Alison Linich Email and Phone Number

In my role as a Children and Families Project Worker with Children 1st, I dedicated myself to supporting children and families during their most vulnerable times. Using a holistic, whole-family model with a trauma-informed and restorative approach, I believe we were able to provide critical support, enabling families to envision a brighter future.At Children 1st, stationed in Croftfoot Primary School in the south side of Glasgow, my primary focus was family engagement. The challenges posed by COVID-19, asylum issues, and poverty had created significant barriers between families and schools. We innovated ways to dismantle these barriers and build bridges among home, school, and community.My professional journey began at 16 when I started working as a hairdresser, having left school with just four O'levels. I eventually owned my own business and trained my staff, which sparked my passion for teaching. This passion led me to undertake a SWAP course at the age of 48, 33 years after leaving school. I now hold a degree in Education and a PDA Plus in Childhood Practice Leadership and Management, proving that one is never too old to learn.In addition to my professional roles, I have retired as a foster parent—a demanding but immensely rewarding role. As a foster mum, I interacted with numerous individuals facing significant challenges. This experience often made me ponder whether adequate support at critical times could have kept families together, preventing the need for foster care. My work with Children 1st embodied this belief, using a whole-family holistic support model that, though time-consuming, is effective. By building strong relationships with families, I am confident that many have avoided the need for foster care.Before joining Children 1st, I served as the service manager for an Out of School Care Service and the service manager at Off Grid Outdoor After School in Clarkston. I cherished my time outdoors at Off Grid and carried many of those skills into my subsequent roles.Working with children in school has been fulfilling, but I have come to realise that ensuring happy, settled, and contented children requires that their parents also feel safe, secure, and content. Engaging with families, understanding their backgrounds and traumas, and recognising their needs helps build strong relationships. I hope this will lead to parents raising strong, confident individuals for the future. The journey may be challenging, but the effort is undoubtedly worthwhile.