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Welcome Everyone.
Students:
Rag Area;
Forums,
Chat
1) - Introduction - Violence, Abuse,
Bullying & Mental Health:
I hope that you find this site helpful and constructive. What we are
setting out to do is quite a challenge and will meet with substantial
criticism from many quarters and for many reasons. Some of these we know
in advance, although our purpose is wholly constructive.
Others criticisms we are bound to be advised of as we progress. If we
are doing an effective job I would be very surprised if there were no
significant criticisms. In fact, we positively invite any criticism, for
reasons that will become apparent as you read the material here.
If you are an
interested Visitor, Service User, Family Carer, Child, or Professional
worker, seeking immediate help in dealing with Assault, Abuse,
Humiliation, Indignity, or Bullying of any kind, anywhere:
Please go to: Surviving Abuse, or 'Emergency
Page'
If you simply looking for information on Mental Health, Learning
Difficulties, Alcohol & Drug problems, or Health & Social Care Services
and issues, you may wish to go straight to
Section 3.
The Reality of
Accessibility of Service to People in Distress:
Most Professionals & Managers have a genuine commitment to providing
appropriate support to people in need. It can be almost as frustrating
for those providing the service as those trying to obtain it. There is
an obligation to assess, 'but not to provide', is the institutional
argument.
That is the bottom line for the 'Institutions. Actually there is an
obligation to provide a service 'assessed' as needed. Assessment is a
skilled part of the work. A good practitioner will 'translate' your felt
& expressed needs into a professionally identifiable requirement for
support.
Professional assessments
look at the 'immediate', or 'imminent' risks & the
'potential' risks and then seeks ways to bring these to an acceptable
'normal' level. Life always involves some risks & if the professional
(OR the Institution) is too 'anxious' then the support can become
restrictive.
When services are organised
by institutions, 'by committee', if you like, they usually become
'all-or-nothing'. Inadequate resources, used badly, with heavy & costly
'administrations', little initiative & very little flexibility.
Government initiative to free them up usually makes it all worse.
The impact on yourself is
that they are too restrictive, have inadequate choices and come too late
to stop the problem getting to a crisis. This is because Institutions
are not very creative, even when they try to be. They often just create
another 'layer' of bureaucratic red tape & committees.
Every now and then (in fact
quite often) they need waking up to what they are supposed to be
providing, and for who. There is a great deal of waste and misdirected
good intentions. The rules end up protecting them rather than you. You
then have fewer resources to call upon.
Your are not Powerless but
may need some help:
We intend to inform Service Users & the various Institutions, Agencies,
Managers and Professionals, providing service, of the realty of the
services available. How they are seen by the average member of the
public, Service Users and Family Carers, especially when in Crisis.
We will inform & support Service Users, Family Cares & Professionals to
get the best out of the services available, but in doing so will report
the shortfalls, gaps, prejudices, inappropriate attitudes and practices,
& seek to explain how these have, and can happened.
There needs to be greater frankness with Service Users. There is too
much reliance on the good will of Carers and Community Agencies. There
is too much putting responsibility for the failures in individual lives
and relationships, on the individual and the family. Institutions play a
very potent part in effecting good and bad consequences.
For More Information, Please go to:
Surviving The System:
If you are a casual visitor, or Service User, Family Carer, or
Professional worker, seeking general information on dealing with Abuse,
Bullying, Mental Health, Learning Difficulties, Alcohol & Drug problems,
or Health & Social Care Services & issues, you may wish to go on to
Section 3.
However, you may find some of this other information informative of the kinds of
difficulties that Service User's encounter:
2) - Lets deal with the most important
points first:
This bit of the introduction is primarily for the person who is here because of a
dramatic personal experience, or series of events, that has happened to
them, or someone close to them, in some way which has had a stunning &
traumatic effect upon them. Initially we will be dealing with
problematic relationship issues, violence an other abuses, because of their particular
urgency and risks. This is just an introduction so you will be guided to
a
LINK
at various points in the text.
Other links, dealing with other
personal, social & catastrophic life & environmental problems
you may be experiencing, will be highlighted in 'Blue', or 'Yellow'
(depending on Background colour), in the text
you are reading. It is not unusual to find that one personal problem
generates, or magnifies others. You may well be dealing with a number
of difficulties at one time. In consideration of this we have cross
linking, which allows you to have more than one 'window' open, each on a
separate subject. Any window can then take you back to the main page;
'HOME' (Here).
For More
Info., please view the page: Surviving Abuse:
If
you, or someone close to you, has had 'distressing' experiences and now
realise that they are, or have been, experiencing sexual
assault, physical assault, persistent physical abuse, neglect &/or
psychological and emotional trauma, harassment, or bullying, to a degree
where your confidence fails you and you contemplate running away, or
perhaps killing yourself (or them), it is important to muster the
confidence to get help as early as possible. You do deserve
better.
