Living and Caring Dangerously

individual

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INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES             

humanistic ------------------------------- mechanistic

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL   

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group

mental health   Cognition Inability to consent  mental capacity	My liberty Locked doors Treatment - medication  'Secure (safe)' environment
Family - friends dignity, privacy, respect vulnerability Best interest decision	Lasting power of attorney - finance; health External safeguards human rights

 

My source: BBC Radio 4 'Today' 25th September 2026: From 0841

Sir Ranulph Fiennes ‘kept unlawfully in care home’ [ The Times ]

The explorer, 82, is being ‘deprived of his liberty’, according to the watchdog, and his wife Louise Millington-Cotes is refusing visitors.

Hannah Crowe. Friday, September 25 2026, 12.41am, The Times

 See also:

Living Dangerously: An Interview with Sir Ranulph Fiennes [Brighton Dome]
Wed 10th Apr 2019

From the bibliography (lower sidebar):

Hodges, B.E. (1989) The Health Career Model, IN, Hinchcliffe, S.M. (et al.) 1989 Nursing Practice and Health Care, 1st Edition only, London, Edward Arnold.

Adams, T. (1987) Dementia is a family affair. Community Outlook, Feb, 7-8.

Merritt MK, Procter N. Conceptualising the functional role of mental health consultation-liaison nurse in multi-morbidity, using Peplau's nursing theory. Contemp Nurse. 2010 Feb-Mar;34(2):158-66. doi: 10.5172/conu.2010.34.2.158. PMID: 20509800.

Murphy, K., Welford C. (2012) Agenda for the future: enhancing autonomy for older people in residential care. International Journal of Older People Nursing. 7, 75–80.

Kernohan, W. G., & Jones, P. (2023). Hodges’ Health Care Model as a Framework for Quality. Paper presented at Interprofessional work: developing oral care and the health workforce for the future, Brescia, Italy.
https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/publications/hodges-health-care-model-as-a-framework-for-quality

Jones, P. (2025). A Conceptual Mapping Exercise of Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards in Residential & Community Care Using Hodges' Model and Threshold Concepts. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, 31: e70085. https://doi.org/10.1111/jep.70085

Jones, P. (2025), A Generic Model and Conceptual Framework to Prime Curiosity Across Health and Social Care Disciplines to Facilitate Lifelong Learning. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, 31: e70252. https://doi.org/10.1111/jep.70252

Previously: 'capacity' : 'law' : 'safeguarding' : 'health career'

I can't count the number of times in a nursing home, when a visit by a friend has re-ignited the flame of memory, passion and personhood; even if temporary. It was never my place to thank the friends for visiting, but they've made a difference, so crucial to acknowledge the courage on their part. Making the journey, being present and with. So difficult too, for families.

BBC Radio 'File on Four' - DASH to Instrumentalise

Of course, I'd like to see Hodges' model applied to many purposes.

As probably posted at some point, the thought of Hodges' model being instrumentalised goes back a long way. To the time of microcomputers in fact and 'CAPA' which stood for 'Computer-Aided Patient Assessment':

Jones, P. (1986) Computing in Nursing NEWS. Computerised Patient Assessment. Nursing Times. 85: 5. Sep 3-9;82(36):63-5. PMID: 3532039

[Describes 'CAPA', a BBC BASIC microcomputer program for student nurses.]

Even before discovering Hodges' model in the late 1980s, I was sensitive about being seen to mechanise nursing and care delivery. Nursing was still preoccupied with the nursing process and individualised care. The last thing I would want is to be seen as supporting the processing of patients. The person, their social context and identity becoming lost. It was a long-term and ongoing co-author who drew my attention to Hodges' model as an instrument. Which I've considered for each and across the care domains. CAPA was simplistic, even beyond the programming language employed. A dependency score from 1-5 was allocated (it's a long time ago!) to each of the activities of daily living for a patient:

Roper, N., Logan, W., & Tierney, A. J. (2000). The Roper-Logan-Tierney model of nursing: Based on activities of living. Churchill Livingstone.

In healthcare we are trained and become accustomed to the use of many assessment tools, checklists; this includes mental health nursing and specific therapies. Emphasis, is rightly placed upon the safety, validity and hence testing of tools. Some are 'broad brushes'. Others are specific - outcomes, anger, a carer's knowledge, conviction of belief, mood, impulsivity and many more. Drift away from the original goal and purpose and problems can (predictably) ensue. Training will and must be updated, but do all assessment tools have a 'Use By' date? Hopefully there is ongoing development, version control and sustained trials and testing of the instruments themselves.

