That’s a tree that’s seen some living. Too many storms and a couple of lightning strikes have permanently changed its shape. But it’s still standing. Standing on its own.

In the UK child mental health services have been cut to the bone. Rapidly escalating real need while resources are stretched to braking point. Children in need either do no get any support or minimal support has to be constantly fought for. Schools are forced to stick to the Government agenda with restricted budgets. Child Mental Health and Well-being is not seen as part of the school remit by the Government. Teachers are hamstrung with an inflexible curriculum with strict deadlines. Specialist Educational Services are just not available to most children who really need them.

In the UK families are basically on their own. If your child has an educational or mental health need then you can’t rely on help being there when you need it.

Government calls it’s ‘individual responsibility’.

So with 9 days left before Hawklad potentially returns to the classroom he is facing significant stress and anxiety. He has so many life defining challenges and social obstacles to overcome. Unpicking what can be done and assisting with those areas is a highly specialist area. A service which is currently unavailable to him. Any return to the classroom will require significant adjustments in school. It places significant requirements on teachers that they are not trained for and do not have the classroom time to handle. The school is unable to secure any specialist assistance – they are just not there. Apart from his muppet Dad, he is on his own. His Dad is out of his depth. Really out of his depth.

Individual Responsibility. What could possibly go wrong.

34 thoughts on “Responsibility 2”

  6. Gary this is so so sad and disturbing and tough isnt it?.. I have heard here in Australia that children’s mental and emotional health is being so deeply impacted by the current state of things, it may be worse in the UK.. I don’t know what else to say other than send some support. My heart goes out to all the children and families being impacted.. surely we should be able to give them more than this..

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  7. I hate to say it, but you may need to leave the UK all together. Even with Labour, I saw today that they’re doing a investigation into a youth Labour member for simply saying that Labour isn’t doing enough to get young people to vote (irony). Then they cancelled a whole meeting with the Labour Youth group. The UK Government are really acting bizarrely. Queen needs to step in and kick their butts, otherwise what is the point of the royal family really?.

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  9. And once again I think how if only my fictional stories could come true! If Betsy could barge in and be a therapy cow to Hawklad, and if her magic bell could whisk you guys away to Switzerland for a visit! But my prayers and thoughts of you both are not fictional and they will continue. Keep looking to that tree that stands against the wind! ❤

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  10. When will teachers tell the government enough is enough? How do they function in such a system. You may as well be in China. If you were here, Hawklad could sue the government…at least I imagine so. Everybody sues everyone else here. But he and others like him would have a case. How I wish there was some useful way I could help.

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