I was adopted at a young age, into a loving family who were fully aware of my Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) diagnosis. They were advised not to expect much of me both socially and academically, however they welcomed me with open arms. 

Life has had many challenges and barriers along the way, but with the right family support, nurture and love, I was able to achieve in many areas of my life. My family were initially very closed off to support or sharing my background, but this changed when I progressed to college. I was supported to share my experiences to help other students in similar situations to achieve their goals. This led to winning awards as a student but also as student president, which led to my current career. 

I currently work with Adoption UK as Community Engagement Lead for their 12-month Promise project #E. We are committed to engaging with young people, ensuring their voices are heard and providing them with a community and opportunities to grow as individuals. They are helping us to reform and improve our policies and services to ensure we are doing all we can to support adopted, kinship and FASD families in Scotland. Together we will #Engage #Empower #Educate #Evolve.

I also work for Fife College as a Guidance adviser, volunteer as a panel member for Children’s Hearings Scotland and volunteer with the FASD Hub Scotland. I am currently studying for a Masters in Crime and Justice with the Open University. 

I am passionate about supporting young people to believe in themselves, to thrive and to achieve their goals. Without the support I received I would never have achieved what I have today, and for that I am extremely thankful. 

We are all capable of amazing things, with the right foundations, support, nurturing and love this can be a reality, despite the barriers life puts in our way. 

“We are not what happened to us, we are what we chose to become”. 

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