Please 'click' on the following links when you are ready, feel free to
come back for further advice if you have any problems. People do want to
help but they may not have been there themselves, and their reaction may
frustrate you is some ways. This is not unusual, as will be explained
else where. Mostly though, the help you should get will make things
safer for you, or the person you are concerned about:
3) Further Introduction to this Web Site:
Some initial criticism of the site is already established and relates to
a 'partially' legitimate complaint that much of the material is
sometimes extensive, convoluted and often difficult to follow. This will
be true, in some instances, and in some respects, because of poor writing style
and the fact that it is partially completed.
I apologised in advance for that and do so again, wherever this is the
case.
This writing style will be improved upon, especially in response
to your comments and suggestions, where this does not affect fundamental meaning and accuracy
of what is being said / told you.
These are 'open' documents and are therefore available for improvement and
clarification. That is the purpose of the site. To establish as broad a
perspective on the issues we are dealing with that will satisfy everyone
involved, at some level that will satisfy all readers.
In some instances, however, this criticism is not wholly appropriate and
the reasons for going into great depth and sometimes taking a 'style
that is irritating for some, is unavoidable. Sometimes Detailed, Logical
Accuracy & other times, Blunt Honesty are what is required. Some of the
issues we are dealing with have a strong commonsense and emotional
component. In these respect we can write in a very relaxed and frank
style (and we will do so progressively).
If there are clear interpersonal and institutional abuses, with direct,
understood impact upon people's mental and physical health, and the
quality of peoples lives, these can be
described in very simple terms, without too much in the way of ambiguous
interpretation, i.e. where the causes and effect are widely understood &
accepted as 'given', to most people. Increasingly so, thank goodness -
(Link to examples)
4) - OK. So, why don't we
just stop there?:
Well; If you feel 'emotional' kinds of argument
& descriptions (disclosures), adequately deal with your concerns (for
yourself &/or others); If this adequately communicates your recognised abusive, neglectful, or risky situation;
It should be relatively easy to get the Police &/or Social Services, the local
Child Protection Service, or Vulnerable Adults Unit, CSCI, or other
relevant organisation too respond; and hopefully get the problem dealt
with to your satisfaction (perhaps via these links). Emotional arguments
do have their place.
The situation you are
managing 'feels' risky and you, &/or the people you are concerned for,
are potentially
vulnerable. If a vulnerable person (child or adult, possibly including
yourself) is at social and clinical risk and you have taken no action; then it is important
that you click on the following link. If, however, you have done these
things before & don't feel this has been helpful, there may be other,
more complicated thing we need to consider. First consider 'again'
taking this action, or continue here and start dealing with the more
'tricky bits' now:
5: Institutional
Prejudices and Distorted perspectives:
This is the start of the really 'heady'
bit and there is no way of avoiding it. We have to break through
extremely
powerful, established ways of thinking, and behaving, that often put people at
a social disadvantage, while they are being 'helped'. Much of this
thinking and behaving is largely 'blind' and is a feature of social
learning & social indoctrination, both good & bad. This has already been
identified in the fields of Learning Difficulties, Sensory Abilities & Physical Abilities.
I am going to first 'discuss' social,
institutional
and individual perspectives
on: 'abuse',
'trauma',
'distress'
'Victim','
Disabled'
& 'Mental Health'
(all of which, we will show, are more closely linked than is often
considered). This will be used as the 'platform' for getting across a
more fundamental understanding of 'caring'
in our modern society, especially where it has gone wrong; to the
individuals, the community's & to societies disadvantage, in the past &
again now.
I would argue that this community & social 'damage',
and its more 'individual' consequence, is happening right now and in
significant measure, in respect of the; 'Victim
Culture' and the parallel
'Mental Health'
culture. Here the problems are seen as quite 'organic', firstly in some
gross way, and then (if and when challenged) in a more refined, more insidious
way. This has been found to be the case for the personal experience of 'Disability', generally.
I want to reassure individual
practitioners that this is not a criticism of them directly, in the
main. There are exceptionally bad practitioner in all fields and most of
us know of these cases. Where these are bad enough we have to take some
responsibility for challenging, or correcting these poor practices. Here
we are mostly concerned with the 'abusive' and often hidden,
disabling
and 'disempowering'
practices of individuals' and of organisation's (due to ignorance).
People sometimes
find it difficulty to 'Disclose' distressing events. This is partly
their 'inhibition' but it is also often the professionals well
intentioned responses that inhibits them. Professional responses are
'coloured' by prevailing social norms and prejudices, including
'embarrassment', for various reasons.
It is also distorted by a
modern, 'agnostic' societies inability to see some 'apparent strengths'
as weaknesses and some 'apparent weaknesses' as potential social
strengths. We often protect the one social benefit but not the other,
one 'socially disposed' group but not the other 'socially indisposed'
group.
This is prejudice, and is
equal to that of race, gender, sexual orientation and cultural bigotry;
but it is hidden by this distortion i have described and the fact they
are not 'identified', or 'manifested' as discrete, unified and
cohesive groups (as they will be soon). This 'prejudice has been
institutionalised again.
