Category: politics

Society.

In which I propose we all be more Horton.

So here we are a bunch of sentient animals muddling along on a small blue planet. To help us pass the time, we make rules, create leaders and invent cultures.

After countless centuries of development what have we achieved on our small island?(The UK to you and me).

Fire.

The wheel.

Art, written language, the printing press, literature, public sanitation; these are all great things.

Public services, the NHS,  free education. Simply splendid.

Democracy, Government, local and national, to help manage the money system we created. Generally these things should enable us to live comfortably and safely with our neighbours. On the whole they do.

Inequality still exists on a huge scale, and without becoming too political is largely the result of the capitalist system we’ve chosen to live by. (Which is remember only a concept we invented).

As a model of where our values should lie I give you…

Horton Lodge Community Special School!

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Achievements are celebrated.

People help each other.

Elders impart knowledge to the next generation, keep them safe from harm and teach them the right way to be part of a wider group.

The more vulnerable are given extra help, but are also helped to use everything they have to give back to the community in whatever way they can.

Individuals within the community have a clear sense of their own self worth and how they fit into the wider community.

And when children leave education….

I fear they come up against historic prejudices about disability and cognitive difference.

They may hear labels used to describe them that are not life affirming.

As they are often unable to earn, they are often treated like a burden to the wider community and State.

They are treated like second class citizens.

There is no public moral outrage when they die in care or in the Health Service, their needs are sidelined because their own intrinsic worth to all of us is not recognized by the “Big Society”

They can’t use toilet facilities as they are not routinely provided for those who need Changing Places.

Poor access on public transport and in towns limits and isolates.

People do not help each other.

In short they are disabled by society.

Shame on us. Shame on our leaders. Shame on us all for allowing this to happen.

Being encouraged, helping each other, being kind, making paths straight for the road ahead, these are the basic requirements of a fair and just society.  If they are not followed we all suffer.

Tell them. Tell our leaders, tell each other.

Be kind.

Value peoples talents.

Do not judge an individuals worth on ability to earn.

Practice Pearlfulness be kind eat cake.

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Be more Horton.

This blog is part of  blog a day for Horton. You can donate here.

 

 

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A blog a day for Horton

 

Questions. Questions?

In which we impart the amazing truth that SEND children do receive an education!

When you fall pregnant, people ask you extraordinary questions. “Was it planned?” was perhaps the most insensitive, but if that baby has a disability or other needs peoples self monitoring really takes your breath away.

Thus, on a weekday in term time I am regularly asked “where’s Pearl?”

I know I’m not alone in this, and I can’t quite work out why.

Perhaps the wider public only see SEND children “in extremis”on DIY SOS or Children in Need. Maybe they think that these children are ill, lying in invalid chairs, and being kept out of the sun? Or are they permanently hospitalized? Seems unlikely that they believe that Pearl is at home with me, while I home educate her, as it must be obvious I have the patience of a dead hedgehog.

I’ll let you all in to a little secret, you may not see Pearl in the local primary, but that is because  she is busy honing her leadership skills at her excellent special school Horton Lodge.

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Children with additional needs are in fact children too! Who knew ? They laugh, cry and demand attention just like their  neurotypical friends, and like them, they mainly go to school! They may miss more lessons because of medical appointments, they may fall ill more often, and more severely. When they are well, off to school they go. It is (as I told my older two when they didn’t want to go in) the law of the land.

Historically Special Schools kept children occupied during the day, the best obviously achieved more, but expectations were not high.

Several decades ago, during my SALT training, schools were separated into Moderate Learning  Difficulties, Severe Learning Difficulties and Physically Handicapped.

Shortly after this integration became the gold standard and many specialist special schools were closed to allow people to be taught together in mainstream. Unfortunately integration without extra money or training often led to lip service being given to integration, while pupils were isolated in a separate room with a TA. Generic special schools began to cater for the more complex children,and now specialist provision for autism is also on the rise.

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Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

What does this tell us about Special Education? Well, like general educational provision it is ruled by the will and whim of the political elite, and similarly affected by lack of resources. Special Schools require Ofsted reports and a Governing Body. They too can become Academies, and also follow the National Curriculum.

BUT, and here’s the thing, they follow a diversified, enriched curriculum.The subject headings are the same, but the means of covering them, and the level at which they are covered, is guided by the individual learners ability and style of learning.

