text:
Radio Personality on WARM 101.3
Writer for Rochester Woman Magazine Fashion Forward Column
Speaker: Empowering Women
Consultant for Women's Image and Makeup Application
Event Planner
March 2nd, 2017
Are you a BOGO or a "Duplication" Shopper?
If you hate to shop and tend NOT to mix up your wardrobe or "Look" very often then this is your thing! We all have wardrobe basics and most of us don't have time to test drive an item. Does the following duplicating strategy resonate with you?
This way of duplicating is a little less common, but works for some of my clients. For example, I have clients who have purchased the same style of boyfriend jeans in more than one size in order to create a different outfit vibe with each pair. When they are in the mood for a sleeker look, they wear the smaller size. When they are in the mood for a fashionable baggy look, they wear the larger size. Some clients purchase the same top in two sizes for the same reason. They like to wear the larger size with jeans and trousers, and the smaller size with skirts.
I also have clients who purchase the same item across two sizes because their weight fluctuates. That way they can always wear the size that is most comfortable with their current shape.
However, most of us like to change it up and try a trend or two but there are always favorites in our closets. So if you find your go to items are getting full-time action repurchase fast so you don't lose out.
Trilogy Fashion Foundry Rochester's newest on trend clothing Boutique ~ Image is our Inspiration
Panache Vintage & Finer Consignment voted Rochester's #1 Luxury Consignment Boutique …ooolahlah!!!
~Joan E. Lincoln~


text:
Ancaster Office:
Judy Marsales Real Estate Ltd., Brokerage
253 Wilson St. East,
Ancaster, ON L9G 2B8
Lori's time with the Judy Marsales Real Estate team has been an exceptional experience. She is enjoying being back in her hometown of Hamilton after many years living and working in Burlington. Lori brings a wealth of experience to Real Estate. She has worked in the financial services sector for many years, and trained in Interior Design, happily beautifying people's lives and homes. Lori says, "I understand how stressful the decision to buy or sell a home can be, and I believe my abilities give me a unique insight to help clients make this transition go more smoothly." Lori understands the need to carefully and patiently listen to, and understand, her clients' needs and desires. She will work tirelessly for her clients' satisfaction. She believes that your home is truly your oasis. "These days, it seems that people have more stress and demands on their time than ever, and their home should be a peaceful sanctuary to return to at the end of the day." For leisure, Lori enjoys all of the wonderful things that Hamilton has to offer, from the abundance of nature and hiking trails to the vibrant music scene and local festivals. She has also been a lifelong Toronto Maple Leaf and Buffalo Bills fan, and that definitely speaks to her perseverance and sense of loyalty!
© 1988-2020 Judy Marsales Real EstateAll rights reserved.
Website Designed and Supported by
Please report any technical problems with this site to firstname.lastname@example.com
MLS®, Multiple Listing Service®, and all related graphics are trademarks of The Canadian Real Estate Association.
REALTOR®, REALTORS®, and all related graphics are trademarks of REALTOR® Canada Inc. a corporation owned by The Canadian Real Estate Association and the National Association of REALTORS®.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Your 'Do You Want the Terrorists to Win' Score: 79%
You are a terrorist-loving scoundrel who hates our dear leader and the values he defends. There are few redeeming qualities about you. You most likely celebrated when the evil-doers hit us on 9/11, then opposed the Iraq war when we tried to pay them back. You hurt us at every step and cause troops to die in the field by questioning Bush's decisions. You are most likely a lost cause, doomed to be a brainwashed victim of free thought and liberalism forever. No dose of Ann Coulter's prose can save you now.


text:
Yes, it's a great thing. I know https://writingyouressay.com/ companyI don't know if it really works, cuz I only tried to write the blogs, but I think it could be an opportunity to develop your skills and to cooperate with the students.
|Similar History Discussions
|History Forum
|British referendum: Historum's opinion
|Current Events
|Historum's First Annual Essay contest!
|Military History
|Historum's Latin Phrasebook
|General History
|Historum's eyewitness at Occupy NYC
|Current Events


text:
Just a small day today. We left Invercargill with Meanie in tow and took a quiet ride through to Queenstown just stopping briefly at Kingston to grab some piccys of the bikes parked next to the Kingston Flyer. In Queenstown we showed Meanie where the Subway was and then parted company with him.
We then headed for Glenorchy where we tucked into our subway and enjoyed the scenery. Then it was back into Queenstown before heading for Crown Range road. The mount for the video camera broke the other day so we haven't been able to get any on bike footage so I shot ahead of Mark and stopped at a lookout to see if I could at least get him on camera. As it turned out 2 of the other rusty riders came through at the same time and I managed to get a little film.
From there we headed for the Cadrona pub for the obligatory photo stop before finally heading onto Wanaka our destination for the night. Meanie is now in Greymouth and says that the weather is great - hope the good weather hangs around so that we can enjoy the West Coast.
I've also managed to upload a few of our photos here: http://picasaweb.google.com/andrew.l.thomson/2009SouthernCross##


text:
Zurich – Andermatt – Zermatt – Lake Geneva – Lucerne
Tour Switzerland's highest mountain and most beautiful lakes by train and ride the famous Glacier Express from Andermatt to Zermatt. Other fabulous stops on the roundtrip tour from Zurich include Lausanne and Lucerne. The trip can also be taken by rental car.
The small hotel in the centre of Zurich prides itself as an "oasis of tranquillity" in the heart of the city, and indeed the ability to relax in the secluded garden next to the Neptune fountain dating back to 1770 is one of the many features that set this property apart. The small hotel with 35 individually decorated bedrooms offers convenience and comfort on the highest level. Lovers of wine and gourmet cooking will appreciate the restaurant's market-fresh cuisine and exquisite wine cellar. The pleasant oasis in the bustling city is the ideal refuge after a hard day of sightseeing in the nearby Old Town.
In the beautiful village of Andermatt, directly on the Reuss river and close to the Gotthard massif, stands the 300-year-old building which now houses a boutique hotel. During its renovation, the old charm was consciously preserved – old materials such as wood panelling, beams and masonry were combined with modern elements in high-quality design. Each of the three categories offers rooms that have been furnished with a lot of attention to detail. Their design was influenced by Feng Shui and their alpine environment. In the morning a rich breakfast buffet with many local products awaits and provides a perfect start into the day. In the bar of the hotel, one can not only choose from 30 types of whisky, but there are also regular special events around the topic of single malts.
Red and zebra is the surprisingly attractive colour combination that greets guests to this tastefully decorated hotel, in which every room is different, and every room features a carefully coordinated colour scheme. As guests will happily discover, the entire property has been thoughtfully designed to please the body and soul, from the gourmet restaurant in the warm, wood-panelled dining room to the full three levels of swimming pool and spa facilities. The extraordinary hotel endeavours to make a stay there an intrinsic part of the Zermatt experience. And it succeeds.
The castle-like mansion stands directly on the shore of Lake Geneva. The oldest part of the building, the tower, was built in 1170 by the Bishop of Lausanne. Over the centuries the fortified residence housed a succession of bishops before eventually falling into disrepair in the 17th century after being damaged by a fire. Today the expertly restored chateau is a small luxury hotel that combines first-class service with a first-class location. Guests can relax in the private swimming pool, the sauna, the Mediterranean restaurant or the lake-view terrace.
The unique hotel was constructed of seven carefully restored buildings in the medieval old town of Lucerne. Every room in the inn has a character of its own, which makes guests feel as if they were staying in a private home rather than a hotel. The restaurant specializes in French cuisine, and during the summer months meals are served on the rooftop terrace overlooking the irregular medieval townscape of Lucerne and the lake beyond.
With your donation CO2-saving projects are supported; one example being solar cookers for Lesotho. Further information can be found at www.umfulana.com/about-umfulana/projects/climate-compensation
www.klima-kollekte.de and www.wildlands.co.za
If you wish to opt out of the Umfulana climate initiative, please note this on your booking form.


text:
Good Morning!
Luke 13:10 – 17
10Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. 11And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. 12When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, "Woman, you are set free from your ailment." 13When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God. 14But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, "There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the sabbath day." 15But the Lord answered him and said, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water? 16And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the sabbath day?" 17When he said this, all his opponents were put to shame; and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing.
Jesus was teaching in the synagogue – Luke does not say exactly where, but says in one of the synagogues. And it was the sabbath. And in the middle of Jesus' teaching, a woman came in – women were allowed in a portion of the synagogue reserved for them; they were not allowed to participate in the discussion going on among the men, and they were expected to sit quietly. But this woman interrupted, disturbed the status quo, made those in authority angry. And why would she dare such a thing? Because for 18 years she had suffered, and she was tired of the suffering.
This woman had been crippled for 18 years – she could walk but she could not straighten her back – she walked all bent over. And Jesus saw her, and he called her over, and said, "Woman, you are set free from your ailment." And he laid his hands on her and she was immediately healed and stood up straight, and began praising God!
But the authorities – the Pharisees – were furious! Not only had she interrupted, but Jesus had healed her – and they considered healing to be work. They started scolding the people, come on other days to be healed, not on the sabbath. But Jesus responded, they free their donkey or cow from its manger and lead it to water on the sabbath; why should this woman not be freed from what has bound her for eighteen years? And the people followed his logic and the authorities were shamed.
Having gotten the better of the argument, however, did not help Jesus – it only made those who opposed him more determined! He made them look bad! They were absorbed in their rightness – and they were bound and determined not to change. This rabbi traveling around was leading people astray, breaking rules, changing things; the entrenched and fearful do not like for things to change – they are threatened. But Jesus came, and he changed everything. They would seem to win – they would get him killed – but he would rise, even from the dead, and continue changing things!