People come into the caring
professions for many good, and a few very bad, reasons but there are a
number of 'motivations' that are very common and most appreciated &
understood. The consequences of each of these can be quite different
though and I want to try an highlight these here, quickly (and elsewhere
in more detail). Firstly:
The reasons for coming into
the 'caring professions', of any kind; Nursing, GP, Consultant, Social
Work, Social Care, Counselling, OT, Psychotherapy, Clinical, social and
Alternative therapies of any kind Can be any more, or less pure, through
to colourful combination of: Financial Gain, Power & Status; Career
progression, Keeping the family from Relative Poverty and Helping
People, Communities, Individuals, Groups. Well that is a start. You can
add to the list.
The institutionalising effect that has
such a profound institutionalising effect upon the Service User, fist
has its institutionalising effect upon the professionals and administrators
within it. None of
this would be a problem if the institutions did not tend to favour, or
accidentally tend to to produce, a particular, 'averaged' flavour of
professional 'type', the type it easily understands, can effectively
control, substantially predict and effectively manipulate. The type that
institutions manufacture.
In commerce this is
tolerable: You can do the job for as long a it suites you, keep your
head down, make good contacts in the field, collect your wages, wait
till you get made redundant, just before, or as the company goes busts,
get another job with a more insightful and progressive company, that
recognises innovation, creativity and critical thinking. Its a
paint to have to do but Customers survive and get a good enough TV
somewhere else and get the better one later.
Of course, you may be with a
company that is progressive and entrepreneurial, but fails to fine its
niche within the 'competitive' market at that time, people are not ready
for it, it is ahead of its time, etc.. As happens with real
entrepreneurial companies; you all pick yourselves up and start again
with the good ideas and some business lessons learned. No one is hurt.
Some believe this is OK in
Education and Health & Social Care. Florence Nightingale, Louis Pasture,
Ronald Laing,
Lord Wilberforce,
Lord Joseph
Rowntree
,
Richard Cadbury and countless other
successful Social Innovators, I, other Radicals (and silent others) know
it is not. We don't agree with this 'boom and bust' style of approach to
important Community Resources like; Education, Training and Social &
Health Care.
Its not our opinion (who can
afford them); It is damaging, destructive, short sighted,
ignorant and incompetent. It is damaging to the future development of an
advancing society that has always, in the past (often in rather quaint
ways), protected & encouraged 'Free thinking' educational, social and
health innovation. In recent history, in fact, up until the
'Commercialisation' of these Community entitlements & essential services
and the institutionalisation of the community itself.
This previous arrangement
benefited commerce as much as it did the community and individual,
although this was only appreciated (and paid for) by the intelligent and
insightful few. Some elements of Commerce in the past had helped fund
and support these social initiatives; Roundtree, Cadbury, Salt and
others. Some, like Microsoft and Virgin do this now. Get out the game
'managers', you are not set up for it. You are out of your depth, Taking
bad advice, from people who are also out their depth.
If someone is unable to see
this problem, from the simple argument presented here I offer a
challenge: Unless Executive Managers and Government Ministers, have a
very good & convincing argument of their own, that promotes and
supports, this necessary innovation and advance, while protecting people
at risk, in every service that affects people; These antiquate
arrangements are dead in the water.
You need and argument that
does not 'require' the 'failing' of the institutions that provide the
service, and their failure, in turn, to meet the stated objectives and
raised expectations that they generate (and I would be happy to hear the
argument), In the absence of these, I accept their resignation to these
more sound reasoning's. Bring it on, as the young & open to anything,
courageous 'young' would say.
Remember "25-30 years
experience!"; but is it the experience of the same things each day for
25-30 years, or 25-30 years, of radically new experiences (or , perhaps
some comfortable balance in the middle? Institutions (like people) have
character, these are not always good characters. Stagnation, depression,
stress, overwhelm and decay affect Institutions, just like they do to
the individuals within them, staff and Service Users alike.
Of course, by 'institution'
we mean what is understood to be the Executive, Personnel Power Base
within them. We are actually talking here of the kinds of
institutions that naturally operate for within a Classic Oligarchy, upon which
modern institutions were based and to which they regress when 'stressed',
by social forces (much like individuals are.
If you are a more casual
observer, just visiting the site, or someone looking for general
information on Abuse, Mental Health, Bullying, Health & Social Care. If
you are seeking any sort advice, or ideas on therapeutic techniques,
talking treatments, complaints procedures, and survival strategies, etc.
Please read on & take from this introduction what you can. Otherwise
follow the appropriate links to take you to sections you are interested
in, but you may miss something critical.
I will not apologies for the
next paragraphs, those it offends will be aware of its purpose. If you
are a little bewildered by it, I apologies for any confusion. You may
otherwise feel that this is the end of the abuse story. I promise you it
is not. Not by a long way. In your further reading on this site you may identify,
reflect upon and more critically review, situations that may be having grave impacts on
vulnerable people of various kinds, in situations in which you encounter
(including 'you').
If you are a cynical
professional, an indifferent & complacent manager of (or within) an
institution, or a perpetrator of any kind of abuse, checking out the latest 'conspiracy theories' and
wishing to look for weaknesses in arguments of those standing up to
wider, hidden abuses, you may wish to leave the site at this point, for
the sake of your peace of mind.
