Give Them A Voice

Safeguarding is EVERYONE'S responsibility... isn’t it?

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 19:59:55 GMT

Now, and this is interesting, lots of people seemed to really relate to what I was saying. People were tweeting or going on LinkedIn and commenting what they though about this. However, some people raised the point that the train stations were not really at fault or that there were many other issues that needed to be addressed. One individual contacted me directly and said that “There are better things to spend money on than those who want to run around for the local gangs”. I asked that individual if he felt that the savings that were made were worth the cost of a child’s life. He did not reply.

Education- One childhood one chance

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 19:59:52 GMT

I sat outside his office until 3. From first lesson to 3. My mum got there at 3:15. It was clear she had just woken up. I was so angry at her because I thought she looked messy and the kids would say stuff about her. Again. I didn’t even listen to what all the adults were saying. The usual “Kendra is out of control” I had to listen to many times. Then the atmosphere in the room changed. I could feel it. I started to tune back into the room.

What Does "Consent" Mean Miss

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 19:59:51 GMT

Funny…she will never know the things that have been done to protect her. The fights that have been taking place to keep her safe. The stand-up rows I have had with people much senior than me. The tears that have been shed for her.

The Roadmen and The Seagull

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 19:59:48 GMT

The following conversation went like this…

Baby seagull walks closer. J takes a piece of his bread and chucks it on the train line. The baby seagull jumps down onto the line to get it.

D: “Do you want it to get a shock?”

J: “Let it get hit by a train init, no one cares about dem birds”

D: “Like us, they are flying rats and we are hood rats” (This is clearly a joke but neither boy smile or laugh)

The Real Last Day Of School

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 19:59:46 GMT

Last day of school is when children and young people know they have to say something if they are going to say anything because the next 6-7 weeks they will be away from people that may protect them. The people that see them often and notice when things may not be going well.

So, after you have read this, take a moment of silence for us on the front line on the last day of school.

There Once Was A Girl

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 19:59:43 GMT

They bring her mum back in. She is not crying and looks ok. She hugs her daughter and kisses her head. She says she is sorry, and the girl knows that he sorry is not for what has happed today but for a lot of things.

My First Experience of VWAG

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 19:59:42 GMT

I’m telling you this because there is a proven link between girls witnessing this kind of violence at an early age and then their gradual transition into gangs and exploitation. I would say about 80% of the girls I support will speak of this type of violence being prevalent in their early years.

My Teddy

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 19:59:41 GMT

He is on my bed. The only teddy I have had on my bed for years. I have also remembered why I have hated teddies on beds for years. And that’s where he will stay. No longer wiping up the tears of a broken child or drowning out the sound of abuse. Just here…chillin…currently being sat on by my cat. He is a bit raggedy. A bit broken. He no longer plays music the same way. But he is still here.

Just like me.

My First Feminist Conference

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 19:59:37 GMT

Time to meet my other panel speaker. Zoe. The amazing Zoe from REIGN. When I am introduced to Zoe she is sensory overload and not coping well at all. We sit together and try to calm this. Fiona ends up with a wet patch on her bum (She swears she didn’t wet herself….) and Zoe is ready to do this...suddenly feel like I am not ready..not one little bit.

Me, My Mum and Cancer - 10 years today

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 19:59:35 GMT

On the 4th, she wouldn’t stop crying. I had tried everything. Creams, hot water bottle, tablets. Then she said she couldn’t get up for the toilet. My mum was a very private lady and I knew that she must be unwell to say this. So, I called an ambulance. I stayed with the boys as they were still little, and I called the hospital throughout the night. The next morning, the 5th, the hospital called and said that she was having scans and tests, and could I come at 10. I took My oldest son and my then boss to the hospital. I was told that they could not find anything major wrong. I saw mum and went home to finish decorating the boys room, told mum I would be back at 6.

Like An Angel

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 19:59:33 GMT

I just looked through my blogs twice and realised I have not yet spoken about Annabel!!! Annabel a young person that I work with. Obviously, her name is not Annabel, but for today that is what we will call her (She would not be impressed in my chosen name. Trust me lol)

Journey Home

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 19:59:32 GMT

So my blog today is to tell you…walk with the yute. Take a walk in their shoes, even if it is only the journey they may do to and from school. Leave the car at home once a month and take the journey. I promise you will learn stuff not only about our young people, but also how society views some of our young people. Powerful stuff.

How Was You Groomed?

