Valerie D.

Hi, My name is Valerie, I'm 32 and I’ve just moved to Dublin. I've been lucky to work with children of all ages for over 15 years. My journey has taken me through crèches, Montessori and Youth Reach classrooms, where I've worked with children as young as nine months old to teenagers and have enjoyed every moment of supporting children and young people as they learn and grow. These days, I'm a support lead for two services, run by Sherpa Kids. Sherpa Kids is Ireland’s leading after-school programme for primary school kids. I have been with the company for four years this September. I have also written for their website and LinkedIn page, sharing tips and insights on child behaviour, mental health, play, and well-being topics which I am really passionate about. I intend on continuing with this when I move to Dublin. I'm a proud Auntie to my five year old niece and eight year old nephew. Spending time with them has taught me so much about the joys and challenges of raising children. I fully understand what it means to not only take care of children but to support the family in general. I'm studying Counselling and Psychotherapy in which I aim to specialise in childhood trauma and challenging behaviour after I graduate. I have also been a mental health and well-being blogger for four years. I am very creative. I sing, play piano and guitar. I love art, cooking and baking. I am sociable and enjoy being on the go while also balancing time to myself. I consider myself an empathetic and kind person. I am confident, nurturing, respectful and responsible. Important things to know: -Due to work and college, I am available for night time babysitting only. -I don't have a drivers license. Looking forward to hearing from you.