Warning: What follows may be injurious to your emotional and
psychological health.
Or alternatively; you could stay around and watch what is coming to you
and, perhaps contribute
to our debate. You are welcome. The knowledge of your arguments have,
and continue, to help us
greatly. One of the fascinating features of Internet Searches is that
they bring all sort of people to sites like this, as a consequence of
searching: 'abuse', violence', 'sex'. Internet doesn't discriminate
against intention.
It is rare that any situation
improves of their own account. Every civilised advance had to be fought
for, by the sword, the gun and, by the words, in combination with
actions. Those who have been in these deprived and deprave circumstance,
and who have then tuned to institutions to assist, (believing that is
why they are there) are frequently disappointed, at least in some
measure, sometime greatly so.
They are disappointed, not so much by the
attitudes & excuses they sometime meet (which professions do not
realise are 'poor attitudes' & 'bad excuses'). Mostly it is by the real ignorance of the realities of
life & the effects upon people who, for very good reasons, can do little
to remedy their own situation alone. It is not a fair & equal society
and never will be as long as we continue to declare; ' that it never
will be'! My own, and others, declaration is it will increasingly be -
and we are being proven right.
It is not enough to be 'self
reflective'; wonderful that this can be (when we get it right, rather
than just play at it; a fundamental sense of intellectual humility is good evidence
of getting it right). It is also essential to take a 'critical
perspective' on the professional and the service 'Institutions' we
operate within.
By this I mean, the
institutions disclosed and 'extant'
role; collective attitudes, prejudices and the consequentially distorted
purposes, methods and perspectives, or dishonestly stated, supposedly
'person centred' purpose of those institution, all be it that we
appreciate there is a quite 'separate' community, or social purpose.
Some would say, of the more obvious 'abusive' situations that; The facts will
speak for themselves, they need little further justification. In
the main this is true and we will rely on the simple, more 'emotional'
presentation in those instances. Some would feel and act as if there is
a particular approach that is 'right'. They would be wrong,
unfortunately, as most professionals find out, but the institutions are
slow to adapt.
You may also now be aware, however,
that even in the most obvious cases of abuse and injustice, there
are those individuals and some institutions, that will justify ignoring,
and further more engage in and promote, 'clinical forms' of abuses of
various
kinds, including those of the character we are describing here. Often as
a response to a known, or 'overlooked' social, or institutional 'abuse',
or 'neglect'
This is not a new
phenomenon. It is a variation on the theme of 'moral degenerate' and
other 'clinical' diagnoses which 'prejudiced' both clinical and social
treatments at that time and for years after. These were used as the
basis for incarcerating people in 'Subnormality Hospitals', along with
other antique classifications & diagnoses. A situation that lasted well
into the 70's & 80's, and politically delayed for some into the 90's and
beyond. That is in terms of the errors of judgment and interpretations
that have been identified so far.
Even if this is just
presumed to be the consequence of some 'weakness in character', as
professional responses, including the 'sympathetic ones' and, possible,
most importantly, the sympathetic ones. These are the most insidious
kind, although perhaps the least 'intentional'. How much damage can be
done by ignorant (and prejudiced, self protecting) 'kindness'?
Of course, the identified
'need' and 'social impacts' are appreciated; it is that the explanations
& causation that is now suspect and the basic 'cause and effect'
analysis that was (and is) fundamentally misunderstood. It was the
;character' of Institutions that 'collectively indoctrinated and
'carried' this 'prejudice, giving it some 'intellectual' credibility.
It is the collective job of
the 'radical element' within each professional, and in each profession,
along with empowered and insightful Service USERS, to challenge that
prejudice and fundamental lack, or misrepresentation of scientific
understanding operating within the institutions of our culture &
society. The trouble is there are too many amateur scientists, in our
institutions hoping for solace in believing they are applying scientific
method and practice
Diagnoses They make better
descriptions of personal 'presenting features' than they do of 'personal
types' . They also make good frameworks and definitions of social
'features' & 'social phenomena' than they do individual and personal
'diagnostic features' and characters.
classifications. The
tendency to fir the person to the classification of a condition is
abusive. No arguing; it is abusive, prejudicial, unscientific and
unprofessional, by any terms. Most importantly, except for the
falseorganisations, financial and 'peace of mind' benefits it appears to
afford institutions and society, it is completely unnecessary and
contradictory to the principles of both 'personal' and 'social'
responsibility.
Self fulfilling prophesy, 'paranoiagenic' circumstances, attitudes, behaviours, statements,
descriptions, comments and even diagnoses themselves (labelling
'individual' varieties, rather than professional / clinical
understanding of presenting problems).
Sorry
- his segment is \under development at present.
All this is, as I have said, often done in ignorance, but not always so.