text:
This artist's illustration depicts a giant impact between the early Earth and a Mars-size object, a cataclysmic collision thought to have created the moon about 4.5 billion years ago.
Scientists have pinned down the birth date of the moon to within 100 million years of the birth of the solar system — the best timeline yet for the evolution of our planet's natural satellite.
This new discovery about the origin of the moon may help solve a mystery about why the moon and the Earth appear virtually identical in makeup, investigators added.
Scientists have suggested the moon was formed4.5 billion years ago by a gigantic collision between a Mars-size object named Theiaand Earth, a crash that would have largely melted the Earth. This model suggested that more than 40 percent of the moon was made up of debris from this impacting body. (Current theory suggests that Earth experienced several giant impacts during its formation, with the moon-forming impact being the last.) [How the Moon Was Born: A Photo Timeline]
However, researchers suspected Theia was chemically different from Earth. In contrast, recent studies revealed that the moon and Earth appear very similar when it comes to versions of elements called isotopes — more so than might be suggested by the current impact model. (Isotopes of an element have differing numbers of neutrons from one another.)
For the rest of the story: http://www.livescience.com/44585-moon-age-revealed-lunar-mystery.html


text:
My name is Kate Yellowlees and I am a fourth year student at the University of Glasgow writing my dissertation in Geography. My dissertation is about The Role of Online Forums in the Everyday lives of women with Chronic Mobility Issues and as a part of my research I have written a short questionnaire which I have attached below. If you would be interested in participating or have any further questions about my research feel free to contact me at [email protected]. Any information gathered will remain anonymous and confidential and permission of the users will be gained through out all stages of the research.
Thank you for your time.
Questionnaire- https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/XR6QQTV
If you registered on or before August 25, 2017, you will need to reset your password. Your password reset confirmation will be emailed to you. If you do not receive it, please check your junk folder. Be sure to add [email protected] to your contact list so you do not miss out on important forum related emails. Disabilities-R-Us will never send you any unsolicited emails.
Dissertation Research- The Role of Online Forums in the Everyday lives of women with Chronic Mobility Issues
Discussion about anything and everything.
Post Reply
1 post • Page 1 of 1
Post Reply
1 post • Page 1 of 1


text:
Lodging in Boulder Junction, Wisconsin
Hotels, Lodges, Extended Stay
Acorn Lodge & Motel 715-385-2150
10370 Main Street, Boulder Junction, WI 54512
Located Downtown
Proudly offering 16 guest rooms in Boulder Junction. Acorn Lodge is an ideal place to stay in Boulder Junction, conveniently located in the center of town next to... more info map
Boulder Junction Motor Lodge 715-385-2825
54512 Main Street, Boulder Junction, WI 54512
Features hot tub, whirlpools, cable TV, room phones and is next to restaurants, shopping. Lodge includes lobby with fireplace and continental breakfast. more info
Wittig's Point Motel 715-385-2464
9420 Fishtrap Lake Road, Boulder Junction, WI 54512
Four motel rooms on clear Fishtrap Lake, includes playground, sand beach, game room and picnic area. more info map
Bed & Breakfast, Cabins & Cottages
Alpine Resort 715-686-2800
Crab Lake Road, Boulder Junction, WI 54557
Alpine Resorts offers one, two, and three bedroom cabins set along the beautiful Van Vliet Lake and also features fresh cooked meals served in the magnificent lake-front... more info
Birchwood Cove Resort 715-385-2494
6581 High Lake Road, Boulder Junction, WI 54540
Eight Miles Northeast Boulder in Land O' Lakes
Birchwood Cove Resort has six exquisite cabins and one house for rent. All six are in the center of the Northern Highland State Forest and overlook the beautiful High... more info map
Eagle's Nest, The 715-385-2802
4408 Middle Gresham Lane, Boulder Junction, WI 54512
Two well appointed cottages on three lake chain, it is secluded with peac and quiet, phenomenal panfish/wildlife lake, included are boats, kayaks, canoe, paddleboat, TV... more info map
Whispering Pines Resort 715-385-2425
4780 County Highway H, Boulder Junction, WI 54512
On Upper Gresham Lake
Whispering Pines Resort is a dream getaway for someone who wants to escape the fast pace of normal life. Set in peaceful forests, it offers three oak cottages all... more info map
Wildcat Lodge 715-385-2421
P.O. Box 138, Boulder Junction, WI 54512
Located 4 Miles North of Boulder Junction
Cabins, luxury homes, and two- and three-bedroom chalets are offered at Wildcat Lodge. Canoes, kayaks, paddleboats and sailboats are available for guests to use. more info
Lodging Guides and Directories
Condos & Vacation Rentals
Sweet Emmas 715-385-2136
5675 Highway M, Boulder Junction, WI 54512
Cozy, clean two bedroom, one and one half baths vacation rental featuring a fully equipped kitchen, linens, washer and dryer set, wheelchair ramp, nice yard, pier, and a... more info map
Print - Lodging
Lodging in Boulder Junction
Towns Near Boulder Junction


text:
|Home PageXLR InlineNeutrik XLR 3 Pin Female with Switch Cable NC3FXS
Neutrik XLR 3 Pin Female with Switch Cable NC3FXS £12.26
3 pole female cable connector, Nickel housing
FX cable connector with noiseless ON-OFF switch short-circuiting contacts 2+3
For use with a microphone without switch
Rated current per contact: 16 A
Rated voltage: 50 V
Dielectric strength: 1.5 kV dc
Cable O.D: 3.5 - 8.0 mm
Wire size: max. 2.5 mm
Wiring: Solder contacts
Shell plating: Nickel
Priced per connector: available in any quantity
Packing information: Box quantity = 50
Manufacturer: Neutrik http://www.neutrik.co.uk/
Assembly Instruction Download
michael from United States asks
how do these come apart for soldiering I see no screw and the other neutrik connectors unscrew from the bottom these don't have the same kind of end on them. your help in this is appreciated I have about 30 cables I want to put a switch on so it is important for it to but a easy fix .
Rohan from United Kingdom asks
Does the connector come with screws for screwing into the rack panel?
Loading ...
Loading ...
Loading ...


text:
Classes and Services Checkout
Any Combination of Classes and Services Listed Below Can Be Bundled Together Into One Purchase
Cart and Checkout
As you add more items to your cart, your cart will be updated. This is a secure checkout.
Recorded Downloads
Upon purchase you will receive a confirmation email with links to your downloads. Please allow 15 minutes for your email to arrive + check junk folder.
Christian Counseling Sessions
Other Support
Please see the articles posted on the top menu and the other free resources on this channel listed under the counseling menu button.
Having problems with your purchase or accessing downloads? Contact me. Alternatively, you may pay for your items or services through the blue Paypal donation button below. Let me know what items or services you have ordered in the notes section of the donation form. By using this alternative means, your downloads will have to be sent to you manually, and therefore there is a wait time of up to 12 hours. Please use this method only if you are having trouble with the checkout system.
To Pay by Credit Card, Click on Purchase Button Above.
On the Paypal screen, click on the "Pay With Debit or Credit Card" Button.


text:
A new study, published in the BMJ, raises some important questions about the approval process for medical devices in both the European Union (EU) and the United States (U.S.). The most important of these questions is how to balance the desire for early access to devices with proven safety and effectiveness, particularly for those devices that are considered major innovations or "breakthroughs."
A team of UK and U.S. researchers, led by Thomas J. Hwang and Aaron S Kesselheim of the Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics in the Department of Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, decided to evaluate safety issues related to high-profile medical devices introduced first in the EU with later approvals in the U.S. They searched public and commercial databases for announcements about new medical devices approved in the EU between 2005 and 2010. They identified a total of 309 devices (245 cardiovascular, 36 orthopedic, and 28 neurologic devices). Nearly a quarter (75 of 309, 24%) were classified as major interventions. The majority (206 of 309) of devices identified were approved in both the U.S. and EU, of which 63% (129 of 206) were approved first in the EU.
How the EU and U.S. approval processes differ
In order to understand the importance of the location of first approval, we need to look at the difference in the approval processes between the EU and the U.S. According to the article,
"In the European Union, medical devices are approved by private notified bodies if they meet performance criteria and are likely to be safe, but notified bodies generally do not require evidence of effectiveness for most devices….In the United States…the Food and Drug Administration usually requires prospective clinical trials of such devices."
What this means is that, in the EU, devices can be marketed if they perform "as intended" and are likely to be safe. Clinical testing may only be required for some high-risk devices. In the U.S., however, high-risk devices must demonstrate reasonable safety and effectiveness in clinical trials before they can be used by patients. Because clinical trials are time-consuming to complete (not to mention expensive), high-risk devices are approved faster, in many cases years faster, in the EU than in the U.S.
Patient safety
[showad block=3]Certainly in retrospect, if a device is eventually proven to be both safe and effective, you might think that patients in the EU had a distinct health advantage over U.S. patients because they had access to them sooner. The problem is many of these devices are later proven to be unsafe or not to work as intended. In fact, this study found that about 77/309 (24%) of the devices were associated with safety issues after they reached the market. When the researchers looked at whether the devices were first approved in the EU as opposed to the U.S., they found that there was a nearly three-fold greater rate of safety alerts and recalls.
Since the Medicine is fond of touting that it is evidence-based, it is disturbing to learn that, among the 75 devices classified as major interventions, pivotal trial results were published for only 37 (49%) with an overall publication rate of 37% five years after approval. How on earth are clinicians and patients supposed to make informed decisions if reliable information is lacking?
The authors say this study,
"provides an important empirical measure of the trade-offs associated with the U.S. and EU frameworks for regulating medical devices."
I agree. It is a natural experiment that sheds light on the consequences of the two approaches. The problem is knowing what to do about it. Does the EU need to become stricter about evidence of safety and efficacy or does the U.S. need to speed things up. Probably, both of these things need to happen.
And, as the authors conclude,
"Patients and clinicians need access to, and balanced presentation of, the available evidence of the safety and effectiveness of novel devices, as well as clear communication about the evidentiary gaps…[there is an] urgent need for transparency to make truly informed decisions."
While all of this is getting sorted out, it is crucial that we remember the way patients make healthcare decisions in highly personal. Some will be willing to take the risk of an untested product if they can get it quickly; others may prefer a high degree of safety even if they have to wait years to get the product. This is undoubtedly influenced not only by patients' personal style, but also the type of medical condition, severity, and prognosis they are facing. Lest we try to craft a "one size fits all" solution too soon, we need more studies like this one to help us understand at a much more granular level exactly what the trade-offs are for what devices and which type of patient.


