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And Now The End Is Here

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  And Now The End Is Here. The titular “Wee Room” is a safe haven at the bottom of our garden where friends gather, music is played, books are read and ideas flow. It certainly saved my sanity during lockdown, it was a place I could go, watch the birds, be close to nature and to just be . Over the last few months, I have been sharing my countdown to retirement. It has enabled me to get a few things off my chest, but also to take some much-needed space to reflect. I have been so fortunate to have had a well-planned and very supportive transition. I have experienced some interesting and at times conflicting emotions. I have also noticed changes in me and those around me as my end date drew nearer. The expectations I place on myself and those from others have lessened. It has made me confront the frenetic pace of our sector and has led me to question and, indeed marvel at how we sustain ourselves in this line of work. The last few weeks in particular have been very slow paced. That’
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Are We There Yet?

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  Are We There Yet? The titular “Wee Room” is a safe haven at the bottom of our garden where friends gather, music is played, books are read and ideas flow. It certainly saved my sanity during lockdown, it was a place I could go, watch the birds, be close to nature and to just be . The oft heard refrain of, “are we there yet?”, usually, but not always, from youngsters whilst travelling, is resonating with me as I move into my remaining weeks at Scottish Autism. Well, we are just about there, and I have a newfound empathy for anyone who has ever posed the question. Whilst I haven’t spent the last few months staring out the window of a car, I have been on a journey towards something, that feels exciting, that I very much want but that have no real idea how it will be when I get there. There is also more than a little emotion attached to what I am leaving behind. Being part of a large organisation brings challenges, but it also gives a sense of security and belonging that often go
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Say Hello, Wave Goodbye

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  Say Hello, Wave Goodbye The titular “Wee Room” is a safe haven at the bottom of our garden where friends gather, music is played, books are read and ideas flow. It certainly saved my sanity during lockdown, it was a place I could go, watch the birds, be close to nature and to just be . Now we are into September, my retirement date is looming and this feels like the final countdown. I have been lucky enough to have had the support of a coach through what feels like one of the most significant transitions of my life, so far. After, a lifetime of emphasising the importance of well-planned and managed transitions for autistic people, I was at serious risk of not realising that I also needed to plan and to address the psychological and emotional impact of moving on from a long career. It’s not all lunches and reminiscing and fond farewells, there is a fair amount of emotional challenge and unresolved issues which, over the last few months, hasn’t always led me to behave well. Ther
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A Little Less Conversation…. Please”

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  The titular “Wee Room” is a safe haven at the bottom of our garden where friends gather, music is played, books are read and ideas flow. It certainly saved my sanity during lockdown, it was a place I could go, watch the birds, be close to nature and to just be .   “A Little Less Conversation…. Please” I have never been a big fan of Elvis or, Kings in general as it happens. It does however strike me that these lyrics, (albeit that from here, the song descends into somewhat concerning territory), could be the soundtrack to a career in social care. “A little less conversation, a little more action, please All this aggravation ain't satisfactioning me A little more bite and a little less bark A little less fight and a little more spark.” (Lyrics by Billy Strange and Mac Davis) I probably don’t need to explain to many of you but, indulge me. Meetings, consultations, stakeholder groups, short life working groups, have all featured heavily in my working life. Some years ago,
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Short termism: A plague on all our (third sector) houses

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  Short termism: A plague on all our (third sector) houses   The titular “Wee Room” is a safe haven at the bottom of our garden where friends gather, music is played, books are read and ideas flow. It certainly saved my sanity during lockdown, it was a place I could go, watch the birds, be close to nature and to just be .   The third sector in Scotland is, in so many ways a vibrant and creative space where people are met with acceptance, understanding and life-changing support.   I have been involved in many developments that demonstrably make a significant impact on the lives of people. These initiatives range from family support services, playschemes, mental health support services, One-stop shops and many more. Where are they now? Well, only the strong survive in a sector that is plagued by short-term thinking and short-term funding. The third sector has the capacity to build infrastructure and to bring stability to the lives of marginalised people. Yet, we limp along ho
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"Everybody Counts or Nobody Counts"

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  The titular “Wee Room” is a safe haven at the bottom of our garden where friends gather, music is played, books are read and ideas flow. It certainly saved my sanity during lockdown, it was a place I could go, watch the birds, be close to nature and to just be. “Everybody Counts or Nobody Counts”   Some of you may recognise the mantra of one of my favourite fictional cops, Harry Bosch. Created by author Michael Connolly, this is the value base that guides the actions, judgements, successes, and failings of the character. It is also a phrase I would dearly have loved to have coined, because it has such resonance for me in the professional space in which I operate. It speaks to the inherent inequalities so many people face because of the perception of value we, as a society, place on them. This has never been so evident as in the current crisis that is being faced in social care. To a large extent, we have been incubating this situation for years. Under investment, a prevaili
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Past, Present and Future -

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The titular “Wee Room” is a safe haven at the bottom of our garden where friends gather, music is played, books are read and ideas flow. It certainly saved my sanity during lockdown, it was a place I could go, watch the birds, be close to nature and to just be .   Past, Present and Future. As someone who has always worked, starting with a Saturday job in Woolworths (sadly, no longer on our high streets), and then summer jobs, the most memorable being a stint in Butlins (don’t ask), the decision to retire early hasn’t been taken lightly, but it has been taken. I hope you will share this transition with me through a series of blogs as I contemplate the past, wax lyrical about the present, and look to the future and the different ways I might continue to make a contribution. I didn’t set out to work with autistic people. I had a few false starts to my career but always worked with people who would be considered marginalised or different in some way or who the system termed “chal
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