Sometimes it is 'inconvenient', for lots of reasons, to change the
institutional approach fundamentally, as is pragmatically required. In
social analysis terms we would say 'Manifestly' so (Professor Elliott Jaques, et al) This is why I determinedly continue with the additional
use of intellectual, logical arguments & science. The changes that
are often made to institutional practices are frequently 'corruptions;
of the 'Good Practices being promoted, as I am confident I can show
Where
the situations, and effects we describe are apparent in other nations
and cultures, on a grand scale, affecting children in particular, and
defenceless women in many instances, there is now (with modern
understanding) usually universal condemnation. Few people, but complete
'psychopaths' would argue against them. Emotional argument is
significant and substantially adequate to bring about change. But there
are Psychopaths and sociopaths - I meet and talk to them too.
Where these same
problems can be evident on our own turf, or perhaps hidden away, but
next door to us, and subtly wrapped up in sympathetic 'justifications',
excuses and convincing, sophisticated rationales. We often don't notice
the true abusive effect until they go to court, or they are exposed as
lies, perhaps in the press; 'You know, I though there was something odd
with the people next door'. 'I realise mow that I should have said
something'. 'I feel terrible, they seemed such nice people'.
On the other hand, it is
also true, that some peoples' prejudiced interpretation of otherwise
reasonable but eccentric, or alternative, culturally determined,
non-abusive behaviour is assumed to be unacceptable and interpreted as
abusive. The neighbour who is being cautious about their observations
concerning others, is struggling with quite difficult issues and complex
ideas and feelings. Making mistakes is easily understood here. This is
why we are here. Some times we do have to think things out a bit, get
advice and make very difficult decisions.
There are also mature,
intelligent, otherwise family loving, law abiding individuals and
agencies, that
put forward sometimes quite convincing intellectual arguments which
assure themselves and some others, that apparently abusive
practices (in all other circumstances) are acceptable in some situations
and contexts. We would contest that, even where there may be some
justification in their argument. These justifications have a tendency to
'grow and extend' themselves to other situations and contexts and also
give permission to others to retaliate in kind - FACT.
Our more convoluted, complex
arguments (which will usually follow on from the clear and simple ones)
are included to directly counter these and other, less healthy, 'special
case' justifications. We at least hope to help (and to help you)
put blocks on these practices drifting over into other areas of more
legitimate social freedoms, or less serious social misdoings (as they
are bound, according to history, to do).
Our general area of operation is in Human Rights (As expressed in the
spirit and content of the Conventions, before they are/were adjusted for
national, commercial and institutional benefits). Basic Human Rights are
not too difficult to understand, they come from a sense of social
justice. The words get complicated but the spirit, essence, the feel of
them is sound and uncomplicated. We have won them. Get used to it
'abusers' and 'jobs worths'. We are on the steps of your town halls and
institutions
We
are building up a range of information and advice services to provide
support to anyone who has a psychological, emotional, or social problem
of any kind, due to any cause. We are particularly concerned with those
experiences which can be shown to have potential, or actual, negative
emotional, psychological, or general health effects of any kind, or that
it is felt, or shown, to to have a serious negative social impact.
We include support, advice & working strategies to Individuals,
Families, Support Workers, or any involved Professionals and Agencies.
This will include Executives of Pubic Institutions, or Commerce, wishing
to identify, counter, or legislate and develop strategies for dealing
with and eliminating these potentially abusive situations and any
institutional forms of abuse, whatever their character, or degree.
This is the culmination of 30 years of wide ranging experience in the
statutory and voluntary sectors (The cumulative experience is
significantly greater than this). This experience, unlike many boasts,
is wide ranging, reflective and responsive to individual
We are all in this together and, if we are genuine, want the same
things; resolution
of problems and more public understanding. To this end, the site is
dedicated to a number of interrelated objectives. We want to draw to it
those people from the Service User, Family Carer, Voluntary and
Professional groups, who are fully committed to the basic concepts of
Community Care; Person Centred, Empowering, Informed Choice and Best &
Least Restrictive Practices in any personal, or public endeavour.
We agree that Professional
Ethics and attention to the the person's needs and risks (as acknowledge
in any way by them), should override any and all institutional
requirements that tend to take us away from this basic objective. The
adherence to these principle will be 'real' and minute to minute, not a
nominal inclusion from time to time, as decided by any one contributor.
The members of all groups mentioned will have the same status, but may
have divergent interests, experiences and strengths.
The intention of the site is
not just to solve personal problems but to advance & develop knowledge,
understanding & experience and broaden perspectives. It is our intention
to do this in ways that empower users, carers, and professionals to take
direct responsibility for their efforts and obligations, independently
of the institutions. Institutions are there to facilitate this
independent practice, towards meeting particular needs.
We will seek not to
discriminate, other than to exclude, &/or publicise, those that would do
so. Our objective is to help identify any situation, or relationship,
which is abusive & disempowering by its nature, or by its observable
effect. We recognise that these behaviours and effects are counter to
human rights and will seek to define these situations in Plain English &
emotional terms and also in precise intellectual terms.
