I went along to the London Care Services special educational needs (SEN) and children in care (CIC) Autumn conference last week and what a fantastic mix of speakers were there to address us.
The enigmatic Camila Batmanghelidjh founder and Director of ‘Kids Company’ captured my attention and creativity, with her impassioned presentation about the neuroscientific implications for the ‘abandoned child’. Camila calls for a paradigm shift (yes please….) articulating an overview of this necessary step-change, reminding us of the power of early attachment experiences and in how they can cause a form of brain injury. In particular, she promoted the need for re-parenting via a ‘salad bar’ approach that is a definite move away from ‘one size fits all’ (oh yes please!). As if that wasn’t enough inspiration, I was moved almost to tears by care experienced young adults who underscored the need for respectful recognition of the impact of nurture (or lack of) on our potentiality. Straight talking Annie Hutchison reminded us all that in spite of adversity, a little love goes a long way. Kali Perkins and Arthur Lea from the Deptford based ‘Heart and Soul’, sang their way into my heart with Kali’s self penned renditions. Luke Rodgers courageously revisited his 14 year old self and honoured us with sharing in aspects of his journey to becoming the compelling young man he is today.
Well done to the organisers of this event, who managed to intersperse the serious business of Ofsted Inspections and fee reviews alongside the even more serious business of keeping the child at the centre of what we do.
Joanna Oliver
Strategic Development Executive
Tuesday, 23 October 2012
Friday, 21 September 2012
Finding the flexible spaces
En route to the office today, I was thinking about the dichotomy we face. There is an emphasis on less bureaucracy, for instance, via the Big (or is it big?) society agenda and the hot topic of ‘delegated authority’. Against this backdrop of more ‘freedom’ to be autonomous, is the increasing demands to evidence that we are undertaking effective practice, for instance requests from Local Authorities to prove that we CRB check our foster carers and staff. It seems that reference to robust systems, policies and procedures and being rated Outstanding by Ofsted is not enough. But that’s not the main point of this blog…..
….within this risk averse, highly legislated context, we need to maintain our ability to be creative, to be innovative, to respect our status as ‘Independent’ providers. We must hold onto this. The temptation is to become almost robotic in our response to the almost overbearing ‘requests’ for information and to lose sight of our own capacity to ‘find the flexible spaces’ that surely exist. We have known for a long time, that there is no ‘one size fits all’ and that in order to provide high quality care for children and young people, we need to be able to, as far as possible, respect the uniqueness of each situation.
After all, we are not selling refrigerators.
Joanna Oliver
Strategic Development Executive
….within this risk averse, highly legislated context, we need to maintain our ability to be creative, to be innovative, to respect our status as ‘Independent’ providers. We must hold onto this. The temptation is to become almost robotic in our response to the almost overbearing ‘requests’ for information and to lose sight of our own capacity to ‘find the flexible spaces’ that surely exist. We have known for a long time, that there is no ‘one size fits all’ and that in order to provide high quality care for children and young people, we need to be able to, as far as possible, respect the uniqueness of each situation.
After all, we are not selling refrigerators.
Joanna Oliver
Strategic Development Executive
Tuesday, 28 August 2012
Growing children.......is letting them go
The role of the foster carer is awe inspiring. A significant factor in their role is in caring for a child and ensuring they feel a genuine sense of belonging and acceptance, yet also being ready to let go of the child when the time is right. That right time may not always feel right and may not always actually be right...it may be influenced by limited access to resources, or an unwelcome change in the child's circumstance. If fortunate, the right time will be when the child is ready to move on; When they are ready to leave behind the part of their lives that has served them thus far; When they are ready to move on to develop the skills needed to make a potential future life change.
