A little bit of a Northern Lights Storm….
Need to keep remembering what a staggeringly wonderful world this can be.
The Government has started a formal review into the rising demand for ADHD, Autism and Mental Health services. But here’s the problem about that….
It’s the starting point for the review.
Setting up the review The Government has already stated what they see as being the key problem, ‘way too much over diagnosis’. Is this political opinion based on clinical or finance advice. Is it centred on a concern for individual welfare… sadly NO. The starting point isn’t about the families who can’t access the help and support they need, its not trying to help those struggling because they can’t access help, it’s definitely not about expanding and extending services . Rather it’s about a budget line on a spreadsheet which the Government wants to make much smaller. It’s about saving money. You can see what the end goal is….. Cutting the Special Education Budget by reducing which children can access services, cutting benefits paid to adults and reducing NHS services in these areas. THEN the Government will try to come up with a PR campaign to make it sound like it’s anything other than a budget cut. But it WILL be a budget cut probably dressed up as ‘helping’ those written off’. ‘Too many’ will be said to have been ‘written off’ by Doctors when they diagnose patients with ADHD and AUTISM, ‘allowing ’ too many education, benefit and support claims. And thus the Government will say that the best, and kindest way to help children and adults will be to just cut their benefits and services, ‘encourage’ them and families to help themselves. Remove more tailored education support and force more adults back into work regardless of their fitness to work. The last Government tried to do this, sadly this Government looks like they might do it this time.
Where are all these thousands of additional ADHD and Autism friendly jobs…..
What happens to the children who can’t access the Special Educational Services they need, have Teachers the training and spare capacity to pick up the pieces…..
Who’s best placed to make a clinical diagnosis, a Doctor or a Politician…..
Deep Sigh. It really shouldn’t be this way.
A Dad trying to cope with the loss of his Partner and becoming a single parent. 
The photo is beautiful. Thank goodness for the beauty of nature.
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No, it shouldn’t. All it causes is loss of hope and turns of despair which only the strongest can overcome through love and tenacity. You’re one of those success stories, Gary, as unlikely as it may seem to you. It’s not at all easy to do what you have done with your sanity intact.
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Wow, what a lovely capture!😘
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I hear you, Gary. This is a problem worldwide. I know this will not be appropriate for many, however, I’ve been watching a number of podcasts that refer to the great potential of ‘diet’ being the key ingredient for many a misdiagnosed individual. In clinical observation, once their diet is reset to a healthier state, many of their behaviours, both mentally and physically diminish as their health increases; reducing and/or removing their need for drugs.
Doctors, in general, haven’t the time or expertise to spend on one individual; being more apt to prescribe drugs for these people, placing more and more weight upon an already burgeoning situation. I appreciate this does not assist the current issue. It will, more than likely, take many years before the truth of this becomes the norm, and doctors learn the facts that currently cause many a misdiagnosis. This, the reduction of those currently within a scheme not applicable to them, leaving those who rightfully belong, so to speak, will ultimately be of benefit to those such as your son to have what is lawfully and morally his.
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It really shouldn’t, Gary, but I know that you’re not wrong about the cuts. Wishing you and Hawklad a peaceful Christmas, enjoying the wonders of nature whenever you can xx
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No it shouldn’t, it’s really shocking.
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Well said, Gary
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Wonderful photograph
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No. It really shouldn’t be this way. I initially approached the school for help getting a diagnosis for my son when he was 5. He is now nearly 14 and hasn’t been assessed yet
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So true. It will be about cuts and saving money. There will be less support than there has been already. And unfortunately, we may hear the damage this will cause too often in the news. But nothing get done about it.
It is wrong and it should not happen.
The photo is lovely of the Northern Lights display.
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It could be so much better for all children. These are the adult people of the future, these people are the children of the now. It could be so much better for those adults. I’d like to hope.
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“Way too much over diagnosis….” Seriously? That government sounds outrageous. Thank you again for another stunning photo… it reminds me that the Author of creation calms the mind in a world of injustice.
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Appalling starting point/POV.
As a recently diagnosed 57 year old woman, who is obviously high functioning, to have survived thus far, I’m appalled at this mindset. I’m okay, but having seen and worked with many neurodivergent individuals with differing functionality (even that sounds bizarre to type) it’s such lip service.
Let’s investigate something that really doesn’t exist.
Ugh.
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It really should be much better in a first world country.
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It is a great photograph. Meanwhile, in a re-run of Animal Farm “The creatures outside looked from Labour to Tory, and from Tory to Labour, and from Labour to Tory again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.” The only party with a distinctive policy will probably be introducing a eugenics policy as their (final) solution. What a world . . .
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The politicians are making up excuses before they start Gary. They should hang their heads in shame………… but they won’t. We are a third world country and it;s only getting worse.
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These are dark times. There and here.
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Beautiful northern lights, Gary. I love that you got the purple and pink too. The rare colours!
It’s so frustrating how your government is approaching these communities. Definitely shortsighted and not seeing the longer term costs of not funding these services!
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