Sunday is my day to reflect on the week and work out the plan for next week.
The problem is I'm still waiting for lots of things so I will have to play it by ear mostly.
Reflections on last week...
Well,
Monday was the breast clinic appointment, and Dinky went to school after having 2 weeks off.
Tuesday, met the mind advocate, and Dinky ended up at the urgent treatment centre.
Wednesday, I signed the letter for CMHT, spoke to S too.
Thursday, dinky had a hard day at school
Friday, I found out about the school's decision to hold a CAF meeting for dinky, spoke to the play therapist and with dinky's teacher after school for 10 minutes.
Saturday, my dad came up, dinky was playing with the older kids that only stay here Friday night.
So it's been an odd sort of week.
Dinky's hand is so much better now. They put this special gauze on her hand which promotes healing and gave me the rest of the sheet. I think it has done wonders.
I'm glad the stuff with S is sorted. The breast clinic I'd rather forget about, and the CAF I can't stop thinking about.
Plans for next week...
Monday= Bidding day, if any actionable post comes, action it. Also text the play therapist and ask to arrange a chat about dinky and what I can do to help and ask if she is coming to the CAF meeting. Speak to deputy head to find out more about the CAF meeting
Tuesday, see the play therapist if she is available, check post action anything if it comes.
Wednesday, nothing planned (check post)
Thursday nothing planned (check post)
Friday, blood donation
Saturday, dad is coming up
I spent much of today thinking about the CAF meeting and what it entails. I looked on the local county council website. Basically both the school and I answer loads of questions on the following...
DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHILD
• Section A - Health
• Section B - Emotional and Social Development
• Section C - Behavioural Development
• Section D - Identity - including Self Esteem, Self Image & Social Presentation
• Section E - Family & Social Relationships
• Section F - Self Care Skills & Independence
• Section G - Learning
PARENT(S)
• Section A - Basic Care & Ensuring Safety
• Section B - Emotional Warmth & Stability
• Section C - Guidance, Boundaries and Stimulation
FAMILY & ENVIRONMENTAL
• Section A - Family History, Functioning & Well-being
• Section B - Wider Family
• Section C - Housing, employment and financial considerations
• Section D - Social & Community Factors & Resources
So far I know that the head teacher, deputy head, dinky's class teacher and myself are going to be there. I will ask the deputy head tomorrow if anyone else is attending this meeting.
Just with the three of them there I can see it being difficult. Especially when it gets to parent(s) and family & environmental, we all already know dinky's development stuff.
These are some of the questions to consider in the CAF.. This entry would be too long if I listed all the yes and no answers.... So these are the no and nearly no's and really positive yes answers
PARENT(S)
• Set up and maintain a household and its essential furniture.... HMM, I can do it but don't have it.
• Keep house clean and tidy...... YES AND ISH... My place is always clean but not always tidy
• Protects from unsafe adults... YES, which is why she doesn't see my mother
• Feels mentally well... NOT SO MUCH
• Avoids illegal substances...MOSTLY, I have occasionally smoked cannabis but not often or a lot
Section B
Emotional Warmth & Stability
• Live at the same address for a reasonable length of time... NO, dinky has lived in 5 places in 4 years.
• There is a consistent parent... YES...ME
• Contact is maintained with important family members...YES, I try to make sure it is it's everyone else who doesn't keep up with it
Section C
Guidance, Boundaries and Stimulation
• Manage the behaviour of the child ... NOT ALWAYS
• Want the best for the child... MOST DEFINITELY
FAMILY AND ENVIRONMENTAL
Section A
Family History, Functioning & Well-being
The impact of family situations and experiences
(I just hope they don't want my childhood history)
My dad is physically and mentally fine
Dinky's grandma is in remission from bowel cancer and is recovering still from a nasty break in her leg but is mentally stable
Section B Wider Family
Whether there is an appropriate level of help for the child, young person or parent(s) / carer(s) from relatives and others
• Family has positive relationship with their extended family... NO
• Family has positive relationship with others in the neighbourhood...NO
• Family receives appropriate support from their family...NOT REALLY. My dad sort of... No one else can be bothered.