text:
Caged gay engagement ring displays two 0.41ct carat baguette cut diamonds in a stylish bar set mounting. It features three perfectly round rings, spaced and locked by bars through the rings.
The ring's subtly kinky style evokes subversive creativity. Its bold lines and defined edges combine for a delightfully grand impression. The two horizontal baguette cut diamonds are my favorite way to include the equality = symbol in LGBT jewelry.
Baguette cut diamonds are minimalism personified in precious stone. This unexpected cut makes a refined centerpiece for your engagement ring.
Wish something were just a wee bit different? Contact us for other options and free design changes!
This custom engagement ring is exclusive to Distinction Jewelry and is crafted in your size . Purchase from an American small business where your dollars actually mean something. You'll get unrivalled service from the leading gay-friendly jeweler and superior quality craftsmanship.
Caged gay engagement ring specs:
Made with reclaimed precious metal for environmentally responsible luxury. This ring looks really alluring in platinum, or for an unexpected choice, try 22k yellow gold.
Two 0.41 carat baguette diamonds, 3x6mm, VS clarity, G-I color.
Our rings only use diamonds that are conflict-free and meet Kimberly Process requirements. You can also get sell Canadian diamonds, and lab grown diamonds when available.
All values for stone size and weight are approximate. Custom made rings cannot be returned or exchanged. Please be sure of all details before placing your order.


text:
1. Green Dragon
Carl Griffin: Only pub in Britain with a waterfall in the beer garden. Great real ales.
2. Hardraw Force Falls
Carl Griffin: Beautiful waterfall found in the beer garden of the Green Dragon pub. Famous as the place where Kevin Costner showers whilst Maid Marion watches in Robin Hood Prince of Thieves.
3. Wensleydale Creamery
Carl Griffin: One hour long tours of the creamery are great. The shop allows you to try before you buy.
4. Goodrich Castle
Carl Griffin: Amazing example of unimpregnable medieval castle. Run by English Heritage.
5. Hanbury Hall NT
Carl Griffin: Impressive painted ceilings and elaborate staircase. Run by the National Trust.
6. Great Witley Church
Carl Griffin: The most magnificent example of a baroque style church in Britain.
7. Witley Court and Gardens
Carl Griffin: Interesting ruins of a vast impressing mansion gutted by fire in 1937. Run by English Heritage.
8. Elgar Birthplace Museum
Carl Griffin: Birthplace of England's greatest composer. Interesting exhibits documenting his life and work.
9. Little Moreton Hall (National Trust)
Carl Griffin: Amazing black and white timber framed 16th century manor. A must visit. Run by the National Trust.
10. Biddulph Grange Gardens
Carl Griffin: Superbly landscaped Victorian gardens with areas influenced by Oriental gardens. Run by the National Trust.
11. Charlecote Park (NT)
Carl Griffin: Stunning Elizabethan house with gardens landscaped by Capability Brown. Deer still roam the park. Run by the National Trust.
12. Baddesley Clinton (National Trust)
Carl Griffin: Beautiful moated Elizabethan manor. Contains three cramped priest holes. Run by the National Trust.
13. Kedleston Hall
Carl Griffin: Neoclassical mansion set in vast impressive parkland. Built by the Curzon family. A Lord Curzon was viceroy of India in 1900.
14. Burghley House
Carl Griffin: Lavish Elizabethan palace built by Elizabeth I's advisor William Cecil. Starred in many films over the years.
15. Lyddington Bede House
Carl Griffin: Originally a wing of the medieval palace of the Bishops of Lincoln. Was converted into almshouses in 1600. Run by English Heritage.
16. Belvoir Castle
Carl Griffin: Magnificent baroque and gothic castle rebuilt in the 19th century after suffering damage during the civil war.
17. Ashby De La Zouch Castle
Carl Griffin: Impressive ruins of a Norman castle destroyed in 1648 during the civil war. Run by English Heritage.
18. Sulgrave Manor
Carl Griffin: One of the ancestral homes of George Washington. This well preserved Tudor mansion is a place of pilgrimage for American tourists.
19. Althorp House
Carl Griffin: Beautiful 16th century mansion where Princess Diana grew up and where she is now buried on an island in the lake.
20. Sandringham House
Carl Griffin: Beautiful royal country house with impressive landscaped gardens. Used by the Queen for the Christmas period. A must visit if in the King's Lynn area.
21. House In The Clouds
Carl Griffin: Former water pumping windmill converted into an impressive holiday let.
22. Sutton Hoo
Carl Griffin: Many mounds which contained the graves of East Anglian saxon royalty. In 1939 a spectacular ship burial of King Raedwald from 625AD was discovered.
23. Audley End House
Carl Griffin: Enormous Jacobean mansion filled with lavishly decorated rooms. Run by English Heritage.
24. Land's End
Carl Griffin: The most Westerly point in mainland England. Impressive views out over the Atlantic.
25. Lanhydrock House
Carl Griffin: Stunning Victorian country house with an impressive gatehouse. Run by the National Trust. Worth the entrance fee.
26. Jamaica Inn
Carl Griffin: Remote setting on a desolate moor. Made famous by Daphne du Maurier's novel of the same name. Has a small smuggling museum. Great real ales.
27. Trerice
Carl Griffin: Wonderful Elizabethan manor famous for its barrel roofed ceiling in the great chamber. National Trust run property.
28. The Golden Hind
Carl Griffin: Impressive replica of Sir Francis Drake's Golden Hind. Worth the small entrance fee.
29. Ship Inn
Carl Griffin: Famous haunt of smugglers. Great food and real ales.
30. Dunster Castle
Carl Griffin: Stunning castle renovated in the Victorian period. Wonderful terraced gardens and a view out to sea.
Foursquare © 2020 Lovingly made in NYC, SF & Chicago
사용자들에게 최상의 웹 경험을 제공하기 위해 저희는 현존하는 최고의 최신 기술을 사용합니다. 계속하려면 브라우저 설정에서 JavaScript를 활성화하십시오.
스마트폰에 Foursquare를 다운로드 하셔서 주변 탐색을 시작하세요!


text:
Fredy Wiesner Gastronomie, experience & enjoy
Welcome dear guests
Our family-owned company based in Dübendorf / ZH has been successfully operating in the Swiss market since the beginning of the nineties with various gastronomy concepts. Event gastronomy "around the world" is the main-focus of our ethnofood concepts. Whether Asian or Australian, strong concepts in good locations is the secret of success of our dynamic company. Currently we operate around 31 restaurants spread over the cities of Zurich, Bern, Basel, Zug and Winterthur with around 720 employees from more than 65 different nations. The brands Nooch Asian Kitchen (11x), Negishi Sushi Bar (9x), Outback Lodge (2x) and The Butcher (8x) make up the largest portion of our portfolio. Have fun exploring our different brands!
Yours faithfully, Fredy Wiesner


text:
Mentor Senior Living Center Panelized Walls and Roof Trusses
Location: Mentor, OH
Client Issue: A light gauge metal senior living center was being erected during the winter construction season, with load bearing walls.
FrameCo's Solution: Working flexibly with the tough scheduling and inclement weather, FrameCo provided load bearing wall panels with exterior sheathing as well as a floor system with metal floor joists and decking. We also supplied light gauge roof trusses and accessories for the project.
Total sq. feet of Trusses: 61,615
Total sq. feet of Panels: 77,700
Contact FrameCo Today!
Contact us to get a quote on your project or place an order today!
Save Money
through better estimates & reduced labor costs.
Highest Quality
Rigid panels that resist twisting and racking.
Save Time
Cost effective & time saving!
Quick Contact
Have a question about a product or service? Drop us a note.


text:
Donor Sabbath Flag Raising at Christ Episcopal Church
Date: Sunday, November 05
Time: 11 am
Christ Episcopal Church
8710 Old Branch Ave.
Clinton, IA 20735
This year, National Donor Sabbath will be observed November 10-12, 2017. In recognition of this observance, there will be a Donate Life flag raising ceremony at Christ Episcopal Church in Clinton on Sunday, November 5. Donor families, recipients, living donors and anyone with a connection to donation are invited and welcome to attend. The service will be at 9:30 am and the flag raising ceremony at 11 am.
For more information, click here.


