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The Spring issue of Supporting People's Northamptonshire Newsletter
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Issue 3 | Spring 2011
I
Changing World
The current climate on Supporting People’s
funding
Places of change An urban oasis for homeless and
vulnerably housed peoplein Northampton
Shout to the topUP2U members question
Drug & Alcohol and Supported Housing
service providers
2 i
Who we are
Supporting People is a government grant programme that funds housing related support. The services who receive funding help vulnerable people improve or maintain their ability to lead independent lives.
This might include supporting someone coming out of homelessness obtain their own tenancy, enabling an older or disabled person to stay in their own home or helping someone to flee domestic abuse.
Supporting People strive to deliver high quality, needs-led services that are strategically planned and complement existing care services.
As the key focus is on getting the right support and outcomes for service users, each service is monitored to ensure certain standards are met. This is achieved by working in partnership with local government, probation and health services, voluntary sector organisations, housing associations, support agencies and the service users themselves.
Over 1.2 million of society’s most vulnerable people are leading independent lives thanks to Supporting People
Welcome
UmbrellaI celebrates the role of the volunteerThe first week of June will be Volunteers’ Week, an opportunity for the Nation to acknowledge the value volunteers add to the community.
Every member of UP2U is a volunteer and each one makes a valid contribution. Members’ input and actions are helping to shape the various supported housing services operating around the county and Supporting People is very appreciative of the time and effort individuals put in.
Recently members have moved away from UP2U and on to independent volunteer positions. Some members are acting as mentors and peer supporters for local projects like Footsteps and Bheard. Others have accessed local volunteer centres to secure roles with charities which include helping and supporting deaf people and assisting
Inside this issueorganisations with administrative tasks. There are five volunteer centres across Northamptonshire and hundreds of volunteering opportunities, see page 6 for more information.
I volunteer at the CAN office helping to produce this newsletter. I find the experience rewarding as it gives me opportunities to meet new people, to refresh existing skills whilst gaining new ones; but most importantly I have a focus and am engaging in positive activities.
Working on Umbrella has helped me and I am very grateful for that. Volunteering is helping to restore my confidence and I hope to be able to return to paid employment by the end of the year.
Athena
UmbrellaI
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UP2U’s Brett meets the Drug and Alcohol Action Team commissioners 8
Mayday Trust’s new services for young people 4
Bheard peer review service gives voice to customers 7
Places of change building to be an oasis for homeless 5
News
Features
Clients submit their stories, poems and pictures 10 -11
CAN’s housing services director Carol Jones on client talks to us about involvement 9
81 St Giles StreetNorthampton NN1 1JF01604 250 [email protected]
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The Supporting People team shed some light on funding 4
Input & Inspire
How to access volunteering opportunities in Northamptonshire 6
Brain specialist Janet Daniels discusses the effects of head injuries 12
Supporting People: the futureSince 2003 the Supporting People pro-gramme has been the primary source of funding for supported housing. Prior to this supported housing was funded through a variety of funding streams such as rental income and service charg-es, Probation Accommodation Grant Scheme, Supported Housing Manage-ment Grant etc.
In 2003 Central Government rolled all of these separate funding streams into one ring fenced grant called Supporting People. This grant was then given to lo-cal authorities to administer and there were conditions set around how the money could be spent.
For Northamptonshire County Coun-cil the grant has been in the region of £15 million per year. The ring fence, and therefore the conditions, were removed from April 2009 meaning that Local Au-thorities were no longer restricted in terms of how the grant was spent.
give a reasonable notice period and carry out an impact assessment.
The intention is to extend current servic-es for a period of one year but within that to give notice periods of 3 to 6 months. During this time a County wide review of Supporting People services will be car-ried out after which a new more afford-able model will be put in place.
Customer feedback has shown that access to services is often problem-atic and this will be one of the main issues that the council will be seek-ing to address when new services are commissioned.
Customers will play an important part within the review as the council needs to understand how customers’ needs can best be met in a way which improves access, reduces signposting to other services and is sustainable in terms of future funding.