• Family receives appropriate support from others in the neighbourhood...NO
Section C
Housing, employment and financial considerations
Housing
Whether the accommodation has everything needed for living healthily and safely
• Lives in a house that is big enough.... NO
• Accommodation is weather and water tight...YES
• Accommodation has water, heating, cooking, toilet and bathing facilities...YES
• Accommodation is clean, hygienic and safe... MOSTLY
• Accommodation is not shared with another family/household... NO
Employment
• Parent has regular employment ... NO
• If unemployed are actively seeking employment... YES
Section D
Social & Community Factors & Resources
Explores the wider context of child's neighbourhood and its impact on the child, including details of facilities and services available
• Lives in an area that has good transport links... MOSTLY
• Lives in an area that has good age appropriate facilities i.e. youth clubs and sports facilities..YES
• Lives in an area that has easy access to schools and shops... NO, well not to dinky's school, and it's a pain in the backside to go to the shops. Especially seeing as the road from the hostel has no pavements and it is always a battle if dinky plays up to feel she is safe of that road.
hopefully it won't be too bad. I just have to make sure I know who is going to be there so there is no shock on the day. It would help if the play therapist is there because she has already asked me all my history. It would certainly make it easier.
Showing posts with label Homelessness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Homelessness. Show all posts
Sunday, 13 January 2013
Saturday, 12 January 2013
Here in the hostel
Now, I have lived in three temporary accommodation places.
There was the foyer. That was a big building with flats upstairs with 4 rooms a shower, toilet and kitchen, and downstairs were beds it's and one bedroom flats. We had a security guard at night, and key workers 9-5 as it was a place for homeless 16-25 year olds. I went in there when I was 18. There were fights, parties, a wrecked common area, and quite a bit of drink and drugs. I spent two years there. I came to be respected by all the residents and staff, I had a lot of the more popular gang in my room most evenings especially when I was on move on and had one of the downstairs bedsits, but I quite liked it there.
There was the B&B. It wasn't a bed and breakfast as you would think. Double security front door, cameras everywhere but the bathrooms and bedrooms, a communal living room, a communal kitchen and a garden. The breakfast was a carton of fruit juice and 2 pints of milk once a week and bread, tea, coffee, sugar and cornflakes in the kitchen. The support workers would come in around 10am and check the cameras from the previous 24 hours, even though someone watched the cameras pretty much 24/7 anyway, but just in case they missed something they would check. It was dinky and me, a 46 year old bloke, a 22 year old who was under mental health for being severely anorexic, a 17 year old who had her son removed by social services, an 19 year old who had just been released from prison for ABH, an 18 year old who, as soon as his money came in spent it on weed, and finally, after a couple of weeks a 20 year old came who also had her child removed from her by social services. Sounds grim right? Actually I'm not one to judge. The 19 year old who just got released from prison was a really nice lad who had a heart of gold, myself and the 22 year old got on really well, the two who lost their children were nice enough but struggled a lot with the fact I had dinky with me, the 18 year old just needed a role model, someone to look up to and give him a sense of direction in his life, the 46 year old, well he was a law unto himself and made most people very uncomfortable. Both dinky and I quite liked it there, everyone was considerate of dinky's bedtime, they all joined in dinky's games, and when she was asleep we all chatted away in the communal living area.
Then we were moved out of the B&B into this family hostel. Out of all 3 places this is actually the worst place! The woman downstairs has 2 kids, a 3 year old and a 3 month old. She is playing the system and everyone knows it. She also keeps dinky up for hours with her non stop phone calls in rather loud punjabi. The punjabi doesn't bother me, it's the fact I have asked her time and time again if she could possibly keep the noise down from 6-7pm just so my daughter can get off to sleep. Which is doubly important as she feels the need to scream at her children at 4.30-5am and wake dinky. I'm pretty sure I'm the only parent with a concept of routine as the other children all aged between 18 months and 3 are screaming, shouting and running around all evening some of them right up until midnight. Last night an 18 month old and 19 month old were running about outside my room at 1 am. So it seems not very many people in this place value sleep! Although before the woman downstairs had her 2nd child she complained to the council that my daughter woke her up at 6.30 am playing in the morning. The council laughed at her because most kids are up around that time. There is just a general lack of consideration for others in this place. Not just the fact none of them are bothered that others might be sleeping, but I've had my dinner turned off because the person didn't check if there was anything in the oven before turning the cooker off, if you aren't taking your washing out as soon as it is finished it is dumped unceremoniously on the top and then wet clothes are removed from the dryers so they can be used, not thinking to check whose washing it is or just letting the person know that their washing has finished, or even just waiting until the machines are empty. I think the worst part was being called racist by the woman downstairs because I didn't like her putting the heating up a 26 degrees.
