Author Archives: wendy
‘They just went so far above and beyond’ – railway workers make dream come true for autistic Norwich schoolboy
Charlie Baker, 8, of Norwich, enjoyed a dream day out thanks to East Coast Trains
Sam Russell Monday, February 24, 2014
6:30 AM
Train-obsessed Charlie Baker was chuffed to bits when railway workers made his dreams come true.
The autistic Norwich eight-year-old is fanatical about East Coast Trains – and is not interested in any other types of locomotive.
His mum Caroline Briscoe, 39, said his laser-focused enthusiasm can make it a nightmare to buy gifts for him.
She decided to write to East Coast Trains for help and was stunned when three parcels of train goodies, including hats, mugs and mousemats, arrived by recorded delivery in time for Christmas.
And after she wrote to thank staff, they went one better and invited Charlie for a dream day out at King’s Cross Station in London to try out their train simulator.
Miss Briscoe, who lives off Old Palace Road, said the gesture was “incredible” and they went to the capital on Saturday.
Carers have their say in DVD made for Wiltshire Council and NHS
11:11am Saturday 22nd February 2014 in News
A FEW of the thousands of unpaid carers in Wiltshire are given a voice in a new film.
Carers’ Voices records the thoughts of different groups of people who may not always go to meetings to make their views known.
The idea is to allow local government and school staff, councillors and NHS personnel a better idea of what unpaid carers face.
In the DVD, six unpaid carers describe the physical and emotional challenges of caring and speak of their hopes and dreams.
A wife talks about looking after her husband with dementia and an 18-year-old carer describes her life. A mother who cares for one child and faces challenges looking after her other children also gives her account.
Children with mental illness admitted to adult wards amid bed shortage
Acutely ill children as young as 12 years old are being admitted to adult wards
By: Information Daily Staff Writer
Published: Thursday, February 20, 2014 – 09:51
Acutely ill children as young as 12 years old are being admitted to adult wards due to bed shortages at specialist child services, a Community Care/ BBC investigation has found.
350 minors were admitted to adult mental health wards in the first nine months of the period 2013/14, up from 242 in 2011/12, data obtained under the Freedom of Information Act has revealed.
Of these minors, 12 were aged under 16 and one was just 12 years old, a situation NHS England admits is “totally unacceptable in the majority of cases”.
The investigation also found that many children were being uprooted from their communities and sent to mental health wards up to 150 miles away from home. One child was sent a record 275 miles away, leaving their Sussex home to stay in Greater Manchester.