From April 2011 the Supporting People grant will no longer be separate but part of a Formula Grant. Northamptonshire County Council has decided to merge various pots of money such as Connex-ions, Community Safety and Supporting People into one. These funds have been used to buy preventative services, the idea being to help people at an early stage in order that their situations im-prove or at least do not worsen.
The total amount going into this one pot will be approximately £20 million; this represents a cut of around 25% from on original amount of approximately £28 million. It is still not clear how much of this fund will be directed to housing related support services.
Northamptonshire County Council has to save £136 million over the next four years and it is therefore inevitable that there will be cuts to services. Where cuts do need to be made the council has to
The Mayday Trust now offers a floating support service specifically for young people aged between 16 and 25. The ser-vice is for those living in all types of ac-commodation who either hold their own tenancy or are a homeowner.
The service is designed to meet clients’ individual needs and an allocated float-ing support worker can help them decide the outcomes they want to achieve and help make these happen.
The service offers regular key-work ses-sions providing flexible support within a client’s own home, or at other suitable locations by arrangement.
Clients are also invited to take part in activities operated by other Mayday Trust services these include; training, benefits talks, CV workshops, client involvement groups, social activities and days out.
The Mayday Trust works closely with other specialist agencies that may also be able to help their young clients.
Support workers are aware of many lo-cal organisations that can help those ex-periencing specific issues outside of the Trust’s remit. They can signpost clients to these services or make referrals if this is required.
This is a free service for young people
Floating support for young people
in Northampton and is paid for by Northamptonshire County Council through the Supporting People Team.
If you are interested in finding out more about the service please contact
Young People Floating Sup-port Service at Broadmead Court, St Albans Road, Northampton on 01604 403562 or send an email to [email protected]
Application and referral forms can be provided on request or downloaded at www.maydaytrust.org.uk
i
News
4
Promote your organisationYou can advertise your
services, events, drop-ins and news in
Umbrella free of charge
5i
Work is underway on the development which is situated on the corner of Campbell Street and Bailiff Street.
Initially building was planned for the Thorplands area of Northampton but feedback from homeless and vulnerably housed clients highlighted a need for a more central location.
The project continues to involve clients in many aspects of the development and they are informed of all updates in regards to the build. Forums have taken
place to discuss other issues such as names for the new building, the layout of the garden and outdoor space, and even an art feature.
The forums really give clients a voice and allow people to get answers to questions and queries they may have relating to the new building.
Hope Centre worker Helen said: “We believe those who use our service should be informed and have the
opportunity to share their views. This is mainly achieved through regular forums where all service users are welcome.
We also seek opinions through client representatives and staff and volunteers speaking to people at the centre.”
Client representative Ambrose Doherty said:
“ It lifts my soul to see the spirit that this project has created. When the building goes up I will be proud as I have made a contribution.”
News
Places of Change: building better futures
Places Of Change - Northampton
3D Visual internal view 1
nts 28.07.09 KMNSK
RP PLANNING 51790 SK102
People respond to their environment, Places of Change is about transform-ing environments in which services are provided to homeless people, enabling them to change their lives. It has been the experience of Midland Heart that high quality buildings with excellent services lead to the very best outcomes for our customers.
Midland Heart has been working in partnership with Northampton Borough Council, Northamptonshire County Council, the Homes and Com-munities Agency, and a range of local agencies to deliver a Places of Change development in Northampton. Three years ago the partnership had a list of aspirations and the opportunity to create an inspirational building. The quality of the building and the design detail, is reflective of the investment that the architects BM3 and Midland Heart, have given to consultation with homeless people, partner agencies and the local community. This has ranged from the inclusion of accom-modation with yards to allow dog owners to stay, through to the way in which agencies will work together
through shared office spaces.The new building will be called Oasis House. The name reflects the commit-ment to address some of the deepest felt needs amongst customers, while also being a place from which they move on from.
Oasis House will include 9 emergency access accommodation units, and 39 one-bed apartments, of these it is hoped that 11 will be for people with higher support needs. NAASH have been very involved in the design of these areas. In addition Oasis House will include Northampton’s Gateway Service and Housing Solutions; North-ampton Hope Centre, an IT suite, arts and crafts; a medical room; a social enterprise business centre, and a range of meeting and training spaces. The partnership continues to look for further partners to add value to the services to be provided.
