In terms of the degree it has been really helpful and I think this is down to how diverse it is. None of the other courses I looked at were anywhere near as diverse and for me (who didn’t know what area I wanted to specialise in) this was ideal.

I felt very comfortable in lectures to speak out and give my opinion as the group was not too large, but large enough to get lots of opinions. The law side in particular has helped me in my current and previous roles.

Where are they now?

Since leaving Bristol I spent several months in Sri Lanka working in child development centres and mental health institutes and co-ordinating volunteers out there. After that I started working with Barnardo’s in a project called CEDARS which is a 'pre-departure accommodation' for families who are being removed from the UK.

My role there was to work with the family to prepare them for leaving the UK. This could be by researching and putting families in contact with NGO's in their home country, sorting out home office funds for them and with the children it was more getting them ready emotionally (saying goodbye to people here and advising them on what the country may be like, going on a plane, making friends etc).

The project was based in a centre with G4S and Home Office, as you can imagine inter-agency working with such different organisations was extremely challenging at times.

I have just started a new job in the new National Centre of FGM with Barnardos; it’s a new project co-ordinating social work, consultancy, a knowledge hub and more into one service. My role will be around training LA's, police, health etc on identifying and protecting girls and families, it will also be one on one work with at risk families and girls, so it is all very exciting.

For anyone looking to go into working with children and families the course is really amazing and the lecturers all had such a broad background themselves which was obvious in lectures.