In Residence

During the summer months of 2018 Ruth, my wife and I, travelled widely in the UK and Europe to visit and stay with members of the extended family of Mill Grove who were unable because of distance or circumstances to come and see us at home.  Not counting ferries and flights we covered 4,500 miles … Read more

THE PROJECT ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF A CHILD RECEPTION HOUSE IN PANGANI TOWN Project Area Overview Pangani District is one among oldest and least developed districts established since independence. It is located south of TANGA region extending from 5o 15.5S of the Equator to 6Os and from 38O 35E to 39O 00 East of Greenwich, … Read more

LEILA MARGARET RENDEL, OBE Visionary – Philanthropist – Pioneer 1882 -1969 Most biographies of Leila Rendel begin with the founding of a day nursery in 1911 which became The Caldecott Community. However, the years which preceded this were rich in personal life experience and led to Leila’s passionate interest in the welfare of children and … Read more

This edition of The TCJ offers the following articles: From Hungary, Edina Feckso-Pirisi and Nandor Grosch present a fascinating account of their work in Children’s Homes with the ‘Kids eye Public Art Association’; ‘A case study of a child filmmaker from a children’s home’  specifically their work with one young person Magdi (anonymised name). They … Read more

In The Handbook of Residential Care (Routledge 1993) I wrote a chapter called “Creating helpful organisation”. It covered buildings, furnishings and decoration, using money, boundaries, public and private space, kitchens, bathrooms and lavatories, food and catering, team and community meetings, supervision, staff support groups, training and development, rotas, routines and habits, smoking, and rituals and celebrations. … Read more

It was a very simple ceremony.  Family and friends had gathered outside the local church beside a rose-bush that was being planted, and then one by one they buried the ashes of their mother/grand-mother/sister/friend.  There were some embraces.  There were some tears.  The little children played, watched, and engaged from time to time like butterflies.  … Read more

Artistic techniques in the field of social pedagogy Introduction The personality developmental effects of art, when used to create opportunities and to tackle disadvantages, play an intermediary role between the disciplines and practices of psychology and pedagogy[1]. It provides a good opportunity for children to develop self-awareness, self-regulation, a feeling of self-efficiency and social competence, … Read more

We are very pleased in this 70th anniversary of The Mulberry Bush School to bring you a  themed edition on the work of Barbara Dockar-Drysdale (1912-1999) our founder and pioneer of the concept of therapeutic child care. The first two previously unpublished papers are from the 2012 Mulberry Bush Charity AGM, the centenary of the … Read more

 With the Mulberry Bush now reaching its 70th year, it’s time to tell the story of The Mulberry Bush. As a former Mulberry Bush child, its hard to look back at my time there, I am affected by many memories both good and bad, and some far to painful to even consider. I arrived at … Read more

I first came across the life and work of Barbara Dockar-Drysdale while I was researching residential child care at Edinburgh University from 1969 to 1973. Some of what I gleaned was through her own writings, but also from the work of Richard Balbernie and others who admired her pioneering initiatives. This period was seminal in … Read more

This is the second previously unpublished paper about Barbara Dockar-Drysdale from the 2012 Mulberry Bush AGM. Richard Rollinson was a former Director of The Mulberry Bush School, and is currently Chair of Trustees. Barbara Dockar-Drysdale, “Mrs. D”: The Woman and her writings: A Personal Appreciation By the time Lesley [then my girlfriend and now my … Read more

Here is a previously unpublished paper given by Christopher (Robin) Reeves to the Mulberry Bush Organisation AGM, October 2012. This was the centenary year of the birth of  BDD. Robin Reeves was formerly therapeutic consultant to the Mulberry Bush School, before becoming Director from 1980-1991. Barbara Dockar-Drysdale I’m grateful for the invitation to say a … Read more