The story of Tony, who is the teenager with autism profiled in a recent BBC4 programme, epitomised this perfectly. It is inevitably difficult for most parents or care givers to say goodbye to the life they shared with their child, especially when that life has been as colourful and multi dimensional as the one that I imagine Tony shared with his family. The overriding factor must have to be what is in the best interests of the child, as Tony's mum recognised, as she dropped him off to his new home in a small, residential provision. Fighting back tears and offering watery smiles, she proclaimed how happy she was for her son to be starting 'a new phase in his life' and as she poignantly and honestly added, 'and so are we'. Bravo.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01lyczl for a link to the programme and bbc.co.uk/actionline for more information
Joanna Oliver
Strategic Development Executive
The story of Tony, who is the teenager with autism profiled in a recent BBC4 programme, epitomised this perfectly. It is inevitably difficult for most parents or care givers to say goodbye to the life they shared with their child, especially when that life has been as colourful and multi dimensional as the one that I imagine Tony shared with his family. The overriding factor must have to be what is in the best interests of the child, as Tony's mum recognised, as she dropped him off to his new home in a small, residential provision. Fighting back tears and offering watery smiles, she proclaimed how happy she was for her son to be starting 'a new phase in his life' and as she poignantly and honestly added, 'and so are we'. Bravo.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01lyczl for a link to the programme and bbc.co.uk/actionline for more information
Joanna Oliver
Strategic Development Executive
Wednesday, 1 August 2012
Care Home kids…..looking for love….
What fantastic TV viewing this recent BBC3 programme made . Ashley Jean-Baptiste is an incredibly compelling presenter, whose passion for the subject area is undeniable. Knowing a little about his story and his affinity with the young people he spoke with, made the programme believable – a real ‘slice of life’. As someone who has succeeded through the care system and knows all too well the impact of a childhood spent in foster homes and residential childrens’ homes, Ashleigh conveyed to us the pain of being a ‘care home kid’, who fundamentally just wanted to belong somewhere, to someone.....
……yet, he embodies the characteristics of a modern day hero – who came through that pain with a strong religious faith, an inspirational formal education and a wonderful humility and empathy for the circumstances that others, including his own mother, experience. This is a definite must see programme http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01l92z5/Care_Home_Kids_Looking_for_Love/.
Well done BBC and thank you to Ashleigh and the other young people in the programme for giving so much of yourselves to highlight the plight of children and young people who are looked after. The closing comments made by Ashleigh were most striking and serve as a reminder to all of us who may be exposed to demotivation, demoralisation and perhaps even desensitisation – especially in the face of ‘efficiency savings’: “In the care system, the main thing should be love”.
Joanna Oliver
Strategic Development Executive
What fantastic TV viewing this recent BBC3 programme made . Ashley Jean-Baptiste is an incredibly compelling presenter, whose passion for the subject area is undeniable. Knowing a little about his story and his affinity with the young people he spoke with, made the programme believable – a real ‘slice of life’. As someone who has succeeded through the care system and knows all too well the impact of a childhood spent in foster homes and residential childrens’ homes, Ashleigh conveyed to us the pain of being a ‘care home kid’, who fundamentally just wanted to belong somewhere, to someone.....
……yet, he embodies the characteristics of a modern day hero – who came through that pain with a strong religious faith, an inspirational formal education and a wonderful humility and empathy for the circumstances that others, including his own mother, experience. This is a definite must see programme http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01l92z5/Care_Home_Kids_Looking_for_Love/.
Well done BBC and thank you to Ashleigh and the other young people in the programme for giving so much of yourselves to highlight the plight of children and young people who are looked after. The closing comments made by Ashleigh were most striking and serve as a reminder to all of us who may be exposed to demotivation, demoralisation and perhaps even desensitisation – especially in the face of ‘efficiency savings’: “In the care system, the main thing should be love”.
Joanna Oliver
Strategic Development Executive
Thursday, 7 June 2012
We are ‘Outstanding’….but what does it mean nowadays?
At Chrysalis Care, we are extremely proud of our Ofsted ‘outstanding’ status. We have always been outstanding and were ‘excellent’ beforehand. We know all too well, the hard work and commitment that is required, not only in the weeks leading up to and during the Inspection but also on an ongoing basis. This leads me to consider what it means to be outstanding nowadays. For all of us who compile PQQs and tender documents, we know that our Ofsted rating is only one consideration amongst many and is becoming increasingly less of a priority, as ‘efficiency savings’ demand greater focus.