'File on Four' BBC Radio 4 this evening concerns DASH, which stands for "Domestic Abuse, Stalking and ‘Honour’- based abuse".

Paper: "A generic model and conceptual framework to prime curiosity across health and social care disciplines to facilitate lifelong learning"

 What seems a long time ago now (a decade!) I started writing a paper on:

• Threshold concepts
• Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS)
• and Hodges' model

This ended up as a two part work, which after review ended up as two separate papers:

One appeared in April:

Jones, P. (2025). A Conceptual Mapping Exercise of Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards in Residential & Community Care Using Hodges' Model and Threshold Concepts. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, 31: e70085. https://doi.org/10.1111/jep.70085

The other should be published soon - same journal. I appreciate the editor's patience and team's support:

"A generic model and conceptual framework to prime curiosity across health and social care disciplines to facilitate lifelong learning"

Unfortunately, I've no funds to pay for open access. I will bear this in mind, as I resurrect another project - with two versions of 13,000 and 6,000 words. This is on (and began during) COVID-19, society, information and technology.

Biblio - addition: Conceptual Mapping Exercise of DoLS in Residential & Community Care Using Hodges' Model and Threshold Concepts

After a great many years of on-off effort, radical revisions - from one to two papers - part 1 and part 2; and then finally two standalone papers, I received news this morning from ORCID and Wiley of online publication.

News of the second paper (part 1 - to me) is still to follow.

Many thanks to the individuals who read earlier drafts, the editor and team of JECP.

It is a real delight to add an item to the blog's bibliography in the sidebar.

Apologies in advance, the paper is not open access, I cannot personally cover the fees. Happy to assist with an earlier draft.

Once again, if you can add to the bibliography, or are interested in using Hodges' model please let me know. Or as several researchers have done: 'Just get on with it!'. Learning post-publication of a citation for Hodges' model, is a welcome surprise too.

Jones, P. (2025), A Conceptual Mapping Exercise of Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards in Residential & Community Care Using Hodges' Model and Threshold Concepts. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, 31: e70085. https://doi.org/10.1111/jep.70085

The Nursing and Midwifery Council: Independent culture review - Reflection, accountability and action

Individual

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      INTERPERSONAL    :     SCIENCES                   

HUMANISTIC  --------------------------------------  MECHANISTIC      

 SOCIOLOGY  :    POLITICAL 

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Group

Title: 'Registered Nurse' ... Professionalism Reflection	Theory - Practice - Governance [gap*] PROCESSES ACTION
Community of Practice Role models Models of  Care - Across all care contexts

c/o Twi/X

*always trying to bridge ...

Perspectives on Paternalism and Public Health - Report

 INDIVIDUAL
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 INTERPERSONAL    :     SCIENCES               

HUMANISTIC --------------------------------------  MECHANISTIC      

SOCIOLOGY  :   POLITICAL 

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GROUP

public MENTAL health 'individual wellbeing'	PUBLIC HEALTH 'individual wellbeing'
PUBLIC HEALTH 'benefitting a group’ 'Is there such a thing as group wellbeing?' 'sub-population' 'population' [ 'Benefits realisation' in technology, and policy. Social responsibility. ]	Perspectives on Paternalism and Public Health

"The difficulties with assessing public health policies in terms of the standard model of paternalism are often under-recognised and under-explored. Given the lack of attention paid to these issues, perhaps we should not be overly pessimistic that progress is possible. When it comes to public health policy and practice, we should avoid trying to take a pre-made theory and simply applying it. Instead, we should carefully reflect on the case of public health to help us improve our theorising about the nature and ethical significance of paternalism in general." p.11.

Perspectives on Paternalism and Public Health - Report, Compiled by Jonathan Parry, Farhang Tahzib and Jessica Begon. UK Faculty of Public Health. November 2022. ISBN: 978-1-900273-89-3

My source:
https://twitter.com/LSEPhilosophy/status/1600505409575403520?s=20&t=JEL9DUvUTntSTyGtViZDtQ

Int. Congress on Evidence-based Parenting Support (6-8 June 2023)

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS

Abstract submissions date for the International Congress on Evidence-based Parenting Support (6-8 June 2023) has been extended to 23 December 2022. This global initiative will focus on effective evidence-based parenting support. It will bring together academics, policymakers, practitioners, consumers and service providers to advance research, policy and practice in the field of parenting and family intervention. This international collaboration aims to create global impact that will benefit parents and children now and for the next generation.