text:
Ted Smeltz is a Buffalo, New York native and has violin performance degrees from Baldwin-Wallace College and Fredonia State College. He has attended music festivals from Bay View, Michigan, to Hot Springs, Arkansas, where he was featured on NPR's Performance Today. Ted is a lifelong string quartet player, performing with the Con Brio Quartet, Lake Erie Quartet, Premier Quartet, and is the founder of the Queen City Strings. He also performs with the Erie Chamber Orchestra, Western New York Chamber Orchestra, Clarence Summer Orchestra, Buffalo Opera Unlimited, and has played violin and viola for theater and musical productions from Pirates of Penzance to Young Frankenstein. When not playing, he is an avid reader of classic science fiction, does card tricks, and is a black belt in several Filipino and Southeast Asian martial arts.
|Queen City Strings- Buffalo, New York's wedding, event, and corporate string quartet solution.
About Us


text:
Category: CAMHS
Relentlessly Relentless….
Who cares for the carers?
There are many days where I feel like waving the white flag of surrender. I give up. Stick a fork in me, I'm done. Substitute your own personal favourite motto for when the 💩💩 just keeps on coming and you really don't want to face it anymore.
As a rule, I am not a woe is me kind of a gal but there are limits and even for the Queen of "the glass is half empty, therefore there's always more room for wine" claimant, sometimes I just don't want to play anymore.
So why today? It's been a busy week – nothing new there. Multiple appointments – again lather, rinse, repeat. Certain "dark forces" (bear with me, having to be slightly obtuse so it's not too outing; a story for another day!) have done their level best to floor us as family and put up barriers; as my Dad would say: "same sh*t different day." Nothing especially jumps out as being out of our 'norm.'
Actually, the straw that broke the camels back today is really rather ridiculous – especially since I'm a grown (loosely termed since I barely scrape 5ft 3″) woman.
I don't know about you but for me, it's often the little things that tip me over the edge and today was no exception: there were NO apricot danishes left in a certain food establishment that prides itself on offering not just any old danish…. and boy did I have my heart set on that danish.*
You could in fact say I had built that particular danish up to be the highlight of my week (I know I know, I need to get out more!) and I was relishing scarfing it down with my mid-morning latte whilst staring daggers at my ever-increasing piles of paperwork that needs to be
set light to dealt with and some of it rather urgently (anyone thinking I might be procrastinating by writing a blog post instead of dealing with said paperwork, that's an affirmative!) particularly if I intend to throw my own kind of shade back at the dark forces. They might be putting up barriers but I'm packing TNT, a demolition ball and an AK47 to pulverize them. Ok perhaps I should STEP AWAY from the caffeine….my over active imagination, key-board-warrior-esque approach and twitchy eye suggest that caffeine, my drug of choice, has been consumed in too vast a quantity.
Whether it was the *slightly*
murderous deranged look in my eyes or the muttering sotto voce of curses questioning the parentage of all food halls connected with this particular establishment that caught the attention of the lovely man on the bakery counter, I can't be sure but clearly sensing something was amiss from the plethora of delicacies in front of me, he tentatively asked if everything was all right.
Resisting the urge to scream out in the style of Ross from Friends a la "My Sandwich" sketch (you young things aren't likely to be familiar with that gem so let me share it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tqmXTYa3Xw) and without resorting to tears either (the struggle was real people!) I managed to convey my deep disappointment that there were no danishes of the apricot variety to be seen.
And then, as if by divine intervention (ok, I'm waxing faaaaaaarr too literally, all that caffeine has really done for me today!) the dear, dear bakery man, (alas I did not find out your name in the ensuing rush of emotions that came over me!) uttered those most blessed of words: "not to worry, I'm just about to put some out!" Yes! Fist bump, air horns and angels singing the hallelujah chorus; the gods and goddesses and the high priestess of bakeries had smiled righteously upon me.
I must confess it felt like there was something in my eye. I'm thinking that as my salivary glands went into over-drive, some sort of neurological spill over occurred to cause watering?
But the thing is, I'm a firm believer in taking your pleasures where you find them (erm just to caveat, legal ones, I'm definitely not advocating lawlessness or reckless criminality!) because being a parent is at times bloody hard work.
Being a parent carer is even bloody harder, thankless work and as far as I can find, there's no resignation clause and as for the pay? Well if you are "lucky" enough to qualify (there are certain criteria and the person you are caring for has to have significant needs taking up significant amounts of time) for carer's allowance, do the maths – you don't even get minimum wage for the hours you put in. Oh and no matter how many people you provide care for, you only get a single carer's allowance.
When you multiply caring for 3 children and an 18-year-old who all have varying medical/social-emotional needs and complexities, there really aren't enough hours in the day. I go to bed every night with a to-do-list that grows ever longer. For every 2 things I manage to tick off during the course of the day, I seem to have added at least another 5.
It plays on my mind that I have dropped the ball somewhere; have I requested everyone's medications from the GP and arranged for them to be sent to the pharmacy? Do we have enough feed/containers/giving sets/dressings/lotions and potions in hand to get to the end of the month? Have I transposed all of the appointments that crop up into my phone calendar so I can plan everything round them in the weeks ahead? And woe betide if any of those appointments were only given to me over the phone and I don't have an actual letter to cross reference and double-check with – will I get the right child to the right hospital/clinic/specialist on the right day and time?!
I'm not ashamed to say I take a concoction of various medications every day to help me manage one way or another; be that for my severe depression, anxiety and inability to sleep or for the acid reflux that plagues me and the dodgy back/neck/shoulders and most recently, excruciatingly painful sciatica (so many carers suffer with joint/muscle pain and problems as result of the physical demands of caring for a loved one with mobility difficulties) I'm acutely aware that these are a crutch for want of a better word. In an ideal world, it would be far better to tackle the sources of the problems permanently. Even better in some far off utopia, it would be to put provisions in place to be proactive instead of reactive. To prevent the aches and pains and feelings of isolation, despair and all the affiliated emotions and physicality's that go along with being a carer.
I learned to my cost (and that of my families, not to mention the NHS etc) that if we carers don't put protective measures in to fortify ourselves it all comes crashing down.
I am not unique. As a member of support groups such as SWAN UK – http://www.undiagnosed.org.uk I read far too many comments from parent-carers who face battles similar or even harder than my own.
On other forums I'm a part of in relation to education, health and social care there is a generalised resignation to the fact that accessing support, working WITH organisations or professionals instead of the THEM and US facade is a constantly uphill battle; at best a 'sorry there's no money in the system' approach to outright horrific accounts of utterly despicable, underhand tactics designed to deprive the most vulnerable members of society from the most basic, fundamental human rights and discrediting, even slandering or making false allegations against those who have to pick up the mantle and strive on their loved ones behalf. Probably best I don't get started. I can feel the vitriol rising and that won't help the acid reflux!!
Next week from 11th June to 18th June inclusive is Carers Week in the UK. You can learn more here: https://www.carersweek.org It is estimated that in the UK there are 6.5 million carers and that figure is only certain to rise as we face an ageing population who are living longer, an NHS that is under resourced, over stretched and a welfare system that has been not so much stripped back as hacked to death and lord only knows what, if anything will be around in future times to help and support those most in need.
But for now anyway, I have taken care of myself by refuelling with a double shot, fully caffeinated (you don't say?!) latte and a belly full of apricot danishso I'm
bouncing off the walls all fired up to tackle the paperwork and smite those dark forces with a mother's wrath.
*If anyone suddenly feels the need to shower me in delicious pastries of the apricot kind, you know, I'll happily take one for the team 😉 Or tell me your own personal sanity savers and maybe I'll see what else I can try!
A picture paints a 1000 words?
When you look a this picture, what do you see?
A smiling girl (admittedly that's probably stretching the use of the word 'girl') and her dog? A woman who looks tired, definitely in need of a bit of slap (literally and figuratively?!) and probably some air brushing?
This picture is so bittersweet in so many ways that I *almost* can't bear to even share it. My beautiful dog Buddy is in it and he's no longer with us, departed over the rainbow bridge to be with other furry friends. It makes my heart ache all over again but he still brings warm thoughts and a semi smile to my face nonetheless. The power of canine love.
But what this picture represents is so much more than the image at face value.
Just over one year ago this picture was taken in the reception area of a psychiatric hospital. I was suicidal and had been admitted two days previously having reached crisis point and having made the decision to end my life.
Even trying to write that phrase feels unreal and melodramatic. Like a bad soap opera or overly prosaic novel. This stuff doesn't happen in the 'real' world. Except it does.
I don't know if it was a surprise when I eventually confided in some of my closest friends about what I had done and what at times, it feels like I still intend to do. In some ways reaching that point was a huge shock, even for me.
If there is such a thing as a poster girl for depression, I'm not certain mine would have been the picture used (hopefully not this one anyway…it's not my best side!) I was and still am (usually) a glass half full type person – I've said it before and I'll say it again – a glass half full means there's still plenty of room for more wine!
See, I crack jokes, talk a lot, especially when nervous, I smile, put make up on, clean clothes, prepare meals, answer phone calls etc etc so how can I be depressed? And therein I think lies the crux of it: what does a depressed person look like? What image does someone who has reached the end of their coping skills project?
I wouldn't dream of speaking for others who have gone through and continue to battle their own demons. But in my experience, depression is such an insidious thing. So even if you seem to be the life and soul of the party, the one that is strong and capable, dependable and reliable, it doesn't mean you can't experience the gnawing, dragging, emptiness. The feeling that it's all too much, no way out, nowhere else to run to.
Too much effort, too much expectation, everything from getting up, dressed, one foot in front of the other a herculean effort. But it doesn't mean you don't keep DOING all those things. Sometimes the doing of all those very things is one of the ways you keep some kind of a handle on it, albeit a wonky one.
So it doesn't in any way seem surprising to me when I read accounts of how someone has gone about their day-to-day life, seemingly taking it on the chin, even appearing to have a great time attending events, get togethers, nights out….and then they end it all.