When it opens, late 2011, Oasis House will be a significant landmark in Northampton and will mark a major improvement in the help available to homeless people.
Development through involvement
Ambrose and fellow clients visiting the development site [above] and designs showing how Oasis House will look once completed
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There are many reasons why people may want to volunteer; perhaps they want to make a difference, meet new people, help their local community, learn new skills, boost their confidence or enhance their CV.
Ellie Davies, Service Manager for CAN’s Adult Substance Misuse Treat-ment Team, started volunteering in her early twenties as a way to gain experience. She answered an advert for volunteers with Counsel on Addiction as CAN was known as at the time.
She said: “I had finished my degree, which was a vocational degree rather than an academic one, but it didn’t mean that I could just walk into a job. It was a degree in Women’s Studies and Social Studies so I wanted to work with people; people from vulnerable, dif-ficult backgrounds. I felt that working as a volunteer was a way for me to get some experience. I had my interview and was successful in being accepted on the programme and it went from there.” Ellie undertook training one morning a week for 12 weeks before she started working with clients. The programme covered all aspects of her volunteer role; all the vital information about drugs and alcohol, what could be expected of clients and how they might behave as well as general house-keeping like how to answer the office phones. Ellie said “I wanted to volunteer as a duty worker, this involved seeing people for the first time, doing assess-ments, but not doing any ongoing case work as I wasn’t a qualified counsellor at that point. Also going into schools, I did lots of work in schools, prevention work and delivering training.”
The voluntary post lead to a part time job working with schools and her career at CAN developed from there. She cites volunteering as pivotal to her career and said it taught her how to be professional and gave her a passion for the work she is doing now.
2011: it’s the year of the volunteer
There are hundreds of opportunities to volunteer with charities and non-profit organisations in Northamptonshire.
The many roles and responsibilities are varied and include opportunities for administrators, gardeners or trustees. Charity shops need people to serve cus-tomers or deal with stock whilst schools are looking for volunteers to listen to children reading. There are also chari-ties requiring befrienders to visit the elderly and/or people who need a bit of friendly support.
Northamptonshire has five volunteer centres across the county in Ketter-ing, Towcester, Brackley, Daventry and Northampton.
The centres’ staff have access to a
2011 is the European Year of the Volunteer and is recognising the efforts of the thousands of people who volunteer their time and skills across the continent. It is also an opportunity to promote volunteering generally and to inform those who are thinking of becoming a volunteer of the options available to them.
database full of available volunteer placements and staff can signpost people to the relevant organisations for posts they may be interested in.
Going online is another way of dis-covering volunteering posts and do-it.org.uk advertises thousands of op-portunities to browse through.
There are different search options available to refine your search so you can sort by location, organisation type, key words and the times you would be available to volunteer.
You can apply for posts by setting up a profile and emailing the site; they then get in touch with the details for each organisation so you can contact them directly.
Turn spare time into shared timeThe Time to Make Time time bank is a new and innovative way of volunteer-ing with community at its heart.
A time bank is a way for people to share skills with others and be reward-ed for it - in time. For every hour of time individuals give to the project provid-ing a service for another participant, they receive a time credit. These can be exchanged to receive a service from someone else.
Everyone can take part and in many different ways. Participants give a few hours of spare time helping others with tasks they may find difficult to do themselves like gardening, dog walk-ing, car washing, ironing, computing or budgeting. All the other participants do the same so there is always lots of help to rely on whenever anyone is in need.
Interested in becoming a member? Call the co-ordinator on 07833 479 096.
KetteringRockingham RoadNN16 8JX01536 526 422
TowcesterMoat LaneNN12 6AD01327 358 264
BrackleyUnit 5, Market House Court
NN13 7AB01327 358 264
DaventryDaventry Library
North StreetNN11 4GH
01327 300 614
NorthamptonSt Giles Street
NN1 1JA01604 637 522
Volunteering
Bheard is a peer service review project that is being developed by Christine Lennon from Stonham, Richard Lukehurst from CAN and UP2U’s Kanchen Wade.
We are now at a stage where we would like to have more people join the team so please read about the idea and if it is something that you may be interested in please speak to Christine, Richard or Kanchen to get more information.
