Work Forwards: Gemma’s career story

Gemma is a self-employed social worker and children’s therapist. No two days are ever the same in her role, but typical work she does includes carrying out fostering assessments, life-story work, or play therapy with the children.

The flexibility of being her own boss is what drew Gemma to self-employment. The ability to choose her own hours makes it easier to be there for her son during hospital stays or when he’s unwell. And when he’s feeling better, she’s able to take on more work.

Gemma points out the lack of job security and the unpredictability of income can make self-employment challenging. She also admits that it can be hard to say no to work, especially during the winter months. “It’s great choosing how much to take on, but it’s hard saying no to work during the winter, when CF issues mean your time is under too much pressure to take on more,” she says.

But despite the challenges, Gemma is passionate about her work – particularly the opportunities she has to make a real difference in children’s lives.

Gemma has a degree in social work and a Master’s degree in play therapy, as well as other postgraduate qualifications. “There’s no quick-fix way into the job,” she explains. “But once you have a degree, there are lots of opportunities for independent work, so you can work flexibly around health or care commitments.” 

She says that to do a job like hers, you need to be good at time, diary, and money management. But most of all, you need to have a genuine love for working with people – and to want to make a difference in children’s lives.