We welcome your insights from research, policy and practice that address a wide range of themes. See more on the themes: https://www.i-ceps.pafra.org/submission

Exciting news for submissions from low- and middle-income countries. The organising committee is pleased to offer free registration for the 20 top ranking abstracts from these countries.

Submissions close: 23 December 2022

More guidelines on abstracts: https://www.i-ceps.pafra.org/submission

Regards, Maria Battaglia

BEd, GradDip Ed&Pub, MComms Communications Officer Institute of Child Protection Studies Australian Catholic University Pronouns: she/her

Level 1, 232 Victoria Parade East Melbourne VIC 3002 Monday to Friday P: 03 9230 8732 E: Maria.Battaglia AT acu.edu.au W: www.acu.edu.au/icps W: safeguardingchildren AT acu.edu.au T: @ACU_ICPS L: Institute of Child Protection Studies

I-CEPS Congress (hosted by PAFRA) W: https://www.i-ceps.pafra.org/ Twitter: @PAFRA_Official LinkedIn: ICEPS2023 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ICEPS2023

I acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the lands on which I live and work, and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. I pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

HIFA profile: Maria Battaglia is Communications Officer at the Institute of Child Protection Studies, Australian Catholic University. https://www.i-ceps.pafra.org/ E: Maria.Battaglia AT acu.edu.au 

My source: https://hifa.org/

Update on draft papers ii

The draft paper on cardiovascular nursing, first episode psychosis, research methods and Hodges' model is just about finalised; at 4700 words, 4 figures (one illustration of the model, plus three 2x2 tables) and 42 references.

One of the oldest drafts is c. 2013; in mitigation I completed an MRES in-between. This is on case formulations, diagrams and Hodges' model and is quite near completion. Although now of course the references and literature need to be re-examined. There's a new rationale to pick this up - and it connects with work below.

Another effort morphed into two papers, following an initial inquiry with a journal (lost in the email archive). The focus is Threshold concepts, Liberty Protection Safeguards - a change from DoLS, the care context is nursing homes and the residential sector applying Hodges' model.

This draft has served a purpose, forming the basis of a presentation to the virtual Threshold Concepts Conference last year. News will follow soon regards next year:

9th Biennial Threshold Concepts Conference (I really miss the Specialist Group on TCs in Health, but also appreciate the time such a commitment takes.)

Last summer, seduced by reference to 'advanced studies' (and a call that presented a broad door, sufficient to get h2cm through) I responded to a call on technology, and society. Liaising with the editor, we added - COVID-19 and Hodges' model. Before I knew it, I'd amassed more than 12,000 words in six weeks. The comments even when far from final draft, were poor. No encouragement at all. Contact was lost, blanked in fact: the paper slept. 

Months later, picking it up again, I can see why. It was poor.

I've taken some -ve critique previously. Welcome it in fact: so the Earth-bound vacuum was rude.

When working on the Michel Serres paper:

Jones, P. (2008) Exploring Serres’ Atlas, Hodges’ Knowledge Domains and the Fusion of Informatics and Cultural Horizons, IN Kidd, T., Chen, I. (Eds.) Social Information Technology Connecting Society and Cultural Issues, Idea Group Publishing, Inc. Chap. 7, pp. 96-109.

- some rather negative feedback proved the spur to the final work - that I think (and been told) is coherent, engages and 'delivers'(?).

This will be the result again, but the chain reaction has to be tempered and channeled.
Clear the desk - clear the desk! I am my own worst enemy...!

The latest paper, and its being co-authored has proved an enormous help, in time management, discipline and focus (despite COVID intervening):

Jones P, Wirnitzer K. Hodges’ model: the Sustainable Development Goals and public health – universal health coverage demands a universal framework. BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health 2022;0:e000254. doi:10.1136/bmjnph-2021-000254

Out of the technology, society text, a structured work - maybe two - will materialise.

Swiss army knife

 

After wittering on about legacy problems in nursing, and health care for quite a while, I've wondered about an original purpose Hodges' model - that of curriculum design, planning, development. As ever, it is just one tool in the toolkit, but regards nursing curricula, mental health nursing, the general Vs specialist distinction Hodges' model can be the ubiquitous Swiss army knife:

Boyer's model, Hodges' model, scholarship, future website and Drupal

 

Noting and replying to threads on twitter, Hodges' model can help articulate the arguments for the future of mental health nursing as a distinct pathway of study, discipline, and profession.*

So if you're struggling to complete a paper, keep going!