The shock and grief to their nearest and dearest must be bitter, unpalatable and shrouded in disbelief. There must be soul-searching. What did they miss? What clues didn't they pick up on? How could they let their friend/partner/family member down so unreservedly? Why couldn't they be stopped from choosing this final absolution?
And anger, only natural too. Rage at their selfishness; that they left everyone in this mess, they stopped trying. Took the 'easy' way out.
All these things run through my mind regularly, over and over, like a fuzzy old-fashioned film negative.
I feel burdened by the weight of other people's expectations of me and the damage that would ricochet through our family unit if I achieve my objective. I once had a crisis mental health worker give me the statistics of how many young people go on to take their own lives in the event that a parent 'chooses' to commit suicide. Harsh and horrifying and heaping on the guilt. Crafty, effective move that was.
Perhaps because so often my every day life involves meetings with professionals in relation to the needs of our 4 children, it is so important (to me) that my armour is in place. Keeping up appearances, stopping them from defining me as *that* mother, that weak, special snow flake.
The vast majority of professionals we deal with have been nothing but supportive and helpful, even sympathetic but there are always a few, (ironically the ones who in my view have most failed our wider family), who would like to define our ASD child's difficulties by my 'shortcomings.'
The fact of course that respite care was proffered but never organised, dangled like a mesmerising carrot for so long, just out of reach; the fact that our child required appropriate specialist schooling and wrap around care, the inevitable self harm, suicidal idealisations, violence against myself and our other children, the regular police involvement, ambulance call outs, CAMHS care and so forth, all accumulated into some persistent, momentous ball of hell unravelling at lightning speed had nothing to do with my break down at all. I'm *just* that sad and pathetic and attention seeking……
Mental health is still, despite the (much-needed) increase in awareness and highlighting by people like the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry and high-profile celebrities, radio presenters and such like, a taboo, a dirty little secret.
Admitting that you have mental health difficulties, at least to me, feels a bit like shouting out the word VAGINA (or other awkward word of your choosing that doesn't tend to come up in day-to-day conversation!) on a megaphone, naked on stage to a silently packed out Wembley arena, being globally transmitted by multiple satellites……
I can only speak for myself but having chatted to other friends going through similar concerns, I know they too feel a sense of shame, being perceived as somehow weak and feeble, lessened.
One of the most crucifying experiences I had in the latter months of last year related to the ill-health of our youngest son. Due to severe gastrointestinal difficulties culminating in losing 5 Kilos in a 4 month period, an extended hospital stay and the insertion of a naso-gastric feeding tube, the lead paediatrician (also our regular consultant for both G-Man and Minx) called a multi-disciplinary meeting to discuss both children's health concerns (they share many similar aspects) and a plan going forward.
Present at the meeting (in addition to the consultant) were an Occupational Therapist, Physiotherapist, Dietician, Speech and Language Therapist, Community Nurse, Student nurse, Ward Sister, Disability Children's Team Social Worker, Paediatrician, myself and Mr DNTW's and a few others I can't recall. I think the only person who wasn't there was Uncle Tom Cobley*
The consultant outlined the various medical difficulties, asked professionals for observations and then having brief knowledge of our background family situation asked for us parents to outline relevant events over the year.
It's trite but during that account, it did feel like time stopped. There seemed to be a palpable and collective withholding of breath as I relayed the events of significance. I did my best to remain factual, honest, hiding nothing but not (at least I don't think) boring them to slumber and derailing the topic with a pity party for one.
I couldn't make eye contact. I didn't dare look up. My attempt to be detached failed. I cried; big, fat, salty tears of shame. And of course that always brings on the snot. So as I crumpled tissues and wiped and snorted my way through this hideousness, it brought with it crippling anxiety; the awareness that I had laid myself especially vulnerable to the people I need to work with for my children's sake on a regular basis and I was in their eyes, at least to my thinking, diminished, fallible.
I must take pains to clarify that not for one moment do I think the consultant was doing this to be unkind or humiliate me. His request came from a genuine place: to what impact psychologically were (are) G-Man's difficulties related to what is going on in his life and how as a collective could we address this for the best patient care.
It's an ongoing situation. G doesn't have an eating disorder; his medical 'foibles' are complex and require further investigation (even as I type a referral to Minx's gastro team at GOSH is on its way), interwoven with understandable anxiety around food , the pain it causes and the bigger picture. He's also under CAMHS.
That there has been a fall out from my 'situation' on all the children, there can be no doubt. Even now, if I am unwell physically or seem low the children are hypersensitive to me, like little meerkats on guard. It will take time for that to subside and what I am beginning to realise, it may never go away entirely.
I'm still recovering if that's the right word to use. I feel frustrated with myself and angry. There are too many should's/would's/could's (which my mental health team would rap me over the wrists for) – unhelpful words those – and I suppose like the layers of an onion, or perhaps the facets of a diamond, (definitely preferable to root vegetables in my eyes!) are to be evolved and discovered in time.
Therefore, just as the 4 c's in diamond terms are all important – cut, colour, clarity, carat weight – we know there is no such thing as a flawless diamond; technically speaking even those given a flawless classification have the tiniest of blemishes or imperfections – (bet you will sleep better knowing that hey 😉) Having a love of all things sparkly and glittery, I'll happily compare myself to a flawed diamond (less of the rough diamond please).
Perfectly imperfect. Needing a bit of a spit and polish.
- Uncle Tom Cobley origin:
"Uncle Tom Cobley and all" is a well used British expression to define (in slight derision) a lot of people. It's akin to the expression "the world and its wife" and comes from from a Devon folk ballad (Widdicombe Fair in case you are really interested!) Uncle Tom Cobley (and all) is named as the last of a long (long!) list of men with a chorus ending Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer, Peter Gurney, Peter Davy, Dan'l Whiddon, Harry Hawke, Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all.
When is an EHCP not an EHCP?
For the avoidance of doubt or for those who may be unfamiliar with the UK and it's education system in general, I will outline what an EHCP is supposed to do.
All children and young people who have a learning difficulty/disability which makes it difficult for them to access education and need more specialist help than a typical child or a child with educational needs over and above that which the school/college is usually expected to provide from their nominal budget, should be assessed for an EHCP.
As it stands, if a child has a relatively low-level learning based difficulty/disability/need, their school would be expected to fund specialist support out of their own budget before making an application to their local authority for additional top up funding.
The Governments own website outlines the EHCP in more detail: https://www.gov.uk/children-with-special-educational-needs/extra-SEN-help
Rather succinctly this little gem sums it all up in a very appropriate nutshell:
The EHCP should identify, as detailed on the UK governments own website:
educational, health and social needs and set out the additional support to meet those needs
So there you have it!
Hopefully this makes things clearer to you than mud (please read that in an ironic tone) but the whole EHCP process is such a lengthy, demoralising fiasco, so forgive me if it's still murky. Anyway, I digress….
EHCP stands for Education and health care plan. I'll say it again and in bold, just in case and for the avoidance of doubt:
EDUCATION AndHEALTH AndCARE
Let's take a moment for that to sink in.
Okay then. Got it?
If you saw those words at the top of an important document, with your child's picture beaming out at you from the front page, what do you think you might expect to find reading on?
I may not be the sharpest tool in the box, no contender for Mastermind or MENSA but even I don't need a dictionary or google translate to understand those 3 little but ever so important words.
I would expect a to-the-point, concise yet detailed report outlining what and how all my child's EDUCATION, HEALTH and CARE needs could be best met.
I would assume (& yes my dad did teach me the adage about assume making an ass out of you and me) that such a document would clearly state what steps/methods/therapy or such like would be put in place to accomplish this and help the child achieve the best possible outcomes, uniquely tailored to their own specific requirements.
There would be bullet points stating identified needs. And to each of these there would be a response detailing how those needs can be met, who would provide the support and how. Quantifiable, specific. Defined.
As you may have guessed by now and if you have read my previous blog posts: (https://definitelynotthewaltons.com/2017/10/07/how-do-you-sleep-at-night-part-1/) and https://definitelynotthewaltons.com/2017/10/08/how-do-you-sleep-at-night-part-2-😡😡 we lost our educational tribunal case as the judge decided after hearing the evidence that we couldn't prove a waking day curriculum (residential school mon-fri) was solely necessary on educational grounds, which is the ONLY aspect of the case he could rule on.
The judge however did stipulate verbally on the day of the tribunal hearing itself and in his subsequent summation that there is a clear, identified need for both the bodies representing children's social care and health (ie CAMHS) to step up to the plate and that a tri-funded agreement would have been in our son's best interests.
Regrettably because the latter 2 aspects are not enshrined under current legislation and despite the overhaul of the whole statementing process which took place in 2014, leading to the creation of EHCP's, the judge was not able to rule on any other factor than education and he also had to balance his judgement with the best use of public funds.
We found all this out last October but there has been so much other assorted 💩going on in our lives that I've needed time to step back, lick my wounds, retreat, repair and decide what to do next. It is still an ongoing process.
So as it stands, it turns out I really should have listened to dear old Dad because assuming anything positive about the EHCP process really did make me an ass.
I naively thought the 3 very specific words of education, health and care would formulate the basis of MY child's frame work of specialised education.
That those in authority and tasked with facilitating the EHCP would recognise not just his needs but his fundamental RIGHTS to access appropriate care and support to his emotional, social and educational needs as an entirety. Ha!
Essentially it seems MY child's needs are pretty much irrelevant in the document that stands as HIS EHCP. Furthermore how his needs interplay and merge with those of ours as a family – because we are a functioning (debatable!) unit – seem totally irrelevant.
