FAYE Watkins has taken the plunge into self-employment so she can spend more time with her six-year-old daughter Rhiannon.

A native of New Zealand now living at Energlyn, Caerphilly, Ms Watkins has become a self-employed book-keeper.

She was assisted in this by training agency ELWa which part-funded an accountancy software course.

She said: "I was a bit nervous about going it alone but I had plenty of support from my family."

She is married to Dave Watkins, a South Wales Police detective.

"The course was 50 per cent funded through ELWa's ILA (individual learning account) scheme.

"It helped me to gain the Institute for Cer-tified Book-keepers dip-loma and gave me that added bit of confidence."

Faye had previously worked for employers as a book-keeper so she could draw upon practical experience when she set up her company, One Practice.

"It has opened a new world for me in terms of a career, which is as flexible as I like, allowing me to spend more time with Rhiannon.

"I feel as though I have the best of both worlds."

ELWa claimed Ms Watkins is just one of thousands of people taking advantage of ILA Wales grants to give themselves a second chance to return to learning.

ELWa manager Joan Lockett said: "The flexibility of ILA Wales is an incentive for individuals to make up lost ground in terms of qualifications.

"It helps to remove a financial burden to learning that many people face.

"And those least able to afford courses will be given the most help."