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Just reading this makes me really sad and its about time this Goverment listened!!!!!!!!
www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-13081777
Hi Louise, I agree with some parts of the debate yes but, I think we need to look at society as a whole, take for instance the bidding system for social housing, the biggest failing of this system is that it divdes communitites, it was marketed as choice based letting, what rubbish, it isnt choice based at all, you bid on properties in the area that you want/need to live only to be allocated something miles across town.
I am not a lover of social services, my alomst step daughter is one, but people have an inate fear of them so therefore are reluctant to ask for the help the desperately need as they fear thier children will be taken from them. We hear this time and time again through the things that we do and have to say sure start are thought of no better in our area.
I would like to see school nurses more widely used, after all they do see the children on a daily basis and tend to get to know the families on a more personal basis.
We need to get a sense of community back in this country, where people do look out for their neighbours and do give a helping hnd when its needed, that would be the biggest influence in my opinion on child poverty going in the right direction and not backwards at every turn.
Well that was a bit of a rant wasnt it xxx
Yes, I agree wholeheartedly on the community thing, tired mum. I had not thought of school nurses, what a good idea, and perhaps more links to Health Visitors? I have lots of experiences of families being scared of Social Services, having worked with families for ten years now. However, what I also have experience of is asking SS for some support for a family, not because they negelct their children but because they are in dire need of help, only to be told that as funding is so short, they only bother with cases of neglect. If there were the community in place that you describe then these parents would be getting the support from friends, neighbours and extended family.
There is a certain irony Louise that you and I were debating communities or lack of them only a few hours ago.
Well if ever it was brought home to me about the lack of community then tonight was it.
An elderly lady has been found dead in her flat this evening, she died so long ago that her dog had starved to death. The flat is above a parade of shops, yet unbelieveably no one seems to have missed this lady or done anything when no doubt the dog was barking!!!!!!!!
This happened not 5 mins from where I live and I am sat here tonight questioning what is wrong with people today.
I am really upset about this and I am going to speak to my housing association on Mon as it was one of their properties, I want to see if between us we can set something where lets say people can register to recieve an early evening call to see if they are ok, I know that the scheme exsists for the lifeline where you have a necklace round your neck in case of an emergency but it costs and not everyone can afford it and I guess not everyone thinks they need it.
My home phone allows me free calls 24/7 to landline numbers and I certainly wouldnt mind spending an hour a day calling people to just say hello and make sure they are ok.
That is so very sad and so shocking.
sparklinglime I know, I cant believe it happened. I do remember the lady from when all of the properties were being refurbished about 5 years ago and although the properties werent in our catchment area we used to get calls from all over to go and reassure tenants so thats what we did, I do remember she was worried as she had lots of ornaments and they needed to be packed up so as not to get broken when they rewired her flat.
Something needs to change in this country and quickly.
Somehow, 30 years of not caring does need to change. Just not enough people care as "they're alright".
Even here, you can goes days without seeing a neighbour. Our estate is almost split into three sections, and where I live we do see each other quite often. The neighbours either side of me are on their own and elderly, and the rest are couples. The demise of the extended family has resulted in so many changes within society though. While its a small world for many, its a lonely one for others.
I totally agree with you sparklinglime.
I do blame some of this on this new bidding scheme for social housing, we ues to have an area office here and my freind and I had a great relationship with the housing officers and managed to secure lots of tenancies for people who quite rightly wanted/needed to be here, now it is done through a central office and quite frankly they dont care.
It is very lonely for some people and you dont have to be elderly to feel that way.
We don't have a bidding system here - and I hope it never gets introduced. The children and I were so very, very lucky to get this house.
Bar one, every housing officer I met was fabulous, with some crying with me. No one should go through that.
vote against it if they ever want to introduce it, it doesnt work at all for the tenants and it divides communites completely.
I'm on a few panels now with 'my' housing association, and they never mention it. Thank goodness.
They've changed a few things too because of my experiences, so it shows they listen. At least they give the impression it does!
That is good, keep on with the panels, I used to be on the tenant committee with ours but as the average age was 70+ we didnt really get very far and the meeting were always on school time so it became impossible for me to go which was sad.
I am seriously considering standing for local council for the next elections, wish I had done it for this time to be honest
It was something I'd thought about too, but we have a brilliant councilor and she's the same age as me!
could you not stand in the next ward, if thats close by?
Same again - but she's a year older than me!
Tired mum, this poor lady and her poor dog. It makes me want to weep.
Yes I know about the Lifeline (and think it should be free) but in a way that is still impersonal. How much better to have a personal contact on the same estate. Good for you, that you have thought of a possible solution to this. What needs to happen is for Housing Associations ALL to take this on board. I have always thought there is more than one form of isolation; hereabouts the church would provide a meal and some company for the local elderly people and one time I went along with the boys, when they were little and said I am lonely too, I bring up these children on my own and from then on they extended the invite to different people in the community.
Hi Louise, I will definitely be talking to them on Mon and we have a meeting arranged with them anyway for the 3rd May to talk about what we are doing so another opportunity there.
I just think that its is everyones responsibility to look out for their neighbours no matter what age they are and you then become used to their patterns, when they go shopping or have people over to visit and if this changes then go see if the person is ok better that than what happened here yesterday.
I know what you mean about Churches, they do still do things like this, but people have drifted away from Churches for reasons I am not entirely clear about, one of the factors I`m sure is when Sunday trading became possible, some people worked and some shopped, sad really as Sunday was traditionally a family day want it, Church in the morning and Sunday dinner and maybe a walk in the late afternoon, we have lost so much to greed I think. I am not religous and dont go to Church but I can see what we lost when we ceased going if that makes sense.
Yes it does make sense.
I have religious beliefs myself but have not found a church that suits me. My neighbour's daughter goes to a huge church that sounds very loud and modern and I will give it a try, though it is about an hour's drive away.
Many jobs are spread over seven days these days, so the concept of a weekend or Bank Holiday is even fading in its effect.
I agree that being a good neighbour would solve a lot of problems.
This has to be the bravest lady ever, she has my total respect and I hope that she finds her son and can have the peace she has waited for for 47 years.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-13187348
Yes I have always felt for this lady. So dreadful to lose a child but not to have had a funeral or a focal point for her mourning must have been torture.
I was reading that this morning, tiredmum and am currently listening to a discussion on Radio 2 about it. I am not sure the answer is more benefits though; I would advocate more help and support to the parents so that THEY can manage to cook and budget more easily...and to parent. Let's face it, there are people who live in such dire circumstances they almost don't have a chance before they begin! Practical support could be delivered at the Children's Centres (those that will remain open, although didn't I hear a pledge recently to try and keep them all open?)I think breakfast clubs are an excellent idea too, with fruit as well as cereal/toast. The Healthy Start fruit and veg scheme was good but far too limited, it should have been for a larger amount and more widespread.
The radio programe is saying that cuts in social services mean that less "neglected" children are picked up on. Would you agree with that?