So, what does it mean to be ‘outstanding’ nowadays? I have noticed that at recent public forums, conversation around whether one is ‘outstanding (proclaimed loudly) or not (said in a quieter voice and perhaps accompanied by a justification), has shifted focus to a much more philosophical one, debating the validity of the Ofsted rating. This is not to say that the rating is not important, per sé but consideration to it in context is unsurprising in times of austerity measures. In spite of a more concerted effort to focus on the experiences and outcomes for children and young people, the Ofsted process is ultimately a culmination and recognition of being able to produce the evidence! Inevitably, this brings us back to the age-old discussion about how investing in paperwork can compromise the time afforded to ‘face-to-face’ work – and we all know that engagement is the essence of social work – but that’s another blog!
A key question is, if our efforts are centred on achieving ‘outstanding’ at the expense of the time that the largely bureaucratic tendering process demands and then in reality, those providers who are successful in the tender process, achieve this with a ‘good’ or even ‘satisfactory’ Ofsted rating, what is the true value of ‘outstanding’ nowadays? I’m sure the debate will continue……….
Joanna Oliver, Strategic Development Executive
At Chrysalis Care, we are extremely proud of our Ofsted ‘outstanding’ status. We have always been outstanding and were ‘excellent’ beforehand. We know all too well, the hard work and commitment that is required, not only in the weeks leading up to and during the Inspection but also on an ongoing basis. This leads me to consider what it means to be outstanding nowadays. For all of us who compile PQQs and tender documents, we know that our Ofsted rating is only one consideration amongst many and is becoming increasingly less of a priority, as ‘efficiency savings’ demand greater focus.
So, what does it mean to be ‘outstanding’ nowadays? I have noticed that at recent public forums, conversation around whether one is ‘outstanding (proclaimed loudly) or not (said in a quieter voice and perhaps accompanied by a justification), has shifted focus to a much more philosophical one, debating the validity of the Ofsted rating. This is not to say that the rating is not important, per sé but consideration to it in context is unsurprising in times of austerity measures. In spite of a more concerted effort to focus on the experiences and outcomes for children and young people, the Ofsted process is ultimately a culmination and recognition of being able to produce the evidence! Inevitably, this brings us back to the age-old discussion about how investing in paperwork can compromise the time afforded to ‘face-to-face’ work – and we all know that engagement is the essence of social work – but that’s another blog!
A key question is, if our efforts are centred on achieving ‘outstanding’ at the expense of the time that the largely bureaucratic tendering process demands and then in reality, those providers who are successful in the tender process, achieve this with a ‘good’ or even ‘satisfactory’ Ofsted rating, what is the true value of ‘outstanding’ nowadays? I’m sure the debate will continue……….
Joanna Oliver, Strategic Development Executive
Wednesday, 23 May 2012
A right Royal celebration!
Our Registered Manager, Ian Dixon, attended the Fostering Network’s ‘A celebration of Fostering’ event last night, at the Royal Festival Hall. The event gave an opportunity to celebrate the fantastic work of foster carers nationwide and in light of the recent focus upon adoption, through the well publicised ‘Give a Child a Home’ initiative, the spotlight upon foster carers was extremely welcome.
Amongst some fantastic and powerful testimonies, speeches and performances from care experienced people and foster carers who also represent the Fostering Network at Board level, Tim Loughton MP, the Children’s Minister, gave a speech to be reckoned with. The speech, which Ian describes as ‘impassioned’, can be found at: http://www.education.gov.uk/inthenews/speeches/a00202579/timloughtonspeaksfosteringnetwork . Importantly, Tim Loughton asserted that the drive to support the fostering task is a priority, that there is a need to reduce bureaucracy and to recognise the professional autonomy of foster carers, stating that: “Foster carers are consummate professionals and we need to treat them as such. For too long, this simply hasn’t happened.” Hear, hear. Tim went on to say: “I am very clear that we must continue to support foster carers to do the best possible job. To make them feel valued. And to recognise the life changing role they play.”
