An almost orderly queue, patiently waiting for some attention. If ever Cows were going to be domestic pets, these would be the ones.
The Gate definitely stopped us from being followed back home. Not sure we would have enough biscuits for our new guests.
In the UK, at the age of 18, any additional mental health, social and educational support has a habit of being abruptly withdrawn. After Hawklad reached 18, he was only left with some Educational support that would last until he left College. Now that remaining support has ended.
We’ve known that time was coming but when the official letter arrived, it was still a bit of an eye opener, I was kinda expecting a bit more. Maybe some questions about how Hawklad was doing, how he was feeling. Maybe a final review meeting. Maybe a final action plan. Maybe a transition contact point for a year or two at least. Maybe a list of potential help avenues, what to do if things don’t go well.
What Hawklad received was a brief letter saying all support had now ended, wishing him well on his next steps, whatever that might be. That was it. Nothing else.
A few weeks later I was taking to someone in the village whose Granddaughter had just received the same letter. The Granddaughter had been receiving support for years and then suddenly it was terminated when she reached 18 (even though she still really needed the help). She got the dreaded brief letter basically just saying GOOD-LUCK FOR THE FUTURE….
As one Psychologist told me years back, the UK system assumes that when you reach 18, you have either been suddenly FIXED or you have to FIX yourself on your OWN. It’s much cheaper that way….
A Dad trying to cope with the loss of his Partner and becoming a single parent. 
That letter, and the impersonal system there, break my heart… Hugs
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disgraceful what an awful way to be treated, fix yourself, it is more cost effective, despicable!
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So sorry… not that much is better over here.
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Unbelievable treatment… I still hope and pray everything works out for him despite this cold and impersonal attitude from a system which is supposed to care.
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It is very sad. But you’re lucky that your government at least provided support till he reached adulthood, which is not available in poor countries like ours. I think the next step would be perhaps privately arranging support, if that falls in your capacity. My younger brother has a son who is autistic so he has to pay for psychiatric care.
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Here in the USA, foster children “age out” at 18 and then many become homeless.
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Texas USA
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Unfortunately, it’s a lottery and winning tickets are rare. Good luck with the nest steps, whatever they are.
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Here my granddayghter, who is visually impaired, was discharged from one system on leaving high school (18 years old) but her university has picked up the baton providing as much assistance (reader-writers for exams, designated seating in lectures, mentor students….) as she is willing to accept. We also received the “good luck for your future” letter but only after her way had been well and truly smoothed by the agency bowing out. Do the universitys/further education providers have that capacity for Hawklad?
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