That mention, back in 2009 of a 'future website' is embarrassing though.

*A post re. the BBC Panorama TV expose will follow in the future.

Key Safeguarding Legislation [UK]

I have been catching up on mandatory e-learning for work, which included safeguarding. This included a review of forms of abuse:

Physical abuse
Domestic violence or abuse
Sexual abuse
Psychological or emotional abuse
Financial or material abuse
Modern slavery
Discriminatory abuse
Organisational or institutional abuse
Neglect or acts of omission
Self-neglect  [SCIE]

In addition to the list of legislation below, readers may wish to relate these forms of abuse to the care (knowledge) domains of Hodges' model. 

Remember the model is an idealisation, but it is a very useful starting point for reflection, critical thinking, problem solving, analysis and synthesis.   [ Re. (self) - see below. ]

INDIVIDUAL

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 INTERPERSONAL    :     SCIENCES               

HUMANISTIC --------------------------------------  MECHANISTIC      

SOCIOLOGY  :   POLITICAL 

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GROUP

(self)	(self)
	"Care Act 2014 Mental Capacity Act 2005 / Court of Protection Human Rights Act 1998 Domestic violence crimes and victims act 2004  (amended in 2012) Mental Health Act 1983 Safeguarding vulnerable groups act 2004 amended by Protection of Freedoms Act in 2012 Sexual Offences Act 2012" (list not exhaustive)

As a means to help understand a situation, the model is applicable in risk and public safety more generally. In assessing risk students often recognise 'risk to self' and 'risk to others', but self-neglect can be a key part of the picture.

 
My source/prompt: E-learning

https://twitter.com/imathematicians/status/1530724466073952261?s=20&t=eF1XRD9HbkSJ2XWWbIk2qQ

meta - Care

Individual
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INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES

humanistic ------------------------------------------ mechanistic

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

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Group

meta^	care
Care	Meta*

 ^{^} meta: parity of esteem in care - mental life and well-being

^* © 2021 Meta

Hodges' Health Career - Care Domains - Model = 'meta-care'.

Two papers and a Conference

However much I try to multitask the result is illusory. Writing projects are many and the status of most is stalled*. Even those 'active' such as the SDG paper that combines Hodges' model, public health, specifically nutrition is on a sister journal and still awaiting word from the reviewers and editorial team. Where the paper remains active for me is that since last summer I've had the assistance of a co-author. This really does make a difference.

 Another paper I've posted about is the two-part draft [4400 Words / 46 Refs :: 4700 Words / 37 Refs] on:

• Threshold Concepts
• Hodges' model 
• Liberty Protection Safeguarding (Deprivation of Liberty Safeguarding - DoLS)
• Residential Care and Nursing Homes
  

Before the renewed focus on the SDG effort, the TC paper benefited from feedback (which will be acknowledged). Putting it down (yet again), it seemed a much more complete draft. Now, as the themes suggest, post-Covid, another revision-pass is merited. In compensation, as I find with Hodges' model and  each new year, the two-part paper's focus is even more relevant.

Next week I will once again share Hodges' model with a community of practice. Postponed from July 2020:

TC2020: 8TH BIENNIAL THRESHOLD CONCEPTS CONFERENCE, 2021

I wish I had data to back up and support the paper. I have routinely used Hodges' model implicitly in this care context as a community mental health nurse. Once again the work is descriptive. Before COVID struck, I was planning to address this and will as soon as possible. Now, I've sixteen slides to complete.

*Don't mention the website!

'Desk-topping' i [ c/o BBC Radio 4 today 5 Feb. ]

individual

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INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES

humanistic ----------------------------------------------- mechanistic

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

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group - population

'desktop' Definition #1 below is as obvious as it is brief. A desk might be topped with various things, so-called executive toys (still?), personal affects, or company related branding. It may have the proverbial in-tray, out-tray (paper still lingers?). The desk may be clear, or cluttered as a workspace. It will be the home of technology, it's PC - desktop - namesake, that shares the floor nearby, wired the sign of connectedness and energy.