The idea of the project is to get feedback about services from the people that use them, this gives the service users a confidential voice to have a say in the way that services are run without having to approach the service directly.
Bheard can be for any organisation or company to tap into and use as a resource to help shape their service.
The feedback obtained can be used to show how well a service is performing, which not only helps the service users but helps the service access funding etc. or it could be to show that improvements need to be made, which will help the organisation to plan changes.
The information will be collected in a variety of ways such as questionnaires, one to one meetings and focus groups. The information obtained will then be presented to the organisation in an easy to understand format.
Anyone reviewing services will attend accredited training, and will include ‘Train the Trainer’ sessions so the reviewer learns new skills and there are always people being trained in the future.
We think that the benefits of the project are that reviewers learn new skills and gain qualifications which will help with future employment; service users have the opportunity to make a difference to their services for themselves and future clients, having control of your own life helps peoples’ wellbeing; the services have honest, clear feedback to help them to plan changes and improvements to the service and that the community has services that are working better for the people using them.
There is a possibility that Bheard will be a social enterprise venture, this means the project will be a non profit making community business. We are now working with Business Link to look at the business model, who we would market to, how we would sell the service etc. We will be meeting soon to discuss this further.
Interested in being heard? Then we’d love to hear from you!
[email protected]. 07958 617 516
[email protected]. 07968 424 912
Is floating support for me?
Visit issuu.com/umbrella-mag to view and download issues or send a request to [email protected]
Go green - download your copy online
Wellingborough: Jo 07739 446206Daventry: Andy 07912 275268
South Northants: Karen 07785 510901Northampton: Dee 07912 275269
Explaining your
rights and
responsibilities
as a tenant Support with contacting and making appointments with other agencies
Advice and support with claiming welfare benefits and housing benefits
Support with budgeting and managing your bills
Advice on any aids and
adaptations that you may need
Support with reporting repairs to your home and managing your tenancy
UP2U questions DAAT commissionersBrett [right] is a representative for the UP2U forum. He met with Strategy Manager for the Northamptonshire Drug and Alcohol Action Team Partnership Clive Jekyll [left] and Ian Fulton, who is the Drug Intervention Program Manager, to talk about service provision in Northamptonshire.
What is your understanding of Client Involvement?The DAAT needs a structured forum that enables us to communicate with the whole spectrum of local drug and alcohol agencies. Currently our views are based on what we hear from the actual services themselves but we don’t actually know clients’ perspectives whether they feel the service received was good or not. So, we’ve got to try to make sure that we regularly find out directly from service users if provision is meeting need, this kind of feedback is vital to us.
Recovery is at the heart of the drug strategy can you define what that means to you?Every person that comes to us will have a different perception of recovery to the person sitting next to him or her. We have to walk the line to try to resolve the targets that the government has set against what the services’ clients actually want and need.
A definition I guess would be that recovery is what enables a person to function within a normal communal context. If we’re going to get true recovery, again it’s not what professionals do and say they’re going to do, it’s what individuals come to understand is right for them, and to follow the path that’s right for them at the right time, with the right support.
What changes are happening to Drug and Alcohol Services as a result of the Drug and Alcohol Strategy?I started the process as far back as 2006 because I was looking at how people were being treated. Sitting a client down in front of another person who has an opinion of what they need as treatment I thought just wasn’t right; for those that liked it, it worked, for those
that didn’t it all too often failed. So what we did in Corby was to set up shared care at GP surgeries. We didn’t just have a nurse or a counsellor we had both, the two together working in conjunction with the individual — they were the team; and so the client became an active part of the process not just a passive person who was receiving treatment that was decided for them.
Client retention almost doubled in some surgeries; those who had previously had client retention of around 40% – 50% were seeing increases to 80% – 90% retentionfigures because people were getting a complete package.
What we’ve decided for 2009 – 2011 is to try and change the balance of the system to develop communities of individuals to ‘fill the gaps’ people may have between their weekly or fortnightly meetings with the professionals; positive people to act as mentors and interact with clients during these periods. This is what we want to see across the county but so far this has failed.
