I was pretty bright and doing quite well at school in the early years. After multiple moves because of my fathers work, coupled with disinterested parents, I really lost my way. I was bullied badly and started taking drugs. I failed all of my exams (GCSE) and my mother told me that I needed to get a job if I wanted to live with them, so I went to work on a YTS scheme at a local supermarket.
We moved again, then my parents moved abroad and I stayed behind in the UK, this time in an area with no family or friends. I started taking drugs again and was arrested for a variety of stupid things over a short period of time. Fortunately, I found another job and explained my situation with the criminal record. They took me under their wing and I worked for them for many years in a really interesting job that involved foreign travel, it totally broadened my horizon and I ended up moving to London and found another great job, nobody checked my criminal record and life was going well.
I hit another wall following a break-up and started taking drugs again, I didn't resort to crime and still held down work but I changed jobs a lot. I decided to live in a different country, tried a variety of jobs out, learnt another language (had a great time) and then met a man and had children. We separated and I am now in a position where I want to return to work again in the UK but my CV looks terrible and I have no education. Everyone has a great CV on linkedin and I am ashamed of mine. I don't want this to be my story - I need to change it but where do I start?
I want to work and study and get a degree but really would need to start from scratch. Has anyone else been there? I'm in my 40's.