“Every day carers are carrying on…”

Note: As we bid farewell to Gordon and welcome Moira Fraser as the new permanent blogger, here’s a post from Moira introducing herself.

Well, those of you who read regularly will know that Gordon, the man behind Carersblogs, has packed his tartan hanky and headed off to his new adventure in Cambodia. We’ll miss him.

But with every ending there is a new beginning, as they say. So, here I am, and I hope to have the pleasure of your company  whilst I ponder the bizarre world that is health and care policy, and the strange corridors of power in Westminster and Whitehall.

Caring and disability issues are close to my heart.  For the first 27 years of my life, my mother  taught children with learning disabilities in the local special school in Peterhead –  a fishing town  in Scotland about 30 miles from Aberdeen. Sometimes, if the child had severe disabilities and the family did not want their son or daughter to go into residential care far from home, they would stay in my mum’s unit  for many years as it was the only local service for them. I got to know these families – not just the children but also often their mums and dads and other siblings – pretty well over the years.

What the experience of  growing up in this environment taught me was not only about the immense challenges faced by families , and the struggles in getting the right support, but also the difference that good local service, run by dedicated staff who really care about the people they work with, within a strong community support network, can make.

And the other thing I was left in no doubt about was this. Every single one of those children , whatever  their disability, was loved and valued and every single one of them  really mattered. Their triumphs and victories were about learning to walk, learning to say their name, learning to put their clothes on, or learning to use the loo or but they were real victories, often hard won, and worth every bit as much as my fancy exam passes. And with them, their families and my mum and her staff,  I learnt to celebrate these victories, and respect them for the individual people they were.

My mum died many years ago now. I still miss her but she gave me something that I’ll never lose – the desire to play my part in making sure disabled people and their families are respected, valued, supported and celebrated.

There’s lots happening. Benefit reform, social care, NHS struggles still not resolved. And whilst I surf the never-ending wave of announcements, trying to figure out what it all means for carers and local carers services, I have to remember that out there, every day, people are still not getting the support they need. Every day carers are carrying on, carrying on despite all the hardships, because there is no other option.   Keeping that in mind keeps me focused on what matters.

Back to policy blogging next week – but I hope this has helped you see who I am and where I’m coming from. I hope, at least to some extent, it’s the same place as you. If I ever forget it then you must remind me.

Until then, as Gordon used to say, take care.

Moira