How egotistical of me to think all these things should be reflected and factored in as a holistic approach in his plan?! I think wishing for unicorns and rocking horse sh%t would have been more achievable.
As I was succinctly reminded the local authority do not have a duty to provide the best possible outcome for our son or our family, just an outcome. So let's disregard what could have been a fantastic opportunity; a way forward that would promote his independence, resilience, friendships and enhance every aspect of his life.
Let's ignore the fact he's bright and potentially capable of achieving highly academically (as stated by an independent professional) Lets disregard the lack of 'real' life contemporaries, social skills and tasks pertaining to daily living that would best be achieved by supporting him in a residential school placement. In fact let's knee cap him before we even start.
Because what we wanted for our son costs too much… and shame on me for appealing to the powers that be that providing the best possible support in EDUCATION HEALTH and CARE right now would reap dividends in the future.
I was told by "management" that long term goals/achievements aren't even considered when looking at the costs right now!! So what the bloody hell is even the point????
Silly, silly old me! Bottom of the class for me. Do not pass go, do not collect £200 and straight to the jail!
Only we are not playing a fun game of Monoply (if the way you play Monoply is anything like the way my lot do, I accept I might be playing fast and loose with the word fun) I suppose if we are using paradigms as an example, we should choose The Game Of Life as a better synonym.
Forgive me if I'm coming across a little over zealous with the italic button. But the unhappy little fact is, we aren't playing games and our story isn't unique.
We are talking about REAL life, REAL children, REAL families being put through the mill and being spat back out again. Crushed, devastated, lost.
In fact those 3 words above would far better sum up the plan that is now recognised as the official EHCP document, prescriptive and responsible for shaping my child's future.
Our legal representation has reviewed the decision made in law and reluctantly concluded there have been no errors in interpretation of the legal aspect. And just because we don't like the decision, it doesn't give us the right to appeal.
I'm still deciding what to do next and how best to proceed but in the interim if we refuse to accept and send him to the school stated in the plan, then we are in breach of the law and could face a fine and/or prison sentence. It saddens me beyond belief that legally I cannot do anything other than comply obediently in the interim.
The irony is not lost on me that on 24th October 2017, the Minister of State for Education department in the UK – Robert Goodwill – issued a statement advising that with effect from March 2018, every local authority in the county should ensure that all EHCP's encompass the health and social care needs of the child in addition to those of education.
Whilst this is not mandated in law, a previously trialled scheme of 17 local authorities demonstrated an overwhelmingly positive response and therefore Robert Goodwill has announced that it should be adopted as best practice on a trial basis going forward for the next 2 years.
So, I can tell you and more importantly, the bean counters in their ivory towers: I won't retreat, withdraw or go quietly. Of that you can be sure. One way or another I'm coming for you.
How do you sleep at night… part 2 😡😡
I'm a bit less ranty today but no less passionate so let's get this done and written before I lose my impetus… never mind the will to live.
I like to think I'm currently channeling my inner Taylor Swift and her pals in the Bad Blood music video:
(*above image may be subject to copy-right)
But in reality I should be so lucky. I've spent far too much of the day with my youngest son on a hospital ward, wallowing, sat on my butt, scrolling social media and eating chocolate. Less Swift, more sloth; I can feel the helplessness wanting to swallow me up; shut me down again.
(sorry sloths everywhere who are probably outraged at the comparison)
I've been extremely touched how many people have commented/got in touch or shared my previous post. Thank you.
I wish what I had written didn't resonate with so many but I am also grateful for the support and the sense of solidarity.
I recognise the issues facing my family are far from unique. Judging by support groups I belong to, friends, social media and so forth, this utterly deplorable battle for services to provide and protect those most in need, those who don't have a voice of their own, those with the least ability and energy to fight are being waged up and down the county.
Whilst the difficulties faced may be slightly different, they all share a common denominator: the vulnerable, those in crisis, those society should be protecting and empowering.
Forgive my Whitney Houston moment but our children ARE the future and if we don't invest in them and secure the best possible pathway, what hope is there for society moving forward?
I also know the elderly, infirm, mentally unwell and so on deserve their cause being championed in the same way.
I recognise on a deeper level my attitude is simplistic and that something policy-wise, fiscally, has to give or change dramatically going forward.
How do we achieve this? I don't know; I never professed to have the answers as to what this should look like in terms of the bigger picture.
All I do know is a seismic shift is necessary, society is screaming out for it. How we approach this, how we can achieve it is for somebody/ies far more qualified than I. (Otherwise I probably should be standing for government….🤔)
The demands of a large, aging population who are living longer, the epidemic of obesity, drugs/alcohol/cigarettes, the advances in medical science meaning those who once would have met their maker because of cancers, heart disease, prematurity of birth and the terrifying increase in the so far unstoppable dementia are well documented. There can be no escaping the fact that expectations and demands for provision will increase year on year.
All the while the funding for front line services is being reduced or in some cases done away with all together. Departments asked to find millions in cost savings, balance the books and yet still pull it out of the bag, somehow.
Morale is at an all time low as evidenced by the mass exodus of Doctors, nurses, emergency services and so forth.
I'm not naive. I know the country is on its knees financially and floundering in uncertain times: Brexit, the future of the NHS and government but the refusal to engage, instead throwing up wall after wall, challenge after challenge means there's less money in the pot to provide even the most basic of services.
Is it just me and people like me that can see the irony in money being spent on disputing and denying care instead of the care itself?
We are informed of cuts to services/benefits/ grants every time we switch on the tv, open a news paper. The effects of austerity on all aspects of social care, health and education (and of course the ripple effect on our police force, armed forces and such like) have been hiding in plain sight for many, many years
Why is it that the major political parties seem far more invested in scoring points at each other's expense and plotting a coup to oust their leaders than implementing change and securing services for the greater good?
I want to believe the bean counters genuinely care, that there is an appetite for change but they have become so blinded in covering their backs, their departments and their funds, (actually the tax payers funds) they have forgotten their original purpose. The other alternative: that they enjoy the power trip, playing god and causing abject misery has to be some dystopian fantasy…. doesn't it?…
I do know that continuing with this ostrich style approach, riding rough-shod over those of us trying to cope day in, day out and strangling us in a bureaucratic nightmare, (presumably in the hope that parents/Carers will give up) ISN'T helping.
If as much effort and emphasis was put into providing and fulfilling services, identifying and enabling children, parents and the wider family before they reached crisis point a great deal more would be achieved.
I can't help thinking that in fact the overall financial outlay would ultimately be a lot less, nevermind the impact and fallout on the family which ultimately add to the spiralling costs.
How much do local authorities spend on retaining expensive legal council, defending cases and when challenged by parents on the attack, concede a case with moments to spare? The costs in such situations are not merely financial.
Whilst I cannot go into the ins and outs of our case in detail at the moment (until we receive the decision of the SEND tribunal I don't want to prejudice any outcome) I can relate some of the damage and the wider implications the delays have caused us so far:
- Inability for autistic child to access mainstream education since March 2016 resulting in high levels of anxiety, depression leading to self harm and suicidal idealisations necessitating multiple in patient/out-patient hospital stays
- Provision of interim specialised education package with 1:1 staff ratio/on occasion 2:1 to provide up to 2 hours study per day (where possible round child's anxiety)
- Child unable to access GCSE subjects/make option choices
- Involvement of multiple agencies on numerous occasions – police, accident & emergency, CAMHS, children's social care, Young Carers, autism out reach, fostering team and foster carers
- Local authority (LA) assessment and review officers to prepare EHCP, take information to specialist information panel on multiple occasions, liaise between relevant parties, issue consultation paperwork to potential schools
- Assessment of child by educational psychologist for local authority
- School transport (single occupant) with escort to ensure autistic child safely taken to and from school
- Maternal mental health crisis triggered, medical intervention required, inpatient psychiatric care for 3 months, multiple medications and therapies
- Community care package to support maternal mental health, crisis team management, out of hours services
- Care package from disabled children's team to provide direct payments in support of care for medically complex child thus enabling sole breadwinner to continue to work
- Emotional support to other children in the family necessitating pastoral support, teachers from 2 separate schools reporting back on children's well-being and attending looked after children's (LAC) team meetings, approximately every 6 weeks
- All children in family requiring support and intervention by CAMHS to address trauma and ongoing psychological fall-out
- Family engaging professional legal team and independent educational psychologist to prepare case for tribunal
- LA engaging in-house legal advice and support
- LA acquiring professional legal counsel to present at tribunal
- Convening of independent tribunal and panel member(s) in official court to hear evidence from family and LA surrounding case
How much does all of this add up to? This is not an exhaustive list and no doubt there are things I have unintentionally missed/forgotten but I think it is a fair representation. It's pretty depressing reading isn't it?
Has what I've detailed shocked you? We are just one family in a cast of thousands, dare I even say millions.
Unless you or a loved one need to avail yourself of services, you assume it happens to others; not to people like us.
We are now the others.
How do you sleep at night?… part 1…
Heads up, a warning: I am enraged. White hot, scalding anger that is making me vitriolic and bitter.
I know it's doing me no good and I should channel some inner zen but there's no yin in my yang and frankly I need something else to focus on; some kind of drive to power forward instead of zoning out passively. Time to create a stink.
I don't as a rule swear very much. Mainly because I have spent and continue to spend a great deal of time round small folk, be they my own or other people's and the fact that mummy has a potty mouth is not the kind of accolade I want to be renowned for. It doesn't mean I don't think in creative Anglo-Saxon oaths but I try to restrain myself from actually launching into a tirade that would make a sailor blush.