We want to see doors opening up so that people can come in, not to get treatment, but for low level support and guidance, i.e. access to computers, advice, whatever it happens to be, just somewhere to sit and have a cup of coffee with people who have been through similar experiences and that can help people on a low intensity basis so there isn’t a formal allotted half hour or an hour, more of an informal ‘club’ feel to it.
What future plans do you have?
We hope to create more opportunities to hear feedback from the coalface so to speak. We need to work on outcomes for this and consulting with clients has definitely highlighted a need to continue doing so to see where the gaps in services are and to try and fill them gaps.
What we need to do, which is the proposal we’re outlining, is to progress from here. We’re trying to develop services using feedback, good and bad from those who use or have used the services. (CAN, Off the Hook, NDAS, Bridge etc, all the agencies we use.) We’re trying to use and develop a model, a bit like UP2U and forums to collect views and opinions. We’ve had good and bad views expressed about all these agencies.
There is a vast wealth of experience within Northamptonshire, service users, previous users, all people; we’re tapping into that now. We want to see a bigger network of people involved, not professionals, but therapeutic groups supporting those who are looking to change, people who have come through services, because they are the ones who are going to develop communities.
... continued
Shout to the top
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Every person that comes to us will have a different perception of recovery to the person sitting next to him or her. We have to walk the line to try to resolve the targets that the government has set against what the services’ clients actually want and need.
Shout to the top
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CAN provides supported housing in Northampton and Corby for single people in need of help to address issues affecting tenancy sustainment. This could mean help with drug and alcohol problems and/or addressing basic needs and budgeting.
The tenancy support service in CAN housing encourages people to take ownership of what needs to be done to move forward. Assistance, guidance, and support is provided to work towards living safely and independently.
CAN housing includes specialist provision for vulnerable females, a ‘dry house’ for those who have combatted substance misuse and housing for those in the criminal justice system who are engaging with help to stop offending.
A floating support service is also provided, its aim is the same but applies to people living in their own accommodation. Clients have either left supported housing to resettle into the community or are struggling to meet the terms required to maintain their tenancy.
Meet the director
Volunteering is something that has always been around and many of CAN’s staff are ex-volunteers. Voluntary work is a great foot in the door and a marker whether someone wants to work in the field.
Again it is all down to resources, CAN has always recognised the contribution of volunteers but we need a solid infrastructure to accommodate a volunteer induction programme. Induction would involve training, supervision, one to one work etc. and to be honest there is just not the money at this moment in time to facilitate this need.
However, CAN has established Footsteps which is a mentoring programme for clients with additional support needs. The project is voluntary based and has one full time worker leading and supporting participants.
I think so, there is definitely willingness there. There is uncertainty on how far and wide we can go with it. We have to consider resources, time, finance, staff etc. In an ideal world we would go as far as viably possible yet we have to be practical and recognise the fact that we can only work within our limitations. What CAN is looking to do is to make it more consistent across the agency.
Carole Jones, director of CAN’s housing services, talks to Umbrella about client involvement
Will CAN be looking to recruit more volunteers in the future?
What does your role as service director involve?As service director for CAN housingI oversee housing services teams across Northamptonshire. We have provision in Northampton, Corby and East Northants. I am responsible for direction, development, monitoring and reporting back to service directors, the chief executive and trustees.
It was good to meet a client as it is very rare I get the perspective of someone who has been through our services. The meeting was a chance to explain the work of CAN as an agency to the client and to learn what is working, what’s missing and to see if we can make changes as a result of gathering feedback.
It was a really good opportunity to learn about what might be missing and how we can improve. It gave me thoughts on what we’re doing right and to see if we’re meeting the needs of those who use our services, after all how can we to decide what is to be provided if we have never had these experiences ourselves?
We now have a client involvement policy and strategy in place but are still in the early stages of making changes. We are embarking on a consultation drive to gather feedback from clients; CAN is absolutely committed to listening and endeavours to make changes where possible.
Clients are informed of any changes and given reasons for circumstances where changes can’t be made because of funding or time constraints etc. As a result of recent consultation CAN house meetings have become more structured and are now being minuted.
You recently met with a resident from one of CAN’s supported houses, how did that go?
What changes have been made as a result of client feedback?
