Celebrating 10 years of CASCADE yesterday.

So good to hear about the incredible work being done at the centre, and meet several of the incredible people doing the work.

#CASCADE10

Pleased to share I'll be in Exeter on the 7th of June.

Talking all things therapeutic parenting with my wonderful colleagues from The Centre of Excellence in Child Trauma at our very first drop-in clinic.

“This isn’t the fault of teachers. They are doing their best for those young people. But the fact remains, things are not working for many, and you can’t solve that with threats and punishments and scaring kids with prison.”

👏

My eldest foster child is 18 this year.

There will be no care cliff for him.

Every person deserves unconditional love and support. And I’ll be providing that until the day I die.

“And in the absence of chaos, unpredictability and fear, I found I had a voice. That I mattered.”

Thanks Rebekah. I’m now welling up in a coffee shop.

#FCF24 #FosteringMoments

Hearing from another person today how these apps rupture relationships.

First, between parent and child.

Then, between parent and school.

On the idea of “bad choices”.

From ‘The Myth of Normal’ by Dr. Gabor Maté.

Punishment-based response is the OPPOSITE of what many of our children need.

They get: Social isolation, disconnection, relationship rupture.

They need: Socialisation, connection, relationship repair.

Interesting take. I’m inclined to agree on both.

Some of the ways I did things when I first became a foster parent... harmed children.

It's painful to admit that, and to think back.

I didn't intend it. I was doing the best I could.

Curiosity moved me forward. Knowing better. Doing better.