We will assist in strategies
to counter, challenge, make public and xxxxxx any situation,
relationship, or institutional situation which causes unnecessary, or
excessive, persistent stress, distress &/or potential negative health
effect. We will do this, whatever the nature of the power base,
executive authority, differential in age, size, sex, or creed, and
irrespective of any supposed good intentions
We will do this in terms
that will assist people in recognising actual, or potentially abusive
situations, or circumstances. We will identify these situations in
general terms and in specific detail, at least to a degree the
perpetrators will be able to themselves in the descriptions and, where
Our
services include conventional advice; individual and interpersonal
counselling & guidance; peer group support; suggested 'social'
therapeutic techniques and our variations on 'traditional'
psychodynamic techniques (Social-dynamics). There is also a wide range
of informative and also 'challenging' perspectives on conventional
practice and existing theories, which work for some but is often
frustrating and inadequate for others. A variety of perspectives is
hoped for; Choice is central here!
|
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LATEST TOPICS UNDER DEVELOPMENT:
(PLEASE NOTE: The material on this page
will eventually be included within the body of the web site
and a link to it placed in a 'box' on the left of this
section - please look out for these changes as the site is
developed - I apologise for any inconvenience but it is a
feature of being a 'dynamic' web site Stimulating responses
& reacting to your comments.)
Hi, everyone. Thanks for your feedback. It is still early
days but I am determined to put what you want at the top of
the agenda and move the rest down it. There is room for all
perspectives and styles, I promise you.
The Index to Latest Entries
is on
the right.:>
Students!
-Try this link today:
Conspiracy Theory
Its not complete and needs tidying up but it should be
informative and fun. I really would like your feedback. It
could make a good basis for an Essay, or Two (or three :-)
Another Recently established area is
Health & Social Care (see link on Left). It
contains a page on the brief
History of Health & Social Care.
I am developing challenging 'Social Analytic',
'Psycho-Social' pages in this section which I am calling 'Social
Health' (see link on Left)
Apologies; this is still in the early stages of
development but is supported by 'The
Theory' section, which I will be doing some more
work on over the weeks.
I think students may find these challenging and I will
get some useful links in these section eventually. Social
Analysis does exist and Psych-social perspectives have
growing understanding.
Social Work has been displace towards the more
Legalistic, Policing and Administration Roles. The
Profession has lost the confidence of Clients & Community.
Either Social Work gets its act together; getting
involved in 'Social' problem solving,
or:
The 'Infection' model of 'Social Ills', along with a
'Disease' model of Social Problems, will take over this
domain and be managed from GP / Neighbourhood Teams and
other Community based 'Social Health Care'.
The medical model applied to the how Communities,
cultures and Societies become 'sick, is very convincing and
highly predictive at a group and community level.
If you are here
for more Urgent Matters:
If your reason for visiting this site
is urgent and you, or someone you know is in in danger or
serious distress, please go to
Section 2 of the introduction (opposite), for some
reassurance and then follow the various links suggested. Or go
to:
Emergency.
Service Users and family Carers,
dealing with the consequences of trauma and health and social
problems of any kind, are primarily concerned with the
frustrations that they experience in getting services available
to them. They ideally want simple guidelines but many are also
aware that following the established simple 'referral' processes
do not always get them what they need. Some professionals also
suffer this frustration when trying to get other services
involved for their patient and clients.
I am currently looking for
Professionals and workers in Voluntary Agencies, to submit their
perspectives on the general and more specific, service that
their profession seeks to provide. Firstly, as 'information' for
the benefit of Service Users, Family Carers and 'None
Specialist' Professionals.
We would appreciate 'Emails' of Plain
English Titles and Descriptions of the services and the various
means of getting access. Don't worry about the forms, we will
deal with that some other time :-). In addition, this could
include your own reflecting on the service and its probable
future. This would be valuable. (Accreditation will be
given if you agree this)
Quite separate to this, if you want to
give a more 'in depth', and considered perspective on the
services, including criticisms and frustrations that you
experience, this would also be appreciated. Again, we will
include an acknowledgment to yourself, should you want. this.
Considered and constructive criticism is preferred, evidenced
wherever possible.
We are looking for common themes that
affect us all, so that we can put forward proposed solutions.
This may have to be of a more technical form but if the basic
introduction can be in Plain English, this will make it a bit
more accessible to our wider readers.
It is a difficult job to try to speak
to everyone within the Community Care services, (Professionals &
Service Users) in a way that feels appropriate and meaningful to
everyone. That is, what we are seeking to do though.
Please bear with us. We will, I am
sure, develop a common language in all the critical areas and
will gradually organise the material according to its level of
complexity. Some service users are also interested in the more
'technical' issues of providing services.
Dealing with Health & Social Care Issues:
What follows here is a commentary on how we intend to deal
with issues that arise concerning Health and Social Care,
(Community Care) services. It deals with complex issues but I
have tried to keep to Simple English where I can. It actually
considers the varying need and benefits of 'Emotional Arguments'
over 'Rational Arguments'. It is an attempt to explain why
'both' forms are necessary, how these various forms of
expression arose and why they are both available on this
website, to all readers. This page contains the more 'Plain
English', more emotional form of presentation. Links at the end
take you to the more complex explanations and debates.
