LIN NATION

I have worked with and for children and families since 1969. I began my childcare career as a residential Housemother in a Reception Centre Children’s Home in London where children came from traumatic home situations, court or other establishments to be assessed in terms of their long term future. This was before the Children Act 1989 and was therefore a very different service from what we have today!

When I moved to Suffolk in 1985, I continued my childcare career as a Registered Childminder, this rewarding work lasted for over five years but I realised I needed a change of direction and therefore became a Family Support Worker working directly with children and families with a diverse range of challenges including child protection, domestic violence, parenting skills and mental health issues. I had begun to deliver short courses for the Local Authority and the PLA during this time. I completed my ECS degree in 2001, subsidising this by working part time for Suffolk College on their BTEC Level 3 course and the CACHE L2 & 3 courses.

From 2001 – June 2011 I worked for Suffolk County Council in their Training Unit, writing courses and workshops and mentoring other tutors as well as front line delivery. I also work part time for the Open University, delivering E100 & E105 modules of the Foundation degree in early years, which is extremely rewarding. I still retain a passion and commitment to good practice and have always promoted the need for professionals to really know the child in order to support and encourage their critical thinking and sense of self. I do hope this will always be reflected in current Government thinking.

For further details about us, and the courses and services we can offer, please contact
Lin: 07921 493 436
Cat: 07919 353 192
Email: lclearningcurves@gmail.com

CAT HOWELL-THOMAS

I began working with children under 5 in 1973 in London and having qualified as a Nursery Nurse, worked in various childcare settings for Westminster, Islington and Haringey Councils. In 1985 I moved to Suffolk and became involved with Family Services at Stowmarket Family Centre, there as a Family Worker I gained many skills through in service training to enable me to deliver a range of support to both the children and their parents. Later while there I moved into work with teenagers and their parents, using techniques in family therapy and group work to build on the families strengths and support them through difficult periods of their lives.

During this time I became an accredited trainer for the Local Authority developing a Pre Registration Childminders course and later working for the Childcare Training Unit delivering courses for them and the PLA (Pre School Learning Alliance). I also developed an Assertiveness Training course with a Family Centre colleague, which we delivered for clients of Mid Suffolk Mind. During this time I also studied TA (Transactional Analysis) with CITA.

In 2000 I made the decision to work full time on the publishing business my husband and I had started five years earlier. During this time as the company grew, I led the staff group developing their personal and professional skills, forming department teams and coordinating working practices, ensuring the commercial success of the business.

Following the sale of the business in 2010 I have returned to the area of work that is my passion, enabling the personal and professional development of individuals through training and group work. I am also embarking on my own personal training in Hypnotherapy and NLP.

This site is underconstruction - Please revisit us in the coming weeks for more details about all our courses and services - In the meantime, contact us either by the email link or on our numbers above - We look forward to hearing from you and discussing your childcare settings training needs.