'Desk-topping' To have 'papers' on the desk, might be to denote action of some sort, but how long are those 'papers' held for? The subjects of the issue at hand could be experiencing a protracted delay. The desktop in this case exemplifies not just bureaucracy, but obfuscation.

desk·top (dĕsk′tŏp′)
n.
1. The top of a desk.
2. Computers
a. The area of a display screen where images, windows, icons and other graphical items appear.
b. A computer that is designed to be used at a desk or table and is not easily moved, in contrast to a laptop or other portable device. Also called desktop computer.

https://www.thefreedictionary.com/desktop

My source:
BBC Radio 4 Today 5 February- discussion regarding historical child abuse in the Church.

Desk-topping or desktopping?

Loot boxes: GET YOURS TODAY!

individual

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INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES

humanistic ----------------------------------------------- mechanistic

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

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group - population

LOOT BOXES 'Liminality' - a journey - into gambling?	e-Gaming Immersive Worlds Part-work encyclopaedias Model part-work products (so many plastic things)
Antique collectables - Football cards Stamps, Coins ...	Overall cost Oversight: parental Policy - Government

There are no loot boxes in Hodges' model, but then again,

you could say there are four.

The loot boxes in Hodges' model are not free,

the cost is time.

For many that is already a major expenditure and at the expense of relationships, friendships and studies.

Like many games there is a challenge in Hodges' model.

By all means please do explore the knowledge (care) domains of Hodges' model.

You are then invited to reflect, weigh, balance ... and find the real loot boxes you seek.

Your mission [ if you choose to accept it ;-) ] is to learn from each of the boxes about the situation you find yourself in and fuse these new insights into one.


WHO: Gaming disorder

Note to self:
#h2cm has an addictive - memetic quality (but is not a 'memetic hazard')
As a tool it is not the only one, but is a key resource for reflection, critique and problem solving.

Why is the Sky Blue? c/o BBC

individual

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INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES

humanistic ----------------------------------- mechanistic

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

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group

Why
is the Sky Blue?

My source: BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour:

"For her offbeat musical Why is the Sky Blue? Abbey Wright, the director, interviewed more than 10,000 children and young people about their experiences of online pornography. Currently being performed at the Southwark Playhouse in London, the outcome is a new piece of verbatim theatre with explicit references performed by a company of 6-22 year olds. Abbey joins Jane as does Annie Hawkins, one of the young actors."

Models: Are out of fashion aren't they?

individual

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INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES

humanistic --------------------------------------- mechanistic

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

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group

Jimmy Nelson  Longhorn, Suo Jia, Luizhi, 2016	SIZE ZERO

My sources:
Eleanor Mills, February 5 2017, The Sunday Times.

Books: Size Zero: My Life As a Disappearing Model by Victoire Dauxerre

Jimmy Nelson: The Sunday Times Magazine, 19 February 2017. http://www.atlasgallery.com/news/jimmy-nelsonthe-sunday-times-magazinebefore-ii

Victoire Dauxerre original photo: http://www.repubblica.it/esteri/2016/05/12/news/ex_modella_contro_anoressia_francia-139627426/

Book: "Touch" - Line of sight, light touch, looking for (care) assurance if not truth

Sometimes things become clearer
- resolved -
when they touch,
even if as lines they cross
and all is rendered more complex...

individual

INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES

humanistic ------------------------------------------- mechanistic

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

group

Learning of self and other	Book: Touch
greetings, friendship, relationships, intimacy	the POLITICS of touch power

See also:
Reading between the lines...

2011... looking ahead: Line of sight - Lines of insight

Image source:
http://davidlinden.org

1 in 3 will be older adults by 2025 in Japan

In June Dr Mayumi Hayashi described Japan's vision of 'total care' for its older population in HSJ. The article that prompts this post follows another with lessons for England.

Referring to a "2025 vision" this forward thinking has its roots in established systems of healthcare set up in 1961 and social care established in 2000 (p.25).

Care integration is not new as a fundamental issue in health and social care. It is for me a career legacy issue. As a student nurse it was discussed and debated, closely allied with multidisciplinary and holistic (joined up physical and mental health) care. Even now 37 years later it will drive many arguments and policy deliberations in the run up to the next election here.

Many nations are faced with stark demographics. As the population ages and works its way through wooden blocks, Rubik cubes, it is the population pyramid that takes on increasing significance.


Dr Hayashi lists the need for inclusion, integration and continuation of four components that are essential to the realisation of this vision:

• maximising the integration of healthcare and social care;
• promoting policies for prevention and outreach together with safeguarding;
• embedding supported living programmes and dementia friendly community initiatives; and
• addressing “late life specific” housing needs.