So would you say CAN as an agency is embracing client involvement?
CAN’s housing service is part of CAN, a Northamptonshire based charity providing help to people experiencing problems with homelessness or substance misuse.
It is encouraging
to see those who are involved with the UP2U forum
grow and develop skills that will enable them to live independent lives. Whenever
I see clients move on and rebuild their lives it is always a massive reward for me. Those who want to
give something back to the service through voluntary work is great, when I attend the core group with the
Supporting People team and see clients who have come through services sitting there participating it is magic! It breaks down barriers and stereotypical views some people may have.
Behind every predicament is a person and to see them overcome their predicaments speaks volumes in their determination and
perseverance to come through the other side. It is rewarding to know that CAN has played a part in
supporting the individual along their journey.
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Input & Inspire
Without the support of family or friends paranoid schizophrenic John* has endured lots of challenges in his life. Bromford Support has been assisting him for the past 2 years because of his mental health needs.
After living in supporting lodgings John was referred to Bromford Support in the hope that he could gain the necessary life skills that could enable him to live independently in the community.
With assistance from Bromford John was able to make positive changes, to rebuild his life, and make a fresh start. First they found him a suitable council property; a top floor flat where he felt safer. Then they helped him manage his finances and develop budgeting skills.
John is now self sufficient, able to budget his money and is maintaining his tenancy. John’s confidence has grown and he has joined cycling clubs, a guitar workshop and he regularly attends the Bridge Project based at the Spring Boroughs Gym.
It took a great deal of mentoring to persuade John to start going to the gym as the Spring Boroughs is an area of the town that reminds him of darker times in his life.
With the help of his support worker John has broken this barrier and now goes to the Bridge sessions every week on his own, which has proved to be an asset to both his confidence and physical well-being. He has been awarded with a year’s free membership to Northampton’s Trilogy gym.
John is pleased with his progress and is still achieving new and greater
things with the continued support of the Bridge
Project and Bromford Support.
Celebrating achievement
* Not his real name
Sad, tearful and all alone,I’m your disease and you’ve always known.
I was there for you in the good timesbut mostly bad,
I have made you feel so happybut in the end you were always sad.
I will turn you from everyone that tries to take you from me,together we will spend all eternity.
Don’t let those people tell you what I’m all about,you’ll find a way to kick me out.
You have a master of an evil kind,who controls your body, soul and mind.I will make you feel good cos I’m so bad,
I will make you give up all you’ve ever had.
If you still doubt which way to go,when you see me just say NO.
A life that’s wasted a breath that’s gone,you know you’ve been fighting this addiction so long.
So when you think I’m gone,and you can finally be at ease.
Just remember,I will always be your DISEASE
By Lou L
Addiction & Me
Input & Inspire
Finding refugeThe last thing Marie did before fleeing her old life was give her pets to a sanctuary.
She had been in two happy, long-term relationships before she met Graham. The abuse started after they had been together for 18 months; it ended the day after her birthday last year, when her granddaughter called the police, who said they had only seen worse bruises on a murder victim. After recovering in hospital, she left everything behind and came to the Nene Valley Christian Family Refuge.
“He had gone out to do the shopping but returned with a large bottle of vodka half empty. I asked where the shopping was and he said, “If you want it, do it yourself” Marie recalled.
She suggested he’d had enough to drink; he punched her and when she said it was unnecessary, he hit her repeatedly (38 areas of bruising were later recorded) and then went
back to watching TV. Eventually, he went out for more alcohol and didn’t take Marie’s phone with him (he would almost always take this and her keys and lock her in the house, which she
recalls as the worst thing because she felt terrified and was a total prisoner.)
Her granddaughter rang Marie and said her gran did not sound happy. She asked if Graham had hit her again and came to their house with the police. When he saw the car, Graham’s response to Marie was “you are in trouble now”. He was arrested and charged, changing his plea to guilty on the morning of his trial. He served a month on remand and a month’s sentence and was out before Marie’s injuries had healed.
“It got worse when he lost his job, it would build up and build up. I got to the point where I was too scared to
even wash up as he said I did it wrong. I walked on eggshells all the time. People kept saying go away but I had nowhere to go.
