Tell us about your current role and what it involves?

I'm a Senior Policy Adviser for Mental Capacity Policy. It is about empowering and supporting people who may have a lack of capacity. People often think of dementia and old age when it comes to mental capacity, but it can affect anyone, any age. It can seem like a heavy topic but we're ultimately ensuring that people can make decisions for themselves and when they can't, that the people making decisions for them take the right things into account. The more people we speak to the more we can learn from each other and the better we can deliver. It's part of being courageous and curious. I'm passionate about increasing engagement with the BAME community.

What is your background?

I'm a Windrush child. My parents came from Grenada in the late 1950s. I was born here and didn't meet any other black girls until I went to secondary school. I was going to study teaching at Goldsmiths but then my mom became ill so I thought I'd defer for a year and work instead. I got a job in the Lord Chancellor's department doing Court of Protection work. It was my first job and I'm still here 40 years later!