I have mapped these to Hodges' model below:

individual
INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES

humanistic ------------------------------------------- mechanistic

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

group

embedding supported living programmes and dementia friendly community initiatives	integration of health and social care
"late life specific" housing needs (integration of health and social care)	promoting policies for prevention and outreach, together with safeguarding

It becomes clear to see in Japan, China and other nations how telecare and smart homes have a role to play. Getting the basics of integrated care resolved firstly is the prerequisite whatever the culture.

Where achieved the integration of health and social care can act as a diagonal brace as it straddles two care domains. Perhaps the model also reflects the ongoing challenges of parity in esteem in mental health care and physical care; and the funding ambiguity for people living with dementia as opposed to other medical conditions?

In January 2014 the FT Weekend magazine also featured an article on ageing in Japan.

Hayashi, M. (2014) Japan's vision of a 'total care' future looks bright, Health Service Journal, 124, 6404, 25-27. 

FT magazine cover image:
https://www.facebook.com/financialtimes/photos/a.10150157857040750.297340.8860325749/10152119294570750/?type=1

Child well-being, Silver Superdreams, DEEP care and DEEPer voices

On the website [archived 2015 - page may not remain] there's a small page that highlights DEEP things...

That is DEEP ECOLOGY, DEEP TIME, DEEP SPACE and of course DEEP CARE. These days it seems everything is DEEP. So it isn't noise that's damaging your ear drums it's pressure.

When I wrote that page deep care was left to fend for itself (there's a books worth there I bet); but then I remembered a day as a student...

In those days I had a silver Honda 250cc Superdream. I'd swear that bike had a built in gyro (except for the time I dropped it in the snow). The bike not only helped me with the a2b; on community experience I had to spend a day at a children's home...

The day started at 2pm working through to 9-10pm. Many of the kids were not yet home from school. So I was able to chat with the house-mothers as the two female staff members were called and I do remember their names. This was a quiet interlude before the chaos ensued. It was spring and the 'instructions' were - when the children are home, join-in outside while tea is prepared.

Well, arrive they did and there I was in this big garden playing football and inevitable rough and tumble with the lads. While all this was going on I could see the house-mothers at the window watching. Watching a bit more. Then not just watching: staring. Was I doing something wrong (and who was cooking tea)?

Anyway, a bell announced tea time to be followed with more antics outside then some indoor games and then time for bed. Stories first of course. I was asked to take a youngster upstairs and settle him down. He couldn't have been more than 5. On my shoulders up the stairs. A brief flight through the air along a carefully judged flight-path suddenly filled with giggles to find the book...

As I started to read one of the house-mothers came in and started to tidy the room and I suppose keep an eye on me. I like reading. As I read that feeling returned - being watched just like in the garden. This time it was a pair of very young eyes doing the staring, with an open-mouthed intensity that was dry-mouth disturbing. Next, I noticed the house-mother had stopped what she was doing to watch and listen. OK: What was going on? We reached a point were the book closed and it was time for lights out and prayers.

Then I was asked for a kiss.

It wasn't that I was upset or anything, but it was the way this little guy asked.

Now I know there are all sorts of considerations these days, equality and diversity, sex and gender roles. This WAS ALL about equality and diversity and something wasn't right.

I responded with that student-male awkwardness that I wasn't about to kiss him, but it would be great to shake his hand and say thanks for everything - the soccer, chocs, drawings, thumbs up for the bike....

So, phew - lights out upstairs - it was time for twenty questions downstairs.

As the home got quieter by the second, the questions were well-formed, but had to wait as I joined the two house mothers sitting at the kitchen table for tea/coffee. Straight away they guessed my star-sign: Aquarius. OK... Then they apologised for staring earlier. I acknowledged that this hadn't gone unnoticed. They explained how pleased and totally fascinated they were to see the young boys able to interact in ways that they - try as they might - just cannot manage. The house-mothers usually read the stories and while I'm no bass-baritone, my voice - a lone male voice - had really struck a cord.

Unfortunately, back then there were issues about recruiting male staff members. I passed on those same concerns and my experience to the school of nursing. The house-mothers agreed that as a consequence there were potential future mental health issues being incubated there - the clients of tomorrow. They were trying to bring about change themselves.

That day will stay with me - I hope. As I rode home I knew it was a real gem in terms of learning experience. Scary, the notions of 'self' and 'others'. I wonder how things have changed in the homes and in society at large?