Jude Malone

Could @Ryanair sort out some more staff at the check in queue at @belfastairport ?! One poor wee guy is doing his best but at almost 11am it’s not nearly enough for the 12.40pm Alicante flight!

We were proud to co-launch Foster Care Fortnight™ today at Stormont alongside @fosteringnet, the charity's annual campaign to raise the profile of fostering & highlight how foster care transforms lives. Read more: adoptionandfostercare.hscni.net/foster-care-fo… #FCF24 #FosteringMoments @tfn_kathleen

The launch is opened by @RobbieButlerMLA who highlights the need for people to consider becoming foster carers. Robbie shared his own experiences and said “we won’t stop asking people to come forward to foster”. He acknowledged legislators need to support this process. #FCF24

Jude feels that all children need ongoing life story support, the adults around them are trauma informed and that the whole team are passionate advocates for them to gain access to much needed health and educational supports #FCF24 @fosteringnet

Health Minister Robin Swann met with @fosteringnet representatives and welcomed the start of Foster Care Fortnight 2024. #FCF24 ➡️Find out more at @HSCAdopt_Foster or at: adoptionandfostercare.hscni.net/getintouch/

@profsiobhanon @Ind_Review_EdNI Politicians were helpful but all they could do was offer letters of support as we do not have the same legislation re:secondary school criteria for LAC children as the rest of the UK (some of them were not even aware of this).

@profsiobhanon @Ind_Review_EdNI Consideration of children ‘looked after’ by NI trusts (care experienced children) should be brought in line with the rest of the Uk & given first priority in selection criteria. I fought tooth and nail via the Exeptional Circumstances Body (and won) for my foster child’s place.

Today 1000s of 10/11 yr olds in NI receive results of unregulated, high pressure tests, to determine which school they attend. The system of transfer is unethical & harmful. @Ind_Review_EdNI provides the alternative, in the context of broad changes to create a fairer system.

What great advice from this amazing foster carer, Jude. “If a child is overwhelmed, validate their feelings. Their behaviour is communicating something important.” 👏 #AttainingMomentum

And that’s a wrap. Thank you to all our speakers, delegates and staff for a brilliant Fostering Attainment and Achievement Education conference. If we all individually do one thing to make a difference collectively we make change #AttainingMomentum @fosteringnet @healthdpt

@CPSP7trip Fabulous 😊

And we’re off! Boat is finally moving… not that the children have noticed.😀

@gerrydiamond71 @AnneMarieBagna1 Yet this absolutely happening in schools in (NI) - check out Janine Walker’s Instagram story highlight to see how her Neurodivergent son who has a statement is being shamed and labelled as a ‘bad kid’ in an (NI) school. Unforgivable.

So many useful sound bites from #TFNConf22 @LaMonHotel @fosteringnet today. “We cannot keep punishing children for speaking in a language we do not like.” “We cannot know, what we have not lived.” Thank you @_LisaCherry - I loved the whole ‘bus’ thing - I’m catching yours!!!

@SteveSiDdouglas Oh Steven sending so much love. He is a gorgeous wee man. Hope you guys are doing ok. Let us know if you need anything… ❤️❤️❤️

Update on Rowan. I got to see him in person and snuggle him for the first time since Wednesday cause of Covid only one parent aloud in. He’s doing good still not eating which is not like him but still taking bottles.He’s having surgery on Sunday again and Hopfully no infection❤️

Orla and Anna have created such a wonderful way to help children celebrate the diversity that exists all around them. Thank you for opening the doors to interesting conversations within our own little diverse family... facebook.com/568880572/post…

@LAFostering It astounds me this got past so many people - from the original concept brainstorming team, the video editors and eventually whoever pressed the final button to release it on social media! Surely someone along the way realised!! A dirty mop - REALLY!!! 👎🏻

We’ve seen today that our short video hasn’t been received as intended. The intention of the campaign was not to offend but to highlight the wonderful experience that is being a foster carer and to raise awareness of the current need for thousands of foster carers in the UK.

@robinsons16 lovely to see you today @thedunadry! ☕️

@Kerrynatasha2 @StephenNolan I am a foster carer and have found this to be true. SENs based on emotion, past trauma & attachment issues are misunderstood & unrecognised. Schools desperately need training in ACEs and childhood trauma or we face an even bigger mental health crisis in the future in NI. 🤷‍♀️😕

@StephenNolan Schools are every bit as complicit in this. Only 2 kids per year allowed to be assessed for free then it comes out of their budget. They are not allowed to discriminate against the socially/emotionally challenged end of the spectrum for the academically challenged but they do.

"I'm at breaking point... I can't believe what the Education Authority are expecting parents to accept" Lisa's daughter Brogan is autistic. She should be going into first year in secondary school but the support needed for her is not in place. audioboom.com/posts/7357991-…

Just an #epic day. The musical talent in #northernireland is phenomenal. The acts chosen for both stages were fantastic. Well done #snowpatrol. It was totally evident that u were more hands in the organisation of this 1 than previous. Brilliantly curated acts. 👏🏼 👏🏼 @snowpatrol