It could be argued that all teachers should be able to do this, and that education should be an enjoyable, enriching path to a lifetimes learning, but that dear reader is to underestimate the vital necessity of league tables, marks and passing and failing  to our daily lives. Well quite.

SEND children are educated in mainstream with TA support, at home by parents with more patience than this one, or Special School with intervention from various therapies and School Nurses alongside the teaching staff.They will learn in a variety of ways, some passing exams and going onto further study, some following a sensory curriculum and learning to react and express themselves in different ways.

A few really lucky ones will end up at Horton Lodge Community Special School,where they will leave with amazing self esteem, a can do attitude and a general belief that they are the equal of anyone. Shouldn’t that be the aim of education?

Does this approach prepare them for the real world? More on that tomorrow…..

This blog is part of a blog a day for Horton.If you’ve enjoyed it a donation to the PFSA can be made here.To find out more about Conductive Education in action check here.

 

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 A blog a day for Horton

 

 

 

Giving Me The PIP. The Politics of Disability

Politics.It’s everywhere.You wait around for a General Election and then two come along in quick succession.

So how do you vote? Follow your family, stick with your tribe? is anything that goes on in Westminster relevant to the daily grind anyway?

Yesterday I was minding my own business, parenting and such like, when politics came up and slapped me hard across the face. I took my son to an assessment to see if he qualifies for PIP.

I’ll explain.Once there was a boy who was little eccentric and rather old fashioned. He muddled along with friends in the school system until Secondary School, or “living hell” as he preferred to call it. Becoming extremely angry with violent outbursts in school, he would tear his clothes swear at teachers and have to be physically restrained.My boy became suicidal, self harming and desperately,desperately sad. Eventually he was removed from school, provided with a tutor for 18 months, and placed in a Special School for children with autistic spectrum disorders.

The boy had secretly been harbouring Asperger’s, and his otherwise remarkable (and modest) mother simply hadn’t noticed it.

The care needs at the time, related to the Asperger’s and his depression,were significant. As a result we received Disability Living Allowance. This was easy to apply for (hollow laugh) and only required the filling in of a colossal form with appended information from all his healthcare team and his educational statement.

When politicians get a bit bored, they look around for something to fix.When they want to impress the voters, they like to show you they are saving you money

For this reason (Insert Fanfare) The PIP or Personal Independence Payment was born! See how it removes the word ‘disability’ from its title replacing it with the hipper “independence’. Marvel as all the disabled people who we all know are ruthlessly draining the countries finances (unlike for example, large coffee chains or internet delivery warehouses) are sorted into “properly disabled” and “scroungers”

Anybody needing assessment will now be assessed by form, frequently followed by a one to one assessment in person, carried out by ATOS. At 16 all current recipients of DLA are also reassessed.

I find myself then, far from home with a young adult on the autistic spectrum, who fears change, gets stressed about meeting new people and has significant sensory issues, related to noise,crowded areas and being assessed.

I have never been anywhere quite like this centre. It is large and clean, and that is truly the only positive thing I can give you.

The chairs are in rows in front of a screen displaying colourful, friendly logos about what the assessment will contain. Despite all this there is the same smell of fear and despair you find in a vets waiting room.

Periodically someone comes and calls out a name, very quietly from the back of the room. It is packed with people waiting with ‘companions’ and we wait for 45 minutes for our turn, at which point we are taken upstairs to a room. There is a stairlift, but we are told that we need to be able to get down the stairs independently in case of fire.

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Access wise so far then, we have the difficulty of getting there, the strain of hearing or understanding your name, and the inaccessibility of fire exits. Forgive me if that seems a little peculiar for a place likely to be assessing people with needs, but it is what it is.

Upstairs we meet a perfectly pleasant Health Professional. I do not know what her specialism is, but I suspect it has something to do with form filling and typing. In 45 minutes she questions Aspie boy who is by now, in an extremely agitated state, takes most questions literally and looks more distressed than I have seen him in some time. I have to discuss in front of my mentally fragile young person, the suicidal ideation he suffered, the lack of school support, the Psychiatric input, my locking away of knives and drugs. All this to a stranger we had just met. This does not appear to aid his mental state.

The assessor is supportive and impressed with how far he has come, but has no idea if he will be eligible, having to send the report to the DWP to use as an assessment tool. We have leave to appeal if it doesn’t go our way.