To be honest I would much rather be back under constant surveillance with the teenagers than live here! Still, it shouldnt be too much longer, maybe around April time if the right area comes up we will be housed. I still bid every Monday, it does get a little depressing when you realise you are no where near the top of the list. Our time will come... For now, we just have to suck it up and get on with it!
There was the foyer. That was a big building with flats upstairs with 4 rooms a shower, toilet and kitchen, and downstairs were beds it's and one bedroom flats. We had a security guard at night, and key workers 9-5 as it was a place for homeless 16-25 year olds. I went in there when I was 18. There were fights, parties, a wrecked common area, and quite a bit of drink and drugs. I spent two years there. I came to be respected by all the residents and staff, I had a lot of the more popular gang in my room most evenings especially when I was on move on and had one of the downstairs bedsits, but I quite liked it there.
There was the B&B. It wasn't a bed and breakfast as you would think. Double security front door, cameras everywhere but the bathrooms and bedrooms, a communal living room, a communal kitchen and a garden. The breakfast was a carton of fruit juice and 2 pints of milk once a week and bread, tea, coffee, sugar and cornflakes in the kitchen. The support workers would come in around 10am and check the cameras from the previous 24 hours, even though someone watched the cameras pretty much 24/7 anyway, but just in case they missed something they would check. It was dinky and me, a 46 year old bloke, a 22 year old who was under mental health for being severely anorexic, a 17 year old who had her son removed by social services, an 19 year old who had just been released from prison for ABH, an 18 year old who, as soon as his money came in spent it on weed, and finally, after a couple of weeks a 20 year old came who also had her child removed from her by social services. Sounds grim right? Actually I'm not one to judge. The 19 year old who just got released from prison was a really nice lad who had a heart of gold, myself and the 22 year old got on really well, the two who lost their children were nice enough but struggled a lot with the fact I had dinky with me, the 18 year old just needed a role model, someone to look up to and give him a sense of direction in his life, the 46 year old, well he was a law unto himself and made most people very uncomfortable. Both dinky and I quite liked it there, everyone was considerate of dinky's bedtime, they all joined in dinky's games, and when she was asleep we all chatted away in the communal living area.
Then we were moved out of the B&B into this family hostel. Out of all 3 places this is actually the worst place! The woman downstairs has 2 kids, a 3 year old and a 3 month old. She is playing the system and everyone knows it. She also keeps dinky up for hours with her non stop phone calls in rather loud punjabi. The punjabi doesn't bother me, it's the fact I have asked her time and time again if she could possibly keep the noise down from 6-7pm just so my daughter can get off to sleep. Which is doubly important as she feels the need to scream at her children at 4.30-5am and wake dinky. I'm pretty sure I'm the only parent with a concept of routine as the other children all aged between 18 months and 3 are screaming, shouting and running around all evening some of them right up until midnight. Last night an 18 month old and 19 month old were running about outside my room at 1 am. So it seems not very many people in this place value sleep! Although before the woman downstairs had her 2nd child she complained to the council that my daughter woke her up at 6.30 am playing in the morning. The council laughed at her because most kids are up around that time. There is just a general lack of consideration for others in this place. Not just the fact none of them are bothered that others might be sleeping, but I've had my dinner turned off because the person didn't check if there was anything in the oven before turning the cooker off, if you aren't taking your washing out as soon as it is finished it is dumped unceremoniously on the top and then wet clothes are removed from the dryers so they can be used, not thinking to check whose washing it is or just letting the person know that their washing has finished, or even just waiting until the machines are empty. I think the worst part was being called racist by the woman downstairs because I didn't like her putting the heating up a 26 degrees.
To be honest I would much rather be back under constant surveillance with the teenagers than live here! Still, it shouldnt be too much longer, maybe around April time if the right area comes up we will be housed. I still bid every Monday, it does get a little depressing when you realise you are no where near the top of the list. Our time will come... For now, we just have to suck it up and get on with it!
Monday, 26 November 2012
Bidding day... How it all works...
Bidding on social housing properties from the local authorities is different in different parts of the UK and so is the criteria.
Some areas work on a points system, which I think is fairer as priority goes to those who rack up the most points.