It may be useful to start by addressing those who are finding
it difficult to get services from many 'Service Institution'.
This could be a Service User, Family Carer, Member of the
Community or a Professional trying to get a specialist service
for their Client / Patient. It is often made quite
difficult, in order to limit the availability of the limited
services. It also tends to become complicated because the right
paperwork has to be done & the right permissions have to be
asked, or someone will get the sack, and someone may be sued.
Anyone who has seen 'Yes Minister', or 'The Office', will begin
to understand the type of problem, only it is no joke when you
are tearing your hair out.
The 'process' can also be to ensure that we do not provide
the wrong kind of services to people, or services to people who
don't want and don't need them; e.g. a 'Mental Health Service'
for someone who just wishes to be an eccentric &
individualistic, 'nuisance' collector of junk in their back
garden and and expert mathematician and bungee jumper, who
having made all the appropriate calculations realises that it is
possible to reasonably safely bungee jump from a Hang Glider. I
wouldn't do it, no doubt you don't. He may be breaking some law
or other, gravity for one, and may be completely 'nuts' by our
standards but he may not qualify (and rightly so) for such
services. Human rights allow this.
These points made, lets assume that the people applying for a
service want it, that there is a real need of some kind and that
they are approaching a service that explicitly says that they
are set up to meet that need in some way. That is reasonably
simple? So why are you having problems getting it, or even
getting assessed for it?. Well, there are lots of possible
reasons and you have probably guessed a few. Well; you could
keep pestering for it. That can work but there are no
guarantees. You could get someone independent to help you obtain
the service, MP, GP, Citizens advice, Solicitor, big bloke with
hairy arms. That can work too. If it fails what do you have
left.? Understand the system and the language could be an
option.
Lets now say you/they have been identified as entitled to a
service. perhaps you have been waiting for a while, or the
'choices' you believed were there did not materialise, or the
service fails, or changes at some point. What then. Perhaps you
feel confounded by excuses and justifications, perhaps you
ceased to qualify. Basically, lets assume you are not happy with
what you are offered, or get, that it does not come up to
expectations, or an acceptable quality. What then? You try the
'supportive advocate' approach again, perhaps, lodge an appeal?
Understand the system and the language could be an option again.
This is where things can get difficult. Assessments are
usually obligatory, if you describe a problem that needs some
kind of assistance, or intervention, there is usually some duty
to check it out, to investigate it. The more serious the problem
the more intensive the assessment. Once the assessment has been
done, there are often no guarantees that a service will be
provided. Some of these services have 'thresholds' that you are
required to pass over. We may disagree with the restriction but
there is no mistaking that they are there. If it is a health
problem you just go back to your GP eventually. With social Care
it can be more difficult.
Sometimes a 'cursory', initial assessment is done when you
phone to make an appointment, or to discuss the problem (yours,
or you patient / client). You may be told, at that very early
stage, that you are not entitle to the service at that time; or
be required to get the support of, or a referral from, your GP;
or be told to come back if things get worse. Sometimes you will
get some advice, be directed to a voluntary service, and some
times you will be told that someone will be in touch soon (and
his may not happen). This is very frustrating and can seem like
you are not having these very real needs considered. The
explanation may be very technical and confounding, it may be
truthful, or you may feel you are being fobbed off. You may have
been. Or, the explanation given did not make sense, even in
Plain English terms.
If we choose to write and speak simplistically, in Plain
English, this satisfies most of us. If this writing (and these
conversations) come from a more emotional perspective, this best
expresses the frustrations experienced by many, if not most who
work within and receive these services. This style can also
succinctly describe 'felt' needs & 'felt' community & service
'obligations'. Obligations that, in fact, do exist for everyone
who wishes to enjoy the wider benefits of Community
resources, as we will demonstrate. Unfortunately even Plain
English can be confounding when it is difficult to understand
'why' a service is not available to you, when you 'feel' you
need it and 'feel' justified in asking.
Unfortunately we now mostly live within very critical &
rather self-centred societies, that are usually poorly persuaded
by purely emotional arguments. When we are trying to get
help from a service (that we are now beginning not to
understand) emotional arguments are often all we have available
to us. This emotional approach does not work well where:
Money is at stake; Where demands on a service are excessive;
There is an impact upon and a need for adjustments (or
accommodation) by the local community, or service; Where
services & issues (and you) tend to challenge peoples' existing
assumptions & prejudices; Or, Where there is a lack of basic,
understanding of Human Rights, Civic Entitlements, Legal
Constraints, Civil Requirements and all the associated
responsibilities
that go with the benefits that we should 'all'
enjoy.
Put simply; Plain English, with an 'emotional' slant, does
not work well with the 'less socially attractive' Adolescent,
Adult and Older Adult problems, needs services and issues. The
emotional concerns of the 'Child', by contrast, or comparison,
does generate very adequate responses (although not always the
best kind). It is easy to evoke a positive and supportive
responses to a child, or children in distress. Child Care
Professionals, or Child Protection Services, are more likely to
be responsive to these more emotional presentations than the
equivalent 'Adult Care' Services. If the issue is not critical,
though, the likelihood of support is much lower.
