I trained originally as a Barrister (went to Canon Slade and University of Hull). This is a highly competitive profession, and I was competing with very privileged Oxbridge Educated people. I always had a Bolton accent and encountered a lot of snobbery about Northern people. I felt I had something to prove. I started career off at the Bar in London. Baptism by fire! Very busy, cut throat, high pressured.
In 2006, I met up with my husband, who had just lost his dad to Cancer (who was my childhood friend) and my dad wasn’t well, so moved back to Bolton.
10 years as a Rape and Sexual offences specialist prosecutor at the Crown Prosecution Service.
First son born in 2011, and within six months of each other we lost my mother in law and my dad. After life changing losses, my whole attitude to life changed. I had two more children, so have now three boys under 6 years old.
Resigned from secure civil service job. Set up Safeguarding Today – safeguarding training company. Train staff, young people and parents.
Sharing the story because in the face of may knock backs and competition, I believed in myself and was successful in becoming a Barrister, something that I had wanted to do since I was a child.
Hard work, and a belief in myself (and a supportive husband!) has enabled me to set up my business, using the skill set I gained over 14 years as a Barrister.
Part of the decision making process was my view that ‘Life is too short to NOT do something you want to do’ Kieron and I are 27 and we only have my mum. Cancer took three of our parents very early. We have a very young family and a busy life, but no dream is unachievable and we hope we can teach our children this too.
1st September 2017, my business partner Kath McKenzie-Wareing will join me. She has been child protection police officer for 25 years in GMP.
We hope to develop and expand as a business, improving safeguarding standards in many organisations that work with children and young people.
We would also like our own training centre, where other organisations can utilise our facilities.
Jennie Smith
Company Director, Safeguarding Today Limited