Published by The International Centre for Therapeutic Care
Residential child care includes regular columns from John Diamond of The Mulberry Bush School
I am watching the fly crawling up the wall. Why doesn’t it fall off? I seem to remember a teacher once tried to explain how they hold on, even on to windows and ceilings. Maybe if I could do that I would have got away from the filth that night and never have ended up … Read more
Traditionally it was Atlas who had the task of carrying the world on his shoulders, and there are many adults today in positions of leadership and responsibility who tend to look and as if they also have much, if not all, of the world on theirs. Think of the General Secretary of the United Nations, … Read more
When the Editor of the web magazine asked me to do an article about what I actually did on a daily basis I started to go into panic mode, not because I do not know what I am doing (although some of the staff that work for me might say otherwise) but after many years … Read more
The three boys sat in a row, Like rabbits caught in the glare of car headlights: “Tharn” was the word on Watership Down. Father had told them to be quiet and polite when visitors called, And they all obeyed. They knew their place. Even if fearful, it was better not to speak up, rock the … Read more
One of the recurring themes of the In Residence column over the past seven years has been the importance of predictable patterns and rhythms in the lives of children and young people. Such patterns span those that are daily, weekly, monthly, termly and those that are yearly. With the demise of religious rituals in the … Read more
Does your child’s lunch box contain rice cakes, cottage cheese, apricots and water as recommended by the new Government school food watchdog? Or is it stuffed full of sweets, fizzy pop and a white bread sandwich thrown together as you rushed out of the door this morning? While the cottage cheese option is guaranteed to … Read more
To learn about the background to this episode, you need to read the first instalment, so click here. When we got to the Assessment Centre there was another woman on the way out with another kid with two or three bin bags. I wondered what an Assessment Centre was. I find it surprising how many … Read more
Before reading this poem, read the correspondence entitled Children in Iraq. Wherever men use weapons To sort out their affairs, They leave embittered victims, A legacy for their heirs. For fighting is not tidy. It leaves a trail behind Of damaged children, broken In body or in mind. A legacy still living, We pass on … Read more
Pathway Care, an independent fostering agency which cares for up to 500 children throughout England and Wales at any one time, says play is a natural way for children to learn about the world around them, express their thoughts and feelings, and to develop social skills and learn self control. It has therefore launched its … Read more
I turned into the entrance way to the block of flats I now called home. I stopped dead. There was a pile of black plastic sacks at the bottom of the steps, awaiting refuse collection. I had one of those uncomfortable flashbacks which could still be triggered after all these years. Black plastic sacks were … Read more
Until 4 November 2007 there is an exhibition in London called The Changing Face of Childhood: British Children’s Portraits and their Influence in Europe. It is being held at the Dulwich Picture Gallery, London SE21. And for those engaged with children, whether professionally as teachers, social workers, pedagogues, paediatricians, or informally as parents, grandparents and … Read more
One of the ways to keep your baby’s skin supple and healthy, is to include a few minutes of baby massage in your daily routine – just use a gentle baby oil. Not only is it great for mum and baby bonding, but it can also stop her crying and help her sleep. Cuddle your … Read more