Christina Ama Aframoah

• Year of graduation: 2025
• Current job title: Lead Early Childhood Specialist, Author & National Practitioner of the Year Finalist
• Current employer: The LittleLight Collection & Independent Early Childhood Consultancy
• Industry sector: Early Childhood Education, Mental Health & Wellbeing, and Publishing
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/christina-ama-aframoah-0a6589375

My education began at Northampton College, where I obtained my Level 2 and 3 qualifications. Upon finishing, the nursery where I practised offered to sponsor my Level 5 training, but I declined that offer to pursue a degree instead. I chose UON because I wanted more than just a qualification – I wanted to learn from industry leaders and gain the high-level research skills required to bridge the gap between academic theory and real-world emotional intervention.

My deepest inspiration is my late mother, a dedicated teacher who transformed lives from the early 1970s through to the late 1990s. Growing up in the shadow of her legacy, I developed a profound desire to advocate for children navigating the complexities of broken homes, loss of attachment, and trauma, and I knew that to truly make an impact, I needed a degree rooted in the Solihull Approach and Attachment Theory. This academic foundation provided the backbone for my SOS (Safety, Observation, Support) Framework and my LittleLight Emotional Wellbeing book series, leading me to create SOS Boxes, which are now used by children and practitioners across four federations in Northamptonshire.

My commitment to the sector also led me to design and implement a dedicated Wellbeing Room for Practitioners, as I recognised that to support children effectively, we must first prioritise the wellbeing of those who care for them. UON provided me with the platform to transform this passion into national-level excellence, and I was named the ECSDN (Early Childhood Studies Degree Network) National Practitioner of the Year 2025.

The most rewarding aspect of the course was the synergy between academic theory and frontline advocacy. I thrived during the multidisciplinary case study simulations, where I took the role of a Social Worker, as it allowed me to be the professional voice for children and mothers in complex scenarios, which resonated deeply with my mission to support vulnerable families. I also found immense value in the dedication and mentoring of the lecturing team.

The work placements during my degree were vital and I viewed them as opportunities for bespoke intervention. For instance, in Year 2, I independently learned Basic Sign Language to bridge the communication gap for a specific child, and I took great pride in creating ‘Learning Stories’ that provided families with a meaningful narrative of their child’s development.

Beyond the classroom, the University provided a bridge to high-level professional practice. It was during my studies that I first created my SOS Boxes and gained invaluable insight by joining professional meetings with Family Support Workers and engaging with federations across Northamptonshire, deepening my knowledge of the Triple P and Solihull Approach. Conducting professional interviews with sector leaders, alongside facilitating community Stay and Play sessions, expanded my perspective and gave me a national lens through which to advocate for children. These collaborations didn’t just teach me about Early Childhood, they refined my ability to lead, to research, and to serve as a steady anchor for children and practitioners alike.

I completed my placements within various Early Years and Primary settings in Northamptonshire, culminating in a senior-level final placement as a Lead Student Practitioner. Throughout my three years of study, my role evolved from supporting core literacy and writing in Reception, to leading systemic change.

My key duties and professional initiatives included:

• SOS Framework: I introduced the SOS Boxes to the setting and took the lead in training staff and parents on how to use them to support children’s emotional regulation and attachment needs
• Administrative & Professional Support: I applied high-level organisational skills to create professional spreadsheets and data tracking systems to support the Family Support Worker’s role in safeguarding and family intervention
• Multidisciplinary Advocacy: I sat in on professional meetings to gain insights into the safeguarding systems required for children from broken homes, and actively applied the Solihull Approach and Triple P frameworks to strengthen home-school links
• Bespoke Inclusion & Literacy: I focused on one-to-one interventions which were highly valued by families. I also led literacy and writing workshops for Reception children to boost early communication skills
• Creative & Wellbeing Leadership: I designed visual resources for both practitioners and children and initiated the Practitioner Wellbeing Room. This provided a vital space for staff reflection and decompression, ensuring a holistic approach to wellbeing across the entire setting.

I was also selected to participate in a specialised singing and music programme with the Family Music Hub, gaining certificates that allowed me to lead musical interventions for children. Additionally, I proactively pursued a range of professional online training courses, ensuring my practice remained current with the latest Early Years regulations and safeguarding standards.

My final placement was transformative, serving as the bridge between my academic studies and my emergence as an award-winning practitioner, but the most significant benefit was the professional confidence I gained to innovate within the sector. Being trusted by my mentors to implement my SOS Framework allowed me to see the tangible impact of my research in real-time.

