Holistic Health Visitor

Systems need KPIs. But I believe that care is optimised when professionals look beyond tick boxes and listen to the needs of individuals. Resources are scarce and design is for the many. But there must be flexibility for the people whose needs don’t sit neatly in boxes 1/3

6/6 As systems reshape, insights from families and frontline practitioners are vital. Future provision must be nuanced enough to reflect the complexity of children’s needs.

5/6 With the SEND White Paper released today, shared understanding across health, education + social care is essential. It isn’t about “nurturing” vs “specialist”; it’s both. Supporting professionals to distinguish trauma-driven avoidance from neurodivergent threat responses.

Choosing the right educational setting for a neurodivergent child with a PDA profile is rarely straightforward. Increasingly, professionals are balancing autism-specific provision with trauma-informed or SEMH approaches - as more children present with overlapping needs. 1/6

3/6 But the frameworks are not interchangeable. Trauma-informed asks: “What has happened to this child?” PDA-affirming asks: “What does this demand represent to this child’s nervous system?” That distinction matters.

2/6 Trauma-informed schools can feel instinctively “right.” They prioritise: • Relationships • Emotional safety • Low-arousal environments • Behaviour as communication These principles align closely with PDA-affirming practice.

Roblox is massive with kids 🎮, but open chats and user‑made worlds can bring hidden risks ⚠️. This week’s #WakeUpWednesday guide shows parents how to keep young players safer and more supported 💛. Download your FREE copy here >> vist.ly/4nkg5

@SendCrisis @bphillipsonMP @tombennett71 @ChildrensComm facebook.com/share/r/17EsQh… @IPSEAcharity @LDTonline @sos_sen @SEND_Action @SpcialNdsJungle @NHSEngland

Early intervention is key! Today, September 11th, is apt to explain my thoughts; it’s like planes have crashed into the metaphorical Towers of the SEND and mental health systems. All the services are rushing up to the top- they’re passing casualties… 1/2 instagram.com/reel/DOa15DOgq…

not stopping- the need above clearly meets threshold for help. They care about those on the lower levels but their need for life saving help isn’t as obvious. It’s not an exact analogy- Those at “fire level” today can still be rescued. But we must protect those on lower levels!

‘SEND reform’ must not become code for removing children’s legal rights. In our latest blog, legal team member Kate explains why the robust, needs-focused legal framework we already have is designed to ensure children and young people get the support and education they need. Any talk of ‘reform’ should focus on enforcing these existing rights - not dismantling them. Read the blog here: bit.ly/4l8uV9O

Read my blog post: “We Didn’t Have Autism or ADHD in My Day”: The Increase in Autism and ADHD Diagnoses authenticallyemily.uk/blog/we-didnt-…

New: the hundreds of parents being investigated for child abuse when they seek help or diagnosis for their sick children thetimes.com/article/720f66…

Organisational change is happening at a scale & pace we've rarely seen previously in the health & care sector. It is stirring up profound anxiety within teams. For leaders, understanding the powerful psychological undercurrents at play in driving group behaviour in times of change is as least as critical as managing the operational aspects of transition. How do we do lead this change process with our teams in evidence-informed ways? @heidipsychology suggests following a process based on Bion’s group dynamic theory. Bion sets out 3 typical behaviours—dependency, fight-flight, & pairing – that block teams from moving forward. "Dependency" means over-reliance on leadership for answers, leaving team members passive & hesitant to act. "Fight-flight" manifests in blaming, conflict, or withdrawal from the challenge at hand. "Pairing" leads to an expectation that a “saviour” or magical solution will emerge to solve the group’s problems, neglecting participation & collaboration in the team. Bion’s insights can help us move beyond managing tasks to working with meaning & emotion. This can significantly reduce group anxiety during organisational change. Here’s what leaders might do, based on Bion’s framework: •Don’t suppress anxiety but recognise the undercurrents of the group •Openly discuss the dynamics of the team & facilitate dialogue •Set clear goals, expectations & boundaries, reducing uncertainty fuelled anxiety •Build trust by communicating transparently •Encourage participation & ownership, encouraging people to take initiative •Engage the wider group in problem-solving & decision-making •Model emotional stability & help “hold” the team’s anxiety •Encourage group reflection & diverse perspectives & discourage “groupthink” An overview of Bion’s theory: psychologyfanatic.com/bions-basic-as… By @FLsociety Another superb graphic from @heidipsychology.

Losing it over this therapy horse that vigorously plays the piano to wake kids up from anesthesia

@MartinSLewis @FionaMackieSky @SkyNewsBreak @GranadaReports @ukhomeoffice

Is anyone else affected by this? It’s very unclear what’s going on- the silence is a concern. Asylum seekers are given these cards also. This crisis is affecting thousands of vulnerable people yet the media is silent @EMLpayments @refugeecouncil @CityofSanctuary @BBCBreaking

Woman and mother aren't on any of these poster, we want to know why? @bmj_latest @1stepsnutrition why have you desexed our language for women and mothers?

@MartinSLewis please please please help us! Prepaid financial services ran by @EMLpayments has been down for nearly a week now! No way to access carers wages that councils load onto these cards. Nationwide carers are currently not being paid & no one cares from this company!

@lynb1000 @TessaOutlook @PeterSweden7 The silence on this is hugely concerning. It affects carers and asylum seekers. So its impact is being felt by the most vulnerable people in communities. Yet the media is eerily silent on it!

@TessaOutlook @PeterSweden7 Yes I, along with local council direct payment service users and some NHS workers have been unable to access our accounts since Monday 14th. We're unable to pay our PAs/care teams. No contact or updates from Prepaid Financial Services.

Have you been affected by the massive card payment outage in Europe tonight? Let me know what happened 👇