Here we have bandings,
A persons’ current housing circumstances means they will fall into one of the following bandings:
Band A+ Emergency or very urgent priority
Band A Very High Priority
Band B High Priority
Band C Medium Priority
Band D Low Priority
It is fair to say that if you join the housing register and you have been assessed as either band C or D your chances of being offered social housing from the council are very low.
Housing is allocated by banding first then by priority housing date (the date on which the housing application was made) those with the earlier date will be considered first.
Dinky and I are in band A, to get into band A+ we have to have been in the hostel/bed and breakfast for 12 months or more. We don't qualify under any of the other criteria for A+. We were in the bed and breakfast for 12 weeks (double the amount of time as set out by government legislation) and been in the hostel for just over 4 months, so we have been in band A for 7 months. Only 5 more to go until we go up a band!
Most people don't get housed until they are in A+.
There is something new in the pipelines, 3 hostels were shut down and have beenundergoing renovations to turn them into temporary accommodation 1 and 2 bedroom flats, in which a person/family can stay for up to 2 years. This was mentioned to S (my mental health nurse) and I will be considered for one of the 2 bedroom flats. Here is the rub... Do I move into temporary accommodation and then move into permanent housing, so that for a period of time we have more room.... Or... Do we stay in the room, get moved faster into permanent housing and reduce the need to move twice? The estimated completion on the renovations is early 2013. We will be moved to A+ in April 2013.
As far as bidding goes once you have a banding you get a bidding number and bidding commences on a Monday from 12am and ends Thursdays at 5pm. Bidding can be done online or through the property store in the town hall.
Thanks to my iPad and smart phone I can bid at home, it saves a trip to the town centre.
Today is bidding day!
There were 2 eligible properties today.. One not in the right area for dinky's school, and one in a better area to get to school, so I bid at 9am. It gets rather depressing when before I even bid I read that there are 11 people in front of us on the list. So I bid anyway, got to show willing, right?
I check the status of last weeks bids and find I finished 20th on the list and my bid was obviously unsuccessful. Again a depressing outlook, I have to wait for the 19 people in front of us to be housed before we get to the top of the list. Even then, it all depends on what areas in the borough people are bidding on. Unfortunately Dinky's school is situated in the most popular area, so more people bid for that area.
If it went on the points system I would bet I would be higher on the list given my mental health issues, dinky's referral to CAMHS, and dinky's education. Most of the families that have been in the hostel who have been housed have had children under 3 years. So an extra month wouldn't be so bad but we have to travel from one end of the borough to the other for school Monday-Friday. We leave at 7.30 am and get home at 4pm. By the time I give dinky her dinner and do her reading and practice her letters there isn't much time for wind down and a bath before I get her to bed at 6.30pm. This gives her the opportunity to have 12 hours sleep providing she goes to sleep soon after going to bed, and providing the woman downstairs doesn't shout at her kids to shut up and stop crying at 4.30/5am and wake dinky, which she does probably 4-6 out of 7 days. So on average dinky is up at 4.30/5am gets to school at 8.40am, gets home at 4pm, goes to bed at 6.30pm, and finally falls to sleep around 7pm. So the least amount of sleep she gets is 9- 9and a half hours a night. At her age (4) she should be getting 11-12 hours a night.
So every week I check which houses/flats we are eligible for and bid on them. I try not to get my hopes up because we are still not high enough on the list.
Although we have gone from 35 on the list of properties bid on, down to 20 in the last 4 months. Which is progress, and progress should not be dismissed, but slightly celebrated.
We have got permission from the hostel managers to decorate the whole hostel for Christmas! So at least we can make the place feel more festive! It is going to be hard, but I have to make this Christmas as good as it possibly can be for dinky! So I have brought every thing on her list, and spent a fortune on decorations.
I can't get too down about Christmas because even though the situation sucks, I at least still have dinky to celebrate with, if she is happy, I am happy. (which is why I am not happy about being here because dinky isn't.)
On the upside, there is benefits to being disowned by your entire family, apart from the lack of arguments and family tension,there is also a big financial benefit! So all the money I would have spent on my 2 younger half siblings, my niece and 3 nephews can go on making Christmas special for the only person that matters.... Dinky!
I had better stop blogging, and get on with the washing and cleaning before I have to go get dinky from school.....