The key benefits of my placement included:

• Evidence-Based Innovation: providing the ‘living laboratory’ where I created the SOS Boxes. Seeing them successfully support children’s emotional regulation gave me the evidence needed to roll the framework out across four federations
• Professional Networking & Multi-Agency Insights: working alongside sector leaders taught me how to navigate the complex professional web of Early Years and ensured I can advocate for children at a systemic level
• Skill Diversification: the opportunity to gain certifications in music programmes and learn Basic Sign Language for inclusive practice taught me that a great practitioner must be adaptable, shaping my belief that we must meet every child exactly where they are
• Leadership Development: designing a Practitioner Wellbeing Room and creating data-tracking systems allowed me to develop leadership and administrative skills. This shifted my perspective from being a student to being a professional, capable of managing both the ‘heart’ and ‘data’ of the sector.

Ultimately, my placement gave me the platform to prove that my mission could be translated into a professional reality. It prepared me to not only graduate with First Class honours but to enter the field as the 2025 ECSDN National Practitioner of the Year.

It also allowed me to cultivate a sophisticated suite of employability skills to bridge the gap between educational practice and organisational leadership:

• Project Management & Innovation: I didn’t just follow existing protocols – I developed and implemented the SOS Framework, which involved end-to-end project management as well as training staff on the practical application
• Data Literacy & Administrative Excellence: I developed high-level proficiency in Microsoft Office to track sensitive professional data, ensuring that family intervention details were organised, secure, and accessible for multi-agency meetings
• Multi-Agency Collaboration & Networking: I learned how to communicate effectively across different sectors to ensure a holistic approach to child welfare
• Strategic Leadership & Wellbeing Advocacy: by designing a Practitioner Wellbeing Room, I developed strategic thinking and learned how to advocate for staff needs at a management level
• Inclusive Communication: learning Basic Sign Language and facilitating Stay and Play sessions sharpened my ability to adapt my communication style to different audiences
• Public Speaking & Presentation: delivering presentations on my framework and my research gave me the confidence to articulate complex ideas, which was vital in my journey to becoming the 2025 ECSDN National Practitioner of the Year.

The placement specifically boosted my employability in the following ways:

• Elite Professional Support & Mentorship: I was incredibly fortunate to have the support of tremendous mentors – their guidance helped me navigate the transition from student to award-winning practitioner
• Validation of the SOS Framework: my placement served as the pilot for my SOS Boxes and gave me the evidence needed to launch my own professional brand
• Advanced Technical & Multi-Agency Insights: I developed office-ready skills and graduated with a 360-degree understanding of the local professional landscape
• Proving Consistency and Reliability: being offered bank hours during my second year proved my ability to balance high-level academic study with consistent, high-quality frontline work.

My career progression has been a journey of intentional growth and innovation. After graduating, I embedded myself in the professional community through a Work Experience Programme at the University of Northampton, allowing me to remain at the cutting edge of practice while I navigated the next stage of my professional journey.

My advice to students interested in this career is to view your placement not as a requirement to be ticked off, but as a launchpad for your unique professional voice. You’re there to learn, but you’re also there to contribute.

To get the most benefit from your time in a setting, I recommend the following:

• Don’t just follow the routine – look for the gap and fill it. When you innovate, you move from being a student to a pioneer
• Build Your Professional ‘Village’: don’t be afraid to ask for meetings or interviews with senior leaders, family support workers, or community partners as this can provide a network that lasts long after your placement ends
• Master the ‘Hidden’ Skills: take the initiative to help with administration. These skills make you indispensable and prove that you understand the operational reality of running a setting
• Lead with Empathy and Legacy: remember your ‘why.’ When you have a clear purpose, you will naturally go the extra mile
• Collect Your Evidence: treat every success as a brick in your future career. The work I did on the frontline provided the evidence I needed to achieve First Class Honours and be named as the 2025 ECSDN National Practitioner of the Year.

My primary focus now is the publication of the LittleLight Emotional Wellbeing book series, and I’m currently collaborating with the University’s School of Art & Design to finalise the illustrations. My goal is to combine high-level academic theory with professional artistry to create a resource that acts as a steady anchor for children facing trauma by establishing the LittleLight Collection as a recognised framework for emotional regulation across the UK.

Studying at the University of Northampton has been the defining factor in my transition from a passionate practitioner to a national leader, providing the academic backbone I needed to turn my instincts into a professional framework. It didn’t just give me a qualification – it gave me the authority to be a steady anchor for children and the professional credibility to lead the sector with excellence.

I’m currently navigating the transition from high-achieving student to a permanent leadership role in a challenging economic climate. But while the job market is competitive, I’m using the time to refine my professional portfolio and finalise my publications, so I see it as a period of creative preparation.

My UON experience was one of transformative growth, providing the academic backbone for national professional excellence. It equipped me to remain resilient, ensuring that I don’t just find a job, but find the right platform to carry my mother’s teaching legacy forward.