Panic not - I gave up years of social work - jumped off the wheel and took up photography after doing City and Guilds at night school. Oh - and by the way I was 50 at the time!!!
The key to being successful at it was networking, meeting people, getting my name out there. Because I had worked for SS, some work came in photographing children for adoption "catalogues." I met someone who worked for a media company and managed to wriggle my way in there as a magazine picture editor and photographer. They also had me taking fly-on-the-wall photos of filming projects - my photos became the posters. As people got to know me, I did lots of other things: photographing craft workshops, running photo workshops for elderly people, those with mental health problems etc.
Alongside this I was also using my musical skills running a choir, singing workshops, and a big singing project for Three Choirs Festival, and a youth arts outreach project.
Between all of this I made a reasonable living.
I also did abstract photography and had a grant from the Arts Council to put these onto light boxes and these were displayed in galleries round my region. I would never have thought of applying to the Arts Council, nor thought I would have stood a chance but was encouraged to do it by the local gallery. I did not make any money on this, but enjoyed it.
Honestly you just need to put yourself out there - make yourself a portfolio, create a website for yourself, bung all the info on facebook etc. And you need to have faith in yourself so you come across as competent.
School or pre-school photography is a non-starter as the big chains have these all sewn up.
Take the plunge! - pm me if it would help. Good luck!