortium, we offer advice and support to each other wherever possible.

Even though we are one of the smallest teams within Wales, we have been lucky enough to win awards for our work. In October 2012, we won the BASW Innovative Social Work award for Theraplay, in October 2013 we won the BASW Innovative SW Award for Child Appreciation Days – The Adoption Mid & West Team was one of the first in the UK to offer these days. We were runners-up in the BAAF National Award for Best Adoption Team in November 2014.

I strongly believe that my role is an important one, and that as social workers, we are all doing our best to protect children and put their welfare first.

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