I’m Sonia, and I’ve had the privilege of working with adults, children, and young people facing mental health challenges since 2014. My experience spans both the NHS and private sectors, where I’ve supported individuals through some of the most difficult times of their lives.
I’ve worked in a variety of settings, including residential care and education, where I supported primary school-aged children who had experienced trauma and were dealing with severe social, emotional, and mental health difficulties. I worked alongside a multidisciplinary team to offer individualised therapeutic care, treatment, and education. My focus was always on helping children learn to manage their emotions and behaviours, fostering trust and safety in a group setting.
In my time working on a CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service) inpatient unit, I supported young people aged 12–17 who were admitted to the hospital due to self-harm, suicidal thoughts, or being unsafe in the community. In this role, building trusting, supportive relationships was key to helping young people through very challenging times.
I have also work in the community team, offering support to children and their families.
As a registered Social Worker, I worked in frontline child protection, investigating concerns of abuse, neglect, or unsafe living conditions. I assessed children’s physical, emotional, and psychological needs, working with families and other professionals to develop plans to ensure the safety and well-being of children in their care.