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 19:59:29 GMT

When she said that about my hair I got defensive and rude. I swore…. a lot… and tried to walk away from her, my face flushed with embarrassment. I knew that I looked a state. It was not that I didn’t care, I just didn’t really know what to do. My mum had always washed my hair, I had never washed my own hair in my life. I had tried a few weeks before in the bath. Mum had not been shopping for so long, there was no shampoo (Or tooth paste) so I used washing up liquid. If you can imagine a 10-year-old girl trying to wash her own hair (That was down to my waist), Over a bath with washing up liquid and cold water…then you can imagine why it was in such a state.

Him

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 19:59:28 GMT

As she spoke aloud He looked up. “What” he said in his deep accent. “Nothing, chatting to myself” she replied angrily. He threw his head back and laughed a deep belly laugh. “That’s a sign of madness, talking to yourself” He chuckled away as he weighed out gram after gram of crack cocaine on the scales. She didn’t smile. She didn’t play along. Bun that.

Going Country

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 19:59:27 GMT

Her first trip to Margate when she was 13 was not for a visit to the seaside…trust. She was “going country”. Or County Lines as professionals now call it. She had never gone country before. She was scared. You would never admit that, but she was. She missed her mumsie but knew she had to do this. Mum was not well right now and they had no money. She had told her mum she was going on a youth club trip to the seaside for the weekend. Mum had barely looked away from the window she was looking out of in the living room when she said that. Just picked up another fag, lit it, and said “Be careful”. Mum was not ok. If mum had of been well she would have asked to see a letter at least. But not this time.

Feel Up's In The Playground

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 19:59:24 GMT

What the school playground can feel like to some children....

Don't Kiss Your Teeth At Me!

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 19:59:22 GMT

“You gonna cry miss” he says smiling. I say nothing but cut my eye at him jokingly. I tell everyone in the room that will listen about how well he has done. Pictures are taken. Then its time to leave and he just hovers. Gets his phone out and says can he have my number to stay in contact. I tell him no, we can’t do that. His head snaps up like it did that first time I called his mum “But what if I need you?” he says. “You know where to find me if you do” I said.

CSE- Do You Really Want To Know

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 19:59:20 GMT

I am back in the hear and now. “Just open your mouth” he keeps saying. Over and over. He knows I don’t want to. Can blatantly see that I do not want to. But he just keeps on and on. Both he and I know that he would much rather that the person laying here right now was at least pretending they wanted to be here. At least showing they were willing. Unlike me.

Child C- Pass The Parcel

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 19:59:18 GMT

I don’t often cry. Its not who I am. But I held back tears as I watched Child C break the other day. I watched what was once a naive little lost girl lashing out and angry. Shouting “Fam” this and “Fam” that. Darkness in her eyes. I held back tears as she was led away, knowing that she will be passed around somewhere else now. And it’s not her fault. Its our fault. The adults. The professionals.

Are You The Lady That Fights For Us?

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 19:59:13 GMT

This was another video of Gemma and the man in a car. She is crying and asking to get out. He is saying no. That he dropped her friends’ home and she needed to keep him company. Up until this point, I had no idea how old this man was. But suddenly you could hear the age in his voice. The video shifted, Gemma had the phone in her hands when recording, and she had moved it so that now instead of black and the audio…I could see him. He was about 50-60 years of age and was quite overweight. He had greasy black hair combed across his head and had stubble. He looked dirty.

4 O'clock In The Morning

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 19:59:16 GMT

It was 4 in the morning and it was cold. Of course, it was cold, it was 4 in the morning! It was around Feb/March times. It was a few weeks before her 14 birthdays. She shivered and looked down at her trainers. Nike air Jordan’s, pure white, got them the day before….. They were krissss.

Make Her Look Younger - Part 2

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 19:59:11 GMT

She stood at the bottom of the block and took a deep breath. She didn’t want to go back in, but this was it, it was time to step up. She pushed open the block door and two of the other youngers were sitting on the stairs playing music and chatting. “What’s good” one said, the other just nodded. She nodded back and stepped round them and started up the steps. The door at the top of the block was open and she could hear bear people talking. Music playing. People laughing. She took another deep breath. She got to the door and walked in. There were always bear heads in this place but right now…between the time it took her to go home and back…it had become fuller.

Make Her Look Younger -Part One

Sun, 27 Nov 2022 19:59:07 GMT

She sat down next to him and he said that he will get her the money for the rent. Thank you she said, all cheesy smiles. Then he said “Your gonna have to go country for it”. Her smile slowly disappeared, and she was suddenly aware of hear heart pumping in her ears. She tried to shake her head and then he stopped smiling. She got up of the sofa and said it was ok, she would sort it. He stared at her for a moment and said, “I said you’re going country blud”.