The voices of children and young people and the wider foster care workforce have been rightly centralised, so if you have anything to contribute to the growing dialogue about the importance of foster care, ‘Tell Tim’ at:
http://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/families/childrenincare/telltim
Joanna Oliver, Strategic Development Executive
Our Registered Manager, Ian Dixon, attended the Fostering Network’s ‘A celebration of Fostering’ event last night, at the Royal Festival Hall. The event gave an opportunity to celebrate the fantastic work of foster carers nationwide and in light of the recent focus upon adoption, through the well publicised ‘Give a Child a Home’ initiative, the spotlight upon foster carers was extremely welcome.
Amongst some fantastic and powerful testimonies, speeches and performances from care experienced people and foster carers who also represent the Fostering Network at Board level, Tim Loughton MP, the Children’s Minister, gave a speech to be reckoned with. The speech, which Ian describes as ‘impassioned’, can be found at: http://www.education.gov.uk/inthenews/speeches/a00202579/timloughtonspeaksfosteringnetwork . Importantly, Tim Loughton asserted that the drive to support the fostering task is a priority, that there is a need to reduce bureaucracy and to recognise the professional autonomy of foster carers, stating that: “Foster carers are consummate professionals and we need to treat them as such. For too long, this simply hasn’t happened.” Hear, hear. Tim went on to say: “I am very clear that we must continue to support foster carers to do the best possible job. To make them feel valued. And to recognise the life changing role they play.”
The voices of children and young people and the wider foster care workforce have been rightly centralised, so if you have anything to contribute to the growing dialogue about the importance of foster care, ‘Tell Tim’ at:
http://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/families/childrenincare/telltim
Joanna Oliver, Strategic Development Executive
Wednesday, 2 May 2012
Blog – Preparation for Leaving Care?
I’m not a great fan of labels. In fact, I am possibly diametrically opposed to them, for the restrictions that they can place on the individuality of people, especially people who may experience social oppression and systematic stereotyping, such as our children and young people who are looked after. Today, my position is in jeopardy as I consider all of the young people who are about to leave the care system and who though in age are ‘ready’ (yet, are many of us really ready at that age?), do not have the emotional capacity to manage the transition. I’m talking about the young people who may be expected to move from the containment of their ‘specialist’ school to an FE college. I’m also talking about the young people who have not been formally assessed (and won’t be) for dyslexia but are showing clear signs that they are. Then there’s the young person approaching the age where they are expected to be able to budget and navigate public transport but this is in no way feasible for them because they are demonstrating signs of Aspergers syndrome.
None of these young people have formal labels and hence, none of them are receiving additional support or considerations that they do not and will not fit or meet the criteria for a smooth transition into independence. In the absence of a label, there is of course the tacit knowledge of the foster carer, who may have the insight into the specific needs of a young person but without the label are not supported by the system to source what is needed to meet these needs.
So no, I’m not a fan of labels but I am considerably more opposed to young people not receiving the support they truly need, to be who they truly are and who they can be, in society. Surely this is the true intention behind ‘preparation for independence’?
Joanna Oliver
Strategic Development Executive
I’m not a great fan of labels. In fact, I am possibly diametrically opposed to them, for the restrictions that they can place on the individuality of people, especially people who may experience social oppression and systematic stereotyping, such as our children and young people who are looked after. Today, my position is in jeopardy as I consider all of the young people who are about to leave the care system and who though in age are ‘ready’ (yet, are many of us really ready at that age?), do not have the emotional capacity to manage the transition. I’m talking about the young people who may be expected to move from the containment of their ‘specialist’ school to an FE college. I’m also talking about the young people who have not been formally assessed (and won’t be) for dyslexia but are showing clear signs that they are. Then there’s the young person approaching the age where they are expected to be able to budget and navigate public transport but this is in no way feasible for them because they are demonstrating signs of Aspergers syndrome.
None of these young people have formal labels and hence, none of them are receiving additional support or considerations that they do not and will not fit or meet the criteria for a smooth transition into independence. In the absence of a label, there is of course the tacit knowledge of the foster carer, who may have the insight into the specific needs of a young person but without the label are not supported by the system to source what is needed to meet these needs.
So no, I’m not a fan of labels but I am considerably more opposed to young people not receiving the support they truly need, to be who they truly are and who they can be, in society. Surely this is the true intention behind ‘preparation for independence’?
Joanna Oliver
Strategic Development Executive
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