From foster care to social work: Melissa fulfils promise to late father as she graduates from Queen’s

Melissa Thompson graduates from Queen's with a BSW in Social Work

A promise made to her late father, a childhood shaped by care and adoption, and the determination to build a better future for her young son have all come together for one Northern Ireland graduate as she celebrates achieving a lifelong ambition.

Today, Saturday 27 June, Melissa Thompson graduates with a Bachelor of Social Work from Queen’s University Belfast, fulfilling a dream she says began when she was just four years old.

For Melissa, social work was never simply a career choice. It was a calling born out of her own experiences as a child and inspired by the people who helped shape her life.

A childhood that inspired a future career

Melissa was placed into foster care at just 14 months old before being adopted at the age of eight.

Those early experiences left a lasting impression and ultimately set her on the path towards social work.

“The care and compassion I was shown through my own experiences with social workers inspired me from I was around four years old age. I was also influenced greatly by my adopted father, who was a social worker himself.”

Following in her father’s footsteps

Melissa speaks with immense affection about her late father, Thomas Thompson, describing him as the person who influenced and inspired her most.

Before his death in 2017, when Melissa was just 18 years old, she made him a promise that one day she would graduate with a degree in social work.

Although he jokingly described the profession as a “crazy” career choice, following in her father’s footsteps is something Melissa approaches with pride, gratitude and determination.

“My mum and dad were always supportive of my decisions and only wanted what was best for me.

“My dad was the most selfless, caring and funny man anyone ever met. His ultimate dad quote was, ‘I may not always be right, but I’m never wrong!’

“He was an incredible social worker and was loved and valued by every person that came into contact with him.

“If I can be even a fraction of the social worker he was, I will have succeeded.

“He was my best friend and my hero, and I’ll miss him for the rest of my life.”

Overcoming setbacks on the road to graduation

The journey to graduation was far from straightforward.

Health challenges and surgery forced Melissa to pause her studies for a period, delaying the path towards the career she had dreamed of since childhood.

Then, as she prepared to return to university in 2022, she discovered she was expecting her son, Harvey, who is now three years old.

Faced with balancing full-time study with raising a baby, Melissa admits the prospect was daunting.

“I was terrified to leave Harvey and at the prospect of studying full time with a child, but he was also the thing that drove me.

“I wanted to give my son a better life and fulfil the promise I made to my dad.”

Melissa resumed her studies when Harvey was just seven months old, relying heavily on the support network around her to make it possible.

The people who made the difference

Melissa Thompson graduates with a degree in Social Work. Pictured at Queen's with her son Harvey, her mum and partner Dawid.

She credits her family, partner and the university’s support services with helping her reach the finish line.

“I most definitely would not be here without the unwavering support of my partner, my family, my tutors and the Care Experienced Support Team at Queen’s.

“Throughout my studies, my mum was the most amazing support with Harvey, and my fiancé, Dawid, was working constantly to provide for us.”

The importance of relationships and support is a theme that runs throughout Melissa’s story.

She has maintained contact with several of the social workers who supported her during her early years in care, including one who was newly qualified at the time and later went on to become Head of Service within her Trust before recently retiring.

“She is one of the good ones,” Melissa said.

“A woman who dedicated so much of her time, career and life, and saved so many children from further harm and trauma.”

Turning experience into purpose

Despite the challenges she has faced, Melissa says she is immensely proud of what she has achieved and of the opportunity now before her to make a difference in the lives of others.

Her journey from foster care and adoption to qualifying as a social worker is one she hopes demonstrates the power of perseverance, support and believing in a future that can look very different from the past.

Looking back, she has a message for the younger version of herself who faced uncertainty and adversity.

“Do not worry about a thing. You are so much stronger than you give yourself credit for and every little trauma and adverse experience you have gone through will be worth it in the end.

“Be patient with yourself.

“You’re living for the first time and you will undoubtedly make mistakes, but it’s all part of life.

“Keep going, no matter how hard it gets.

“You’ve got this.”

For Melissa, graduation day marks far more than the end of a university course. It represents a promise kept, a tribute to a father she still carries with her, and the beginning of a career dedicated to supporting children and families facing challenges similar to those she once experienced herself.