Over the years, it's been quite amusing to find substitute words for the things that have nearly slipped out & turn them into something socially acceptable before the offspring absorbed it as their latest word du jour.
Try to teach them please/thank you/hello/goodbye in polite company, you would think I was attempting to teach them the full works of William Shakespeare… in Flemish. Yet one *almost* expletive of a wangdoodling, cowbunkerling f-bomb amd such like and they have absorbed it by osmosis. 🙄
Tonight however. I make an exception. I am angry. So fucking angry. The fact that fucking just autocorrected to ducking as I typed it, has incensed me further still. 😡😡
I feel sweary. I feel ranty and shouty and full of words my Dad would get cross with me for using (even though he taught me most of them) I'm even tempted to use the 'c' one (& I don't meant Christmas) – sharp intake of breath.
But I can't have a good shout, unleash a stream of invective because yet again we are in-patient on Hotel NHS and there are a lot of very small people around whose parents would quite understandably be distinctly unimpressed.
So I'll do my ranting, raving and effing and jeffing here on my blog; after all I did start my musings some years back in an effort to make sense of it all. Life that is. It's been cathartic to brain fart away. Download and dump the crap (d'ya see what I did there?!)
Half the time I start a blog post with some vague notion of what I want to write about but no idea what will spout forth. I usually feel better by the end. I'd love to be all coy and twee and say I don't care if people read it or not but actually that would be a lie. I do care. I suppose I need some validation.
Tonight however I REALLY need you to read it, share it, spread the word. Because I'm sick of the powers that be getting away with it. Letting down vulnerable children. Leaving families in crisis, drowning in despair and fracturing already fraught and taut relationships.
3 weeks ago today we took our local authority (LA) to a special educational needs tribunal in an effort to secure an appropriate, residential school placement for our high-functioning autistic son.
This was a culmination of 18 months of fighting and battling and relentlessly dealing with the stalling, the hoop jumping bureaucratic, bean-counting process.
Our 14 year old who should have chosen his GCSE options last school year and commenced this September term on the pathway forward to achieve his future potential has been entirely let down and cast aside by THE SYSTEM.
Would it shock and surprise you to learn he's received less than 2 hours education per day since March 2016? I know it does me.
I also know if we personally elected he only attend school for this woefully inadequate amount of time, over such a long period, we would have been threatened with fines and imprisonment by the education department. But this situation is not of our making so apparently that makes it legal, ok, just tickety-boo and we can all smile sweetly, nod and wave because they are trying THEIR BEST. Except they are not.
The powers that be are far more concerned with covering their departments backside, zealously guarding their pot of funds so they don't actually have to put it towards what's in the best interests of the child.
I hasten to add this is NOT the fault of his current school who have done everything and then some to support him and us as a family in providing him with a suitable education whilst time ticks on relentlessly. But they don't have the resources or specialist autism knowledge to support the style of learning and can't provide the low-sensory low-stimulating environment he needs to facilitate his learning.
Even so his mainstream school have strived to do all they can; he has 1:1, sometimes even 2:1 sessions in an area well away from the hustle and bustle of the main school. They have come up with creative and thoughtful ways to stimulate him; to forge a kinesthetic approach that captures his imagination where they can. But it's not working.
On that at least the LA are in agreement on. But that's pretty much where it ends.
I knew I should have smelled a stinking, great dirty rat when the placement panel convened in October last year and agreed that our son did indeed require a specialised educational establishment.
Not for us the refusal to assess for an education health care plan (EHCP), not for us the refusal to grant such a plan and not for us the dispute over main stream or specialist placement. So I should have known. It had all come to us far too easily.
Having had the benefit and heartbreak of reading other parents accounts of the lengths they have had to go to even just to get their LA to agree to assess, I knew we had been extremely, for want of a better word, 'lucky'
But really that's where our luck ran out. It's much harder than you think to find appropriate, specialist education. There are a myriad of schools out there meeting complex and varied needs but how do you narrow it down?
In actuality your LA are supposed to help you with this too. They paid lip service to it so I ended up resorting to google and a pick and mix approach, narrowed down by area of expertise and geographical location.
I'll spare you the laborious ins and outs of the very lengthy and exhausting process. Suffice to say, after panel sat in January 2017, they decided they didn't have enough information on our case to make a decision. Sigh.
In February 2017, although all the information from the 3 schools we had received provisional offers of placement from (we had approached more than 12 by this point who couldn't meet our son's needs) the panel asked to consult with yet another 3 schools. Of course if they had read the case notes properly they would have seen that 2 out of the 3 had already been approached by us and felt unable to offer a place. The remaining school was full and wasn't suitable for reasons I'm not at liberty to go into. It would be an understatement to say I was fuming.
The assessment and review officer (ARO) acting for the LA tried her best and wanted to expedite matters instead of making us wait till the March sitting. She was new and fed duff information from people higher up the food chain who left her carrying the can after dangling false promises.
The people with THE POWER don't like taking your phone calls. They are it seems unable to respond to email, even when you have their direct email address. Their phones must also be unable to make out going calls as they never call back and mysteriously all voicemails go awol. Or something.
Apparently they can reply to your local MP if he/she gets in touch after you have involved them and made them aware of your dissatisfaction but only with vague promises that matters are in hand and will be dealt with. A word to the wise: don't hold your breath.
So March 2017: to our dismay, panel named a wholly inappropriate day-placement school some hour or so away from our home which they expected our son to travel to and fro on a twice daily basis.
Having previously viewed this particular school, I had submitted a lengthy explanation highlighting why the establishment, the cohort of students, the academic remit (or lack thereof) and lack of opportunity to promote our son's social/emotional development in a holistic over-arching approach to his education were not just incompatible but potentially very damaging and in the worst case scenario likely to exacerbate his anxiety, self harm tendencies, suicidal idealisations and more extreme behavioural difficulties. These concerns were also backed up by his psychiatrist and psychologist from CAMHS (child adolescent mental health) in 2 separate letters.
It will hardly comes as a surprise that the school the LA had selected was the cheapest option.
I was swiftly reminded that the LA only have a duty to provide an education for my child and if they can prove that is enough, it doesn't matter what we know to be in his best interest, what has already proved dividends in students with a similar make up, what's in the best interest of society over the long term in aiding him to achieve his potential, thus ensuring he contributes economically, socially and attains independence; to negate relying on the state for benefits, or support services. The school we have found and the costs associated with it are 'incompatible with the public purse' and therefore they can refuse to provide it.
They accepted the school we had found is superior in every way; they accepted it could meet need and that like on like it would (based on past performance of students very like our son) offer him the best opportunity and chance of success going forward. Indeed The Judge at tribunal was very clear on all these points.
Yet the LA refused to concede. They have played dirty; suggested we have stalled the case by refusing to ask for an earlier tribunal date – although fully aware that the independent educational psychologist we had asked for input from couldn't assess until the end of June. Paradoxically, once the extremely enlightening report had been shared with the LA and we suggested moving up court proceedings, they couldn't accede to our request.
Although the statutory dates for submission of evidence were clearly set out in writing and which both parties agree to abide by, the LA suddenly found a pressing need for their own educational psychologist to assess our son, although they hadn't deemed it necessary since the previous visit a year ago. Funnily enough they then asked for the revised report be admitted into late evidence.
Surprisingly they also suddenly discovered a letter that had been 'misplaced' from our son's psychiatrist (and which we had never been party to even though we have always been copied into all other correspondence to date) which were counter to 2 previous letters she had written supporting the need for a residential specialist school and expressing her grave concerns to him being placed in an environment such as that outlined in the LA's chosen school. How very curious indeed that all this information had only just come to light…..
What a fu**in* liberty…..
I am cross!!
My nearest and dearest (and not so nearest/dearest!) will attest to the fact that this is not a good state to find me in.
I have been chatting to my friend Mrs Jones. Like most parents, she is lion-hearted when it comes to her children and their needs; her own.. not so much…. but cross her children or deny them their rights and be prepared to unleash a hell-beast…or at the very least a woman not to be taken lightly.
So what is my current vexation? Honestly, it's more of a case where to start right now…. I could witter on about Brexit or The Donald; I could bemoan the ever-increasing fuel prices, electricity hike and the weather (how terribly British) but right now, it's a little more ego-centric.
In the words of Catherine Tate's Nan character (link below just in case you need a quick reference point) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joannie_Taylor "What a fu**in* liberty!!!!" I'm also quite partial to her teenager Lauren Cooper's "ain't even bovvered" except right now I am. Very.
Mrs J has been trying to sort out school for her son James since main stream education has been such a spectacular fail, in spite of the school doing their utmost to support him and his parents.
James has been out of full-time education since April last year. He's a bright boy: capable, intelligent, insightful (as far as teenage boys, especially high functioning autistic ones go) but the intensity of secondary school, the 2000 odd students, the constant moving from class to class for different lessons, the noise of bells ringing, corridor chatter and the hustle and bustle of every day life in a large building are too much, too over-whelming for his sensory processing. The added influx of teenage hormones and puberty have made a difficult transition from primary school to secondary impossible.