Some areas work on a points system, which I think is fairer as priority goes to those who rack up the most points.
Here we have bandings,
A persons’ current housing circumstances means they will fall into one of the following bandings:
Band A+ Emergency or very urgent priority
Band A Very High Priority
Band B High Priority
Band C Medium Priority
Band D Low Priority
It is fair to say that if you join the housing register and you have been assessed as either band C or D your chances of being offered social housing from the council are very low.
Housing is allocated by banding first then by priority housing date (the date on which the housing application was made) those with the earlier date will be considered first.
Dinky and I are in band A, to get into band A+ we have to have been in the hostel/bed and breakfast for 12 months or more. We don't qualify under any of the other criteria for A+. We were in the bed and breakfast for 12 weeks (double the amount of time as set out by government legislation) and been in the hostel for just over 4 months, so we have been in band A for 7 months. Only 5 more to go until we go up a band!
Most people don't get housed until they are in A+.
There is something new in the pipelines, 3 hostels were shut down and have beenundergoing renovations to turn them into temporary accommodation 1 and 2 bedroom flats, in which a person/family can stay for up to 2 years. This was mentioned to S (my mental health nurse) and I will be considered for one of the 2 bedroom flats. Here is the rub... Do I move into temporary accommodation and then move into permanent housing, so that for a period of time we have more room.... Or... Do we stay in the room, get moved faster into permanent housing and reduce the need to move twice? The estimated completion on the renovations is early 2013. We will be moved to A+ in April 2013.
As far as bidding goes once you have a banding you get a bidding number and bidding commences on a Monday from 12am and ends Thursdays at 5pm. Bidding can be done online or through the property store in the town hall.
Thanks to my iPad and smart phone I can bid at home, it saves a trip to the town centre.
Today is bidding day!
There were 2 eligible properties today.. One not in the right area for dinky's school, and one in a better area to get to school, so I bid at 9am. It gets rather depressing when before I even bid I read that there are 11 people in front of us on the list. So I bid anyway, got to show willing, right?
I check the status of last weeks bids and find I finished 20th on the list and my bid was obviously unsuccessful. Again a depressing outlook, I have to wait for the 19 people in front of us to be housed before we get to the top of the list. Even then, it all depends on what areas in the borough people are bidding on. Unfortunately Dinky's school is situated in the most popular area, so more people bid for that area.
If it went on the points system I would bet I would be higher on the list given my mental health issues, dinky's referral to CAMHS, and dinky's education. Most of the families that have been in the hostel who have been housed have had children under 3 years. So an extra month wouldn't be so bad but we have to travel from one end of the borough to the other for school Monday-Friday. We leave at 7.30 am and get home at 4pm. By the time I give dinky her dinner and do her reading and practice her letters there isn't much time for wind down and a bath before I get her to bed at 6.30pm. This gives her the opportunity to have 12 hours sleep providing she goes to sleep soon after going to bed, and providing the woman downstairs doesn't shout at her kids to shut up and stop crying at 4.30/5am and wake dinky, which she does probably 4-6 out of 7 days. So on average dinky is up at 4.30/5am gets to school at 8.40am, gets home at 4pm, goes to bed at 6.30pm, and finally falls to sleep around 7pm. So the least amount of sleep she gets is 9- 9and a half hours a night. At her age (4) she should be getting 11-12 hours a night.
So every week I check which houses/flats we are eligible for and bid on them. I try not to get my hopes up because we are still not high enough on the list.
Although we have gone from 35 on the list of properties bid on, down to 20 in the last 4 months. Which is progress, and progress should not be dismissed, but slightly celebrated.
We have got permission from the hostel managers to decorate the whole hostel for Christmas! So at least we can make the place feel more festive! It is going to be hard, but I have to make this Christmas as good as it possibly can be for dinky! So I have brought every thing on her list, and spent a fortune on decorations.
I can't get too down about Christmas because even though the situation sucks, I at least still have dinky to celebrate with, if she is happy, I am happy. (which is why I am not happy about being here because dinky isn't.)
On the upside, there is benefits to being disowned by your entire family, apart from the lack of arguments and family tension,there is also a big financial benefit! So all the money I would have spent on my 2 younger half siblings, my niece and 3 nephews can go on making Christmas special for the only person that matters.... Dinky!
I had better stop blogging, and get on with the washing and cleaning before I have to go get dinky from school.....
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