So, If you are and Adult, or Adolescent, and your problem
does not 'scale up' to a serious problem (yet); Or you are an an
older child (or representing one) who is not at serious,
immediate risk; Or, you are any age, are disabled and have a
carer who is managing adequately; If you are obtaining a service
but don't feel it is adequate, or good quality, but are safe; If
you already have another problem, that is being addressed by
another service; Or, quite frankly, if you are requesting a
service and your face, or attitude doesn't quite fit, and there
are no immediate risks; Any and all of these factors will reduce
the chance of getting the service you requested, in a time scale
that you feel appropriate.
If you want to challenge this, you need to get organised
within an existing support group of some kind and learn a little
how the 'system' works, the language used and the channels to go
through. You will eventually get a service but you may have to
change the way you go about it. We are often too apologetic and
do not clearly demonstrate the urgency of our needs and the
developing risks to ourselves and others.
For some possible explanations of this state of play, please
follow the link: CONTINUED
See Also: Written Material
Some Important
Definitions:
Some Definitions to help:
Radical:
Why do we describe ourselves as Radical? This stems from a very clear
definition of the term, as used in science. Free radicals are 'open'
[shell], highly reactive and keen to bond with other radicals & reactive
entities, while retaining their own special character.
Thus, this concept of Radical
is associated with the potential to be open to change: responsive and
reactive to knowledge, experience, ideas and other perspectives. While
being thus, they also remain true to their own character and expanding
knowledge & experience.
‘Change is in all things sweet.’
Aristotle
(but never change for change sake. Terry C.)
Positive Change:
In this way Radicals fit into the existing dynamic system and
promote improvement changes (as knowledge develops) and ensure the established
system (of the time) remains fresh and energetic; avoiding stagnation and decay.
Anyone that effects positive change, over the blind
maintenance of the status quo (or self interest), can consider themselves to be
Radical. If this describes you in any way, please join us and support the cause
of alternative, person and community centred, perspectives and practices.
‘We
must change in order to survive.’
Pearl
Bailey
Mal-adaptation:
This mal-adaptation of some individuals to their families,
culture and communities, extends to most serious 'mental illnesses' and
much criminality. This includes schizophrenia, bipolar conditions, clinical
depression, & most addictions; All of which can be 'pragmatically' identifiable
as negative consequence of the mal-adaptive expression of our more creative
human propensities.
Social Dynamics, Rule 1 is; to every action there is an equal
& opposite reaction (external &/or internal). Rule 2 is: In circumstances, where
there are restrictions on the positive, or constructive expression of inherent
abilities (of any kind); distorted, distressing & destructive expression will
ensue; in some identifiable form.
This will be evident in the internal psychodynamics,
expressed thinking, gross behaviour and the general social dynamics of
individuals and groups. The more immediate, consequential 'reactions' can be
directed inward or outward, but the ultimate consequence is a negative social
outcome. a destructive outcome or loss of social benefit.
See Genetics Unplugged
Adaptation:
More of this is explained else where. Our role here is to
help you appreciate the potential, skills and knowledge you possess and get our
cultures & communities to appreciate the positive potentials more fully,
allowing you to realise a 'healthy' adaptation of your propensities &
abilities, within your cultural and community milieu.
It is our broad argument that human adaptation extends beyond
mere biological determinism. The adaptation is two way and human beings are
adapted to be adaptive. We have the extraordinary ability to adapt our
environment and our bodies, to our prevailing personal / social dispositions &
inclinations. We can even 'actively' change our body chemistry, through our
behaviour and thinking, or through medical interventions.
Many animals can do this in some measure but we are so close
to this capability that we are largely blind to it. Our abilities are
principally expresses as anecdotes and 'alternative' explanations, rather than
serious scientific explanations.
See Genetics Unplugged
‘Those
who have changed the universe have never done it by changing officials, but
always by
inspiring
the
people.’ —
Napoleon Boneparte
(No I'm not deluded, Or paranoid. And of course, if you stop inspiring the
people, 'they' change the Leaders (one way or another)
Stand up and be counted:
Ask not what your country can do for you, but rather what you can do for yourself?
If the institutions insist we be sheep, at least;
Be a Sheep in Wolves Clothing
. . . . . :-)
Sorry
- Under development at present.
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Please note that the presence of adverts
does not constitute a recommendation.
If you are unhappy with any particular advert, please notify me:
Terry@visitweb.org
EDITORIAL: Hypnosis can help!
Self Suggestion, or
Self-hypnosis. This is a very useful Site with lots of free
Guidence: 'Hypnosis
Downloads'
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Contact Information:
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Please feel free to contact myself on any
Health & Social Care issue, Personal, therapeutic, or counselling matter.
The level of confidentiality and/or disclosure will be restricted to your
choice.
- Postal address:
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Currently Homeless, Where-I-lay-my-hat, On-The-Road-Again, Anywhere-Southwest (& Northern France), England, UK, Europe.
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Email:
terry.couchman@visitweb.org
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