James is currently year 9 but in order to reduce his stress levels, anxiety and depression and thereby the impact on his home life, he has only been doing core subjects of English, Maths and Science since last year; and to be honest, even getting him to attend those lessons is more miss than hit. Essentially his current school are baby-sitting him to ensure he maintains some form of eduction in the very loosest of terms.
Of course Mrs Jones is beside herself with worry; What will happen to James in the future? Will he be able to sit GCSE'S and if so, since he has missed so much schooling, how will he catch up to achieve passable results? Will he be able to continue to some form of higher education or vocational course? Whilst Mrs J is under no illusions that exam results are not the be all and end all in life, they do open doors for her son's future.
Potential college courses, employers etc will need some kind of yard stick to measure against when James seeks independence later in life. For his own self-worth, self-esteem and satisfaction James will need to reach some kind of bench mark, especially with his contemporaries seeking careers, opportunities and embracing whatever life throws at them. James will need to prove his capabilities.
Although his 13-year-old self is quite happy to spend the majority of his time on the X-Box and achieving "Flawless" on Destiny (neither Mrs J or I are quite sure what the means but we know it makes James inordinately happy!!) James will need to exist in a society that is dictated by finances or the lack thereof. Frankly with the current economic state of the UK and its benefits system, who knows whether there will be anything available to support those in need? Not to mention, James should be a valued, contributing member of the work force; he is more than capable, at least academically, of achieving but his needs must be met in a very specific educational environment.
James now has an EHCP – Education and Health Care Plan – https://www.gov.uk/children-with-special-educational-needs/extra-SEN-help but frustratingly, in an already lengthy and drawn out process, Mrs J has reached a stale-mate with the local authority.
Back in September 2016, after assessing information from James's existing school, James himself, his parents, CAMHs, Family support Team, Social Care and lord knows who else, a dedicated panel called APP (I can't recall what the initials stand for) met to consider all the relevant details surrounding James education and what best meets his needs.
It was agreed that James needs to be educated in a specialist provision, preferably one that specialises in high functioning autism and social, emotional and behavioral needs. Both Social Care and CAMHs stated that a facility offering a residential setting would be in the best interests of James and his family to provide all parties with some form of consistency, routine and respite.
Whilst neither Mr or Mrs J had specifically entertained the idea of a residential placement, nor was it something they had ever wanted for any of their children (despite growing up with a lust and insatiable appetite for Enid Blyton's Malory Towers and St Clare's tales, boarding school and the likes there of was something of anathema to Mrs J in reality) James struggles with the disruption that comes as part of having a medically complex sibling and no immediate family as a support network in times of difficulty or crisis. Therefore a residential setting would provide consistency and routine, particularly at an already stressful times for James and his wider family.
The local education authority (LEA) advised Mrs J to look at schools of their choice, having agreed that there was nothing within county that could meet James's needs. Whilst in theory this sounds fantastic, an open invitation to consider whatever was out there, it was actually quite difficult to know where to start. If you type "autism specialist schools in the UK" into google (other search engines are available!) you get more than 895,000 results.
Whilst you can narrow your search criteria discounting schools that focus on traditional autism rather than the more recently labelled "high functioning" (an expression I hate passionately since it does such a disservice to ANYONE on the autistic spectrum for a myriad of reasons) it is still akin to throwing a dart at a map of the UK and hoping it lands somewhere favourable.
Panel did suggest 3 schools to view and paperwork was duly submitted to these establishments by the LEA but very quickly 2 out of the 3 came back to advise they could not meet need.
For obvious reasons, the LEA, CAMHS etc are not allowed to "recommend" schools, although they can give suggestions of where to look and duly did so. Mrs J also consulted the oracle that is Facebook on various autism support sites, special needs etc. After all, real-life experiences of other parents is invaluable.
SENDIASS (http://www.sendiassleicester.org.uk/what-sendiass) suggested a web-site that offers a sort of "Pick 'n' Mix" (far less exciting than the sweetie stands in the fondly remembered Woolworths but I digress) option to schooling – type in your child's needs/issues/support required and up pops a list of potential schools that *may*be suitable. Even so, this illicted over 200 establishments all over the country and with the constraints of time, family life, cost of getting there and physical distance, it was quite impossible to visit all on the list.
The Jones family decided to narrow down the search criteria to schools within a 2 hour distance and based on recommendations from people/parents who had actually utilised the facilities to make the task more manageable. They also discussed them with the assessment officer appointed by county.
After having previously had their fingers burned by a school they had submitted an application to detailing their sons needs, warts and all and upon visiting the Headmaster who had initially welcomed James warmly, promised he could help him achieve his potential and meet his needs, then when the LEA submitted formal paperwork being told no, the Jones's decided they would only visit schools after paperwork had been sent by the LEA if they felt able to offer a placement, (subject to meeting James in person of course).
Needless to say, this entire process took considerable time but eventually various professionals indicated that subject to dotting the i's and crossing the t's, James would be in placement before Christmas 2016!! However, best laid plans and all that…schools have 15 statutory days to respond to requests and as it happened, all replies exceeded the given time scale.
This period of time coincided with James's sister having surgery in London and her recovery was delayed by infection and some additional complications so Mrs J spent considerable time away from the family and then trying to get things back on track when they returned home.
By this point, Christmas was fast approaching and once replies had been received from the various schools, it was decided to schedule visits for the first week of January 2017. Things were looking up!
Several visits later, the Jones's had found 2 possible schools, one of which they felt particularly would be in their son's best interests and both schools had capacity. The Headmaster of the preferred option came to the house together with an educational psychologist to speak to James and review his needs and offered him a place unconditionally.
James was taken to view both establishments and watching him relax, feel excitement, understanding and a desire to partake was all the affirmation his parents needed to know they had found the appropriate placements. The fact that the LEA had also named these establishments as possibilities felt like a sign and so the Jones's were sure they were on the home stretch and there was a frisson of excitement and hope that James would be in placement before February half term.
Having previously been told that their case would be taken to an interim panel due to the length of time events had been ongoing, the LEA assessment officer came back to advise that her manager had declined to pursue this with the higher tier and they would have to wait until the February meeting (APP meet once a month) for their case to be considered.
A small set back but not unexpected (everything is about cost saving don't you know!) the family waited on tenterhooks for the outcome of panel on Monday 6th February …..they waited…and waited….and waited. The assessment officer was great at trying to update even sending the family an e-mail just before she finished work for the day to let them know they had not been forgotten but she had heard nothing back.
Recognising that their son is not the only child with complex needs and that panel would have had many cases aside from their own to consider, the Jones's remained quietly confident that Tuesday would bring them much-anticipated news. It did; but not the kind that had them doing a fist bump.
In spite of over-whelming support and evidence from the numerous services involved, James's own opinions, in spite of pursuing some of the school options that panel had suggested, in spite of Mrs J having written a lengthy explanation as to why they had elected for one specific school as their first choice, incredibly, panel deferred their decision and asked that the family go back and look at 3 further schools not previously suggested!!! Furthermore, 2 of these schools have already been approached by the family and advised verbally they were unable to provide the kind of support James requires.
Mrs Jones veritably turned the air blue on hearing this news. It was indeed a good job all the kids were in school or their vocabulary may well have been "enhanced" – although it's highly doubtful the teachers would have given the children star of the week for learning new and exciting terminology.
The family haven't been given the courtesy of an explanation as to why their case has been deferred but it doesn't take a genius to surmise it's likely related to the costs of the schools involved – they would have been aware of indicative costings when first suggesting 2 of them back in October.
Whilst it is entirely correct and diligent that each authority can justify their expenditure, at what point in the scenario does this go beyond farcical??? What is to prevent panel from deferring the decision-making process again once these schools have been consulted? and potentially ad infinitum thereafter? It's not so much that the goal posts have been moved, it's more that the pitch itself has been demolished, bull dozed and the goal posts used to hang out washing.
It must be recognised that merely undertaking the EHCP process is costly to all parties involved – educational psychologists, paediatricians, local authority, any and all parties involved with the family need to contribute, visit the existing school, child and parents. Hours and hours of professionals time.
Whilst parents themselves do not financially contribute, (although indirectly in the form of taxes I suppose!!) the time factor alone is considerable and for working parents may necessitate them taking leave to attend meetings, file paperwork in appropriate time frames – multiple forms/questionnaires, do schools visits etc) and therefore it is in everyone's interests to expedite the process.
First and foremost however, the needs of the young person missing out on their education must also be taken into account and on behalf of Mrs J I am vexed that panel are failing James. They are failing in their duty of care not only in respect of his educational needs but also his health and well-being and that of the wider family too.
It is fair to say this family are fragile; poised on the edge of exhaustion, stress and the relentless nature of 2 of their children having significant medical, mental health and emotional needs.
Ultimately, if James isn't supported to achieve the very best of his potential, both academically and personally then the longer term costs to society in terms of benefits, mental health, NHS care generally, possible criminality to fund his lifestyle or because he is unable to control his moods, assaults someone in anger etc (an integral part of James's education will support him in identifying his triggers and find ways to self-regulate and employ diversion tactics) then I fear the longer term costs could be far more substantial and not necessarily just financially…. 😦
Edvard Munch – The Scream