There were several times I got rid of him but he came back. The last time I didn’t take
him back, he just kicked the door in. He threatened to kill me, my son, my granddaughter, my friends. He broke my ribs and my cheekbones.”
Marie, who is in her 50s, broke down in tears as she recalls giving away her pets and leaving much-loved keepsakes in the home she shared with Graham as she fled her old life. “It’s
like he’s stolen my memories, like my whole identity has been taken from me.”
“The refuge was not a lonely place, everybody was in the same situation and we all tried to help each other. I don’t know what I’d have done without the support. Knowing there is someone on the other end of the phone 24/7 is lovely. One of the biggest things I learnt on a course called Stay Free,
which Nene Valley Refuge ran, was that it wasn’t my fault. I feel proud, I have come a long way, I feel very safe.
When I came to refuge it took me a while to get the use of my arm back. I had boot prints up the back of my legs. He had kicked my shoulder, on which I have had two operations, so hard I have not been able to use it since”.
Families in refuge are appointed key workers; Marie was helped in emotional and practical ways and when she got a flat, staff helped her get furniture and sort out utilities and benefits and offer ongoing support. She has a trip overseas planned and is painting her flat; she says she feels safe when the front door is closed.
“If they’re going to hit you they’re never going to change. You think if you give them enough love they will change, but it’s just going to get worse.
“There has been so much effort by all these lovely people to keep me safe he must not find me. If he does find me, I will end up dead.”
Marie’s Story
There has been so much effort by all these lovely people to keep me safe he must not find me. If he does find me, I will end up dead.
It’s like he’s stolen my memories, like my whole identity has been taken from me.
I learnt on a course called Stay Free, which Nene Valley Refuge ran, that it wasn’t my fault. I feel proud, I have come a long way, I feel very safe.
Need help? You can contact the domestic violence emergency referral line on:
01604 230 311
The Umbrella Team | 81 St Giles Street | Northampton | NN1 1JF | 01604 250 678 | [email protected] I
Get in touch Clients and Service ProvidersContact us with your ideas and feedbackUmbrella is keen to get articles, news and stories from a diverse mix of services and clients and would love to receive any recipes, poems, pictures or ideas for future editions from right across the county
Janet Daniels is a specialist nurse em-ployed by the NHS as Head Injury Co-ordinator for Northamptonshire. She is part of the Traumatic Brain Injury Team which is a county wide service provid-ing rehabilitation and support for brain injured people and their families. This service can be accessed by a referral from a GP or other health or social care professional.
The effects of a head injury can range from a mild brain injury and concussion where a full recovery may be made in 3-6 months to very severe injury lead-ing to prolonged periods of uncon-sciousness (or coma) when ongoing care & rehabilitation will be required. The most frequent difficulties following
head injury are epilepsy,headache, fatigue, memory problems, concentration problems, anxiety & depression.
Even after a mild head injury it can be difficult to return to employment or managing the day to day living & a good deal of support may be required to achieve this.
Severe head injury is defined as “a condition where the person has been in an unconscious state for 6 or more hours” & these people will remain in hospital or rehabilitation for a prolonged period depending on their individual recovery. Sometimes people are put into an induced coma for
clinical reasons & this is not the same as being unconscious due to trauma.
Brain trauma is usually thought of as oc-curring after a blow to the head, being in a car accident or having a serious fall but other conditions such as a stroke, brain tumour or meningitis can also cause long term neuro-disability.
Any head trauma or health condition which involves any loss of conscious-ness should be investigated at the A&E department of your local hospital or call NHS Direct or your GP for advice.
Prevention is better than cure so always wear a seat-belt & remember that if you don’t any compensation will be reduced due to contributory negligence if you have a car accident even if it was the other driver’s fault. Ensure you and your children always wear cycling helmets and always follow the safety guidelines when taking part in sports.
Northamptonshire is better equipped than many other counties if you are unfortunate enough to have a head injury as we have a county wide NHS rehabilitation service which includes a Consultant in Rehabilitation Medicine. We are also very fortunate to have two Headway Centres in the county & some privately funded rehabilitation provision.
Head injuriesBy Janet Daniels
Contact the Headway helpline for information on:
0808 800 2244
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