Born and bred in Bangor, on the site where Ysbyty Gwynedd now stands, Mrs Jones was educated at Ysgol y Faenol and the Bangor Grammar School for Girls before going on to the University of London, Goldsmith’s College where she trained as a teacher. She later went on to study for a Diploma in Social Studies at the University of Wales, Bangor and a Diploma in Social Work at the University of Liverpool.

After a period working for the Welsh Tourist Board, Mrs Jones went on to work in various children’s homes before being appointed as Intermediate Treatment Officer with Clwyd Social Services and subsequently as a social worker specialising in Child Care with Gwynedd County Council.

She now works for the voluntary organisation, Cartref Bontnewydd Trust, where she is in charge of the NVQ training centre, organising and teaching courses for foster carers.

She has been a board member of the National Foster Care Association for the past four years and has served on the North West Wales NHS Trust Board since April 1999. She was previously a member of the Gwynedd Hospitals Trust.