You may glean that I have some problems with this process, how astute of you!

I absolutely believe that governments should be held accountable for how tax payers money is spent. I do think we should minimise fraudulent claims, and encourage independence as far as possible.I suspect that there may be better ways of doing this.

For example, what if the DWP used medical information provided by medics who know the person well? How about school or Psychiatric reports? Does reinventing the wheel and adding another layer of assessment really save money? How much do the centres cost to run, clean, heat staff and light?Is this money offset against the colossal savings made by removing the fraudulent claimsters? Should centres be accessible? Do the Authorities realise that being disabled is not a choice? It does not discriminate. It could be YOU!

I found the whole situation shocking. It felt like a processing plant. It was dehumanising, to see people coming in with crutches and walking frames ready to be assessed to see if they really needed them. It infantilises people, and discredits the existing medical and social care professionals. It breeds the idea of disabled scroungers living off the stage in the public mind, and discourages inclusion as a result.

I want to believe this was not the intention of Government when it was introduced.I truly want to believe that everyone in our society is valued equally. I strongly advice you not to become sick or carelessly acquire a disability.

Please consider this when you vote, but most of all, please vote!

 

 

How to Win Friends and Influence People (L.A. edition)

In which the system is broken, and no-one applies common sense to fix it.

It is a New Year, time to look forward with hope at the exciting times ahead. Much as I’m trying to move forward with a song in my heart and a spring in my step (other cliches are available) I am having some difficulty.

Is this because my youngest daughter has a myriad of health, educational and physical challenges. Not entirely.

Is it because my eldest, The Glory, is beset by mental health problems and struggling to find her way through her tricky eighteenth year? Well partly.

Is it because Aspie teen is preparing to transition from a very supportive Special provision at GCSE back into the mainstream setting that caused him pain for A Levels (his choice) Well take your pick.

But actually the thing that is causing me the most stress, chaos and down right anger is my local authority and the way they choose to implement direct payments.

Have you heard of Direct Payments? They are an excellent idea for increasing independence and inclusion. In theory.

Pearl is entitled to support in our local community by a Personal Assistant.As her needs are quite significant, we are able to access 6 hours direct payments for  support per week in term time and 14 in the holiday.

We are able to use this money in a way that  supports Pearl. Initially she attended Rainbows with a Personal Assistant, and I had someone in to help with housework and ironing too. This was recognised as freeing up my time to spend, one to one with Pearl.

As a parent, you have to be very organised to benefit from this system.You have to keep good records (we have a separate bank account) and all receipts.This is all well and good, after all this is tax payers money and an account must be given.You have to find the PA, set up their contract, submit time sheets and pay wages. In effect you have become an employer.

Every year the situation is reviewed and every year you have to submit all the paper work. Our Local Authority regularly believes that asking a parent to submit all the paper work over a half term holiday, when the child in question is at home, with a week deadline, and veiled threats that benefits will be stopped if the date isn’t met is OK. It isn’t, and also it’s unnecessary and shows bad planning on their part.This however is not the thing that has riled me so considerably today.

Last year it was recognised, that we need more hours.It does tend to benefit the system if Carers don’t break. The money immediately started to flood into the account. Marvellous. Finding a PA isn’t instant. It takes a very particular person to work with my girl.They need to know how she works, what her medical needs are, how to communicate with her, and how to administer emergency meds amongst other things.When someone has been found they need to spend time working alongside us and/or the existing PA  and getting to know Pearl, for their peace of mind and ours. As I was increasingly stressed by my caring role I thought it would help to use some of the money for help round the house while the new PA was being found. But no.The system had changed without me being told.This was now a luxury and not allowed. I was a horrible entitled middle class woman for even suggesting it.

It took 6 months to get a new PA up and running alongside our existing (and absolutely marvellous) current PA. During this time the money was beginning to back up.It is absolutely not supposed to do this, because it proves that you probably didn’t need it anyway you grubby little scrounger (sorry I mean valued Carer) The new PA was good, but has not been able to fit her hours around what we need. More money backed up. I’ve been struggling with appointments for all three children and have not had time to source another PA-there is not a one stop PA shop where you can find them.More money backed up.

