Ailsa is an accidental Education Consultant, specialising in developmental trauma and neurodiversity. She trained as a secondary school English teacher and worked in a school for 17 years, thinking she would continue there until retirement.

In 2013, she and her husband adopted a little boy, who was clearly differently wired. Ailsa took a career break to support him and eventually resigned, setting up Valiant Minds Education in response to a very steep learning curve in parenting her son.

Now, she develops and delivers training for educators as well as supporting young people in education settings. She loves the mix of working locally whilst developing and delivering training internationally. She wears many professional hats and teaches English 1:1, writes training, delivers professional learning to school staff, mentors neurodiverse young people, writes articles, gives media interviews, assesses grant funding applications for organisations that support care experienced young people and most recently, has become mature student studying her PGCert in Diagnosis and Management of FASD.

The girls are joined by Melinda Warren of the Bo'ness Spinal Health Centre to look at the juggle and struggle of life as a single parent who has a full time job. What are the challenges - and the benefits! And how can we support each other and remind people they are doing a brilliant job?