Chaos in Kent

Managing the Stress of Homeschooling

Homeschooling can pave the way for spill over and cross over of stress Homeschooling is a responsibility we can find hard to rise too. With school closures once again the reality in our daily life the added layer of stress on the family dynamic for many is pressing hard on that overwhelm button as many of us grapple with managing change. Stress experienced within a family unit can be…

Whilst the current Coronavirus pandemic is ongoing there may be some temporary changes to the services described below including arrangements for visiting patients in hospital. Further information will be provided by the hospital at the time of admission.

Introduction

To accompany the launch of our latest ‘Bringing Us Together’ guide I wanted to write this blog to tell you more…

Goodbye but not farewell

We are sad to let you know that Debs is stepping down from her position as a Director of Bringing Us Together.  

However, Debs will always be a part of Bringing Us Together and we are pleased to let you know that she will continue working on the BAPS blogging awards taking place. 

As one of the two founding members (the other being Katie Clarke), Bringing Us Together has grown from…

BAPS – The Rules and Lessons

Over the last few weeks, we have been sharing posts from the lovely Lynn James-Jenkinson. Throughout the posts, Lynn has shared learning points and rules she has learned over the years.

BAPS – Becoming the Mother

BAPS – Welcome to Holland

BAPS – Education

BAPS – the T word is banned

We have brought all the Rules and Lessons together in one post for you.

The Rules

RULE 1

Stay in control, trust…

BAPS – The “T” Word is banned

This is the fourth in a five post series of posts from the very Bl**dy Awesome Parent – Lynn James-Jenkinson. Lynn is a proud mum and also the CEX of Pathway Associates and Director of the North West Training and Development Team.

If you missed the first three in the series, you can read them here , here and here

Background to the series:

 Writing this series of 5 Blogs I was thinking…

BAPS – Education

This is the third in a five post series of posts from the very Bl**dy Awesome Parent – Lynn James-Jenkinson. Lynn is a proud mum and also the CEX of Pathway Associates and Director of the North West Training and Development Team.

If you missed the first two in the series, you can read them here and here.

Background to the series:

 Writing this series of 5 Blogs I was thinking about – 

people…

BAPS – Welcome to Holland

This is the second in a five post series of posts from the very Bl**dy Awesome Parent – Lynn James-Jenkinson. Lynn is a proud mum and also the CEX of Pathway Associates and Director of the North West Training and Development Team.

If you missed the first in the series, you can read it here

Background to the series:

 Writing this series of 5 Blogs I was thinking about – 

people who…

BAPS – Becoming “The Mother”

Today we are sharing the first of a series of posts from the very Bl**dy Awesome Parent – Lynn James-Jenkinson. Lynn is a proud mum and also the CEX of Pathway Associates and Director of the North West Training and Development Team.

Background to the series:

 Writing this series of 5 Blogs I was thinking about – 

people who work in Health, Education and Social Care Services, 

indiv…

BAPS – Carer or Career?

We want to highlight some of the Bl**dy Awesome ParentS out there. This week is the turn of Jodie Isitt. Some of you may know Jodie already through her blog, Autism with Love or her Facebook page Autism with Love.

It started late one night. You know those nights when everyone is asleep but you daren’t close your eyes because as soon as you do someone WILL wake up screaming?

Life as…

We have put together a new resource – a Caers Monitoring Form – with the help of our Stronger Together families

What is a Carers Monitoring Form?

The purpose of this form is to capture information which can be used by commissioners in their quality monitoring of hospital services.

This form was developed jointly by commissioners and families in recognition of the vital role families…

Stripped of Human Rights

From the 24th of June to 28th June, families across the nation will be attending protests to raise awareness of the thousands of child, young people and adults stuck in Assessment and Treatment Units (often without any beneficial treatment).

The #StrippedofHumanRights Protest are taking place in a variety of places. The schedule for the London protests are as follows:

Monday, 24 June…

Let's come together to persuade our local MP to pledge their support & to commit to taking action so that people can live in homes not hospitals.

After Panorama shared the horrors of Whorlton Hall, people were horrified, rightfully so. However, as we have talked about before, this is not an isolated incident – this is just one they caught on camera.

The families involved in #HumanToo and other campaigns have come together and have a plan, but they need your help. Before you scroll on and think “this isn’t relevant to me”, please…

The Award felt like people were putting their arms around me, saying we are all here to help you fight for our most vulnerable. Paula McGowan talks about #Oliverscampaign and how it felt to win a BAPS award.

We co-host an awards evening every year for Bl**dy Awesome ParentS (BAPS) with the fabulous team at My Family Our Needs. For the first two years, we focussed solely on bloggers but this year, we introduced an award for a BAPS who wasn’t a blogger.

You don’t need to blog to be a BAPS.

Paula McGowan won the award and in true awards style couldn’t be with us on the evening but she had…

Campaigning – 10 things I wish I had known

As parents and carers, we are constantly having to battle for our children’s rights. Whether it is a right to education, a right to the best possible health, a right to their best interests or their right to have their views heard and respected. Their rights are supposedly set in stonebut we know that local policy does not always reflect this. Campaigning for national change is often considered…

They’re just total jerks!

This is what my 14 year old son had to say this morning when he saw the news about the Panorama programme last night.

He is 14, has autism and a learning disability, and I am thankful every single day that he is at home with us, living a happy life.

He saw the news and asked why it was happening but of course I couldn’t answer him. Like he said, these people are just jerks and how do you…

BAPS 2019 – Oh what a night

On Thursday 16th, we held our third BAPS Awards and what a night it was.

With the lovely Carrie Grant as our host for the evening and the amazing team at My Family Our Needs co-ordinating everything, we knew it would be great but wow!

We wanted to write a quick post to let you know who won if you missed it all on social media, and to say well done to the winners and all the finalists.

Debs was…

Tigeropolis – Caught in the Trap

Disclaimer:  I received a free copy of this book in order to review it, however, the review is my honest opinion.

Tigeropolis – Caught in the Trap

R D Dikstra has produced a series of novels about a family of vegetarian Tigers living in the foothills of the Himalayas and the many adventures they have.  Caught in the Trap is the third book in the series.

Being an avid reader, I have always wanted…