Pearl attends a residential  at her school  once a week, term time.Paid for by education,it supports her statement.It is awesome (and before you envy my luck it took two years of ‘negotiation’ with the same local authority to get it put in place).One morning while pondering PAs I had a brain wave, perhaps I could use this backlog as a one off, for Pearl to attend a few extra nights at residential? She loves it.As well as working on Activities for Daily Living (washing and dressing to you and me) she has club activities and spends time with her friends. We could afford three extra nights in total.I reckon she could do two nights once a month. the backlog would have been cleared, she would have benefitted, we would have benefitted. Sorted. In principle education would be happy with this, they are not used to billing parents directly, but if my LA gave us the go ahead, as it was effectively a one off they would explore it.

Well,I have to administer the accounts, find the support,pay the wage bills, train, sort contracts, organise liabilities insurance, and keep records.I am not however allowed to come up with ideas because I’m clearly incompetent. A meeting will be held, a panel meeting where this will be proposed. I am not allowed to attend. It’s  not my job and it is likely to be rejected because it’s not usually done.

As a parent this system, designed to support Pearl,has made me feel patronised, unsupported, disempowered. Guilty. Angry. Stressed.Undervalued and misunderstood.

I have to believe this isn’t the LA intention?

So what can be done?

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Avoid isolating parents.

It  is not enough to have a ‘Parent Partnership’  in existence and then treat parents in day to day transactions like naughty children who cannot be trusted.

Give each parent written instructions of what Direct Payments can be used for.Make it the same for all parents across the county, because do you know what?  We talk to each other.

Give each parent a fixed date annually in advance to produce the paperwork.

Put the use of payments in line with the adult service users agreement.

Give family support workers a clear idea of the system and the ability to implement it.As nothing is set in stone they basically have good intentions and no idea.

Remember that many parents have not had their own business, or worked in management positions,and they are under constant stress and probably functioning in sleep deficit.Give parents support to get the system up and running.

As long as the money is being used for the benefit of the child, ethically and legally let it be used.The system has put in in place because you,LA,recognise support is needed.So support.

One last thing.We know the system is being squeezed, we recognise your jobs are tough and unrewarding, but you get to go home at the end of the day,and retire.

Some of us are in this for the long haul.

 

 

SwanUK                      MN-blognetwork-104-final

DNA

As somebody with a very fine sense of my own importance, not many of you who know me will be unaware that I recently visited Parliament.

Rab was convinced that I was going to take over the running of the country.  While I am both bossy and opinionated, I was educated at a Comprehensive so lack the prerequisite background of most of our current Parliamentarians.

The Glory had suggested something altogether more anarchic, but as I believe in democracy not revolution I was not about to comply.

The present Houses of Parliament were built in the 19th century, there has been a Palace of Westminster on the spot since the 11th, and the buildings have been used for meetings of law makers for at least 500 years.  There are places which have come to symbolise London, and this is one of them.  Despite its presence on tea towels and the news, familiarity has not bred contempt in my case.  I am always surprised by how architecturally beautiful it is. The stone is golden and it glows.

There are three things I feel absolutely passionately about, Science, Politics and Pearl (not necessarily in that order).

In my mind everything in life is about Science. How the sun rises, how we carry information genetically from one generation to another, even our washing powder, all science.  As long as people remain curious there will be scientific discoveries.  We will never classify, describe, collate everything. Science is infinite and has infinite possibilities.

Politics, similarly.  Politics is everywhere.  Not just how we vote, but how we structure society, how we spend money, what we as society place value on, it is all politics.  Whatever your opinion on the current bunch of movers and shakers we are a very fortunate country.  Thank goodness for democracy and universal suffrage.

As for Pearl, well in my life everything is about Pearl.  Every waking thought, every sleeping dream is related to one small girl.  Has she had her meds?   Will she remain fit free?  How will her muscles age?   Will she ever talk?  My life is Pearlescent.

Imagine my delight when I was invited with a group of SWAN bloggers and area reps, to combine a day of science, politics and Pearl. What could be more perfect?  Oh and I got to meet lots of faces I have only seen on-line, and was allowed a day trip to the Big Smoke into the bargain.

An All Party Parliamentary Group is an informal cross party group of Members of Parliament.  It has no status within Parliament, and is several stages away from the statute process.It is actually one of the bread and butter workings of Parliament that our politicians get involved with regularly.  APPG is effectively a committee meeting.  Non partisan, it raises awareness of issues, educates those who take part and promotes cross party working.

This particular APPG is The All Party Parliamentary Group on Rare and Undiagnosed Conditions.  It met to discuss (with geneticists, medics, scientists, pharmaceutical representatives and SWAN parents) what we do with some of the new abilities we have to decipher the genome. Is diagnosis always possible?  (no) Is it always a good thing?  (largely yes).  How do parents feel about it?  (varies).  How do professionals handle giving the news?  (meh).   Who helps the parents?  (why SWAN UK of course!).  Many parents had been involved in information giving and discussion in previous meetings.  This was an opportunity for the report that followed to be shared with everyone involved.

The meeting was ably chaired by Ben Howlett MP for Bath, who also managed to press gang George Freeman Minister of Life Sciences at the Department of Health into speaking.   Wonderfully both had a very able grasp of the issues, as did all the other speakers.  Sarah Oakes mother of Joel spoke clearly and informatively about her experience of diagnosis, resonating strongly with our experiences as a family who have taken part in the DDD study.  Read what she had to say here http://www.undiagnosed.org.uk/news/newsandevents/joel

Alistair Kent from Genetic Alliance  reminded everyone that the parents,child and families of the study need to be forefront of the process, no matter how exciting the science.

George Freeman proposed a future where NICE  (how we decide what is prescribable to who) guidelines may be relaxed to allow drug trials of relevant drugs to those with genetic or undiagnosed conditions.  As a parent it felt very inclusive and collaboratory.

We all watched Renata Blower’s brilliant video about professionals working in partnership with parents you can watch it here : http://www.buff.ly/1s4tQGp

Of course what you really want to know is was there cake?  Indeed and amazing canapés. Also wine,which in my role as a taxpayer I felt I should try on your behalf.

My MP David Rutley, graciously responded to my invitation and came,and has subsequently been informed (!) by me of some of the difficulties we’ve experienced,and how they are likely to effect his other constituents.  (He also recommended some of the sausages,which I was being far too polite to consume).

So how did I find the experience (the Reception rather than the sausages,which were incidentally delicious).  It was immensely heartening to see cross parliamentary working, to be taken seriously by professionals and politicians, and to hear that they often want to do away with bureaucracy as much as we do.  I  can only hope that young politicians rising up the ranks such as Ben Howlett, will be able to ensure that Parliamentary process remains relevant and not unnecessarily bogged down in historical red tape.  We all want a government run by the people for the people, and that is what our Parliamentary representatives should be, people who stand up for their constituents whatever the political persuasion.

So what is the outcome of the APPG what has it achieved?  The report is excellent,and a resource for patient,parent and professionals alike.There are also amazing pictures of beautiful rare and undiagnosed individuals along with their experiences take a look.  Hopefully it should give some guidelines on how to apply some amazing scientific advances.

“Genome sequencing continues to become quicker and cheaper with every passing week and the NHS must take advantage of the clinical benefits that will arise in parallel.  However, as it does so,the real people behind the data must not be forgotten. For families who receive a genetic diagnosis, it’s not the end of the road; they still care for a child with complex medical needs every day.  By implementing the recommendations in this report the journey for families accessing genome sequencing will be smoother and provide the care that these families really need”
Undiagnosed.  Genetic Conditions and the Impact of Genome Sequencing.  2016

As a parent I feel hopeful about this.

As a parent I also feel concerned that all the beautiful guidelines in the world, will not help anybody, if austerity measures continue to lead to cutbacks in frontline education, health and social service budgets.  Good communication is key, but so are people in clinics, if parents are to receive effective support.  This was something I put to both of the MPs I spoke to,and something I will continue to bang on about for the good of science, politics, and my Pearl.

Pearl will always be more expensive than her siblings, she will always require support,and will never be able to pay this help back into the economy financially.  None the less her life is just as valuable as that of any politician in the highest government in the land.

Read the report: http://www.raredisease.org.uk/documents//undiagnosed-genetic-conditions-and-the-impact-of-genome-sequencing.pdf

Remain engaged with politics, and science.  Also engage with Pearl by following thewrongkindogsnow.

Check out the work of the Genetic Alliance: http://www.geneticalliance.org.uk

SWAN UK: http://www.undiagnosed.org.uk

And if you are a professional take a look at Renata’s vlog to see how we as parents appreciate your good practice.

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