Friday 5 February 2010

"They've lost the plot!" says support worker

It is 8.40 am. I am half dressed so already behind time for the school run. My phone sings its A-Team ringtone. It's my support worker.

He tells me he's "been up all night"; hasn't been able to "stop thinking" about the Tory Councillor's visit.

A miniscule part of me finds this quite funny; I thought I was the only one having sleepless nights here.

"He's coming to look at the services we provide yeah. We've been providing you the right services and he knows that. His visit has got nothing to do with housing. I don't know why he's called it."

"It is to do with housing!" School run is forgotten for a moment as I sit on my bed, barefoot, hair unbrushed. "I don't know why he's called his meeting but IT IS about housing!"

"My services manager laughed, not a bad laugh but laughed and said: "He's only going to find out about our services."

"Oh yes, because you said the Tory "had no power""

"Well, the [pathmead's manager] said that might not be true, said "you never know what councillors can do." "

"Well I hope they can do something."
"Yeah well it doesn't make any sense to me. They've lost the plot! He's coming to look at services, nothing to do with housing, I tell you I've been up all night!"

"That is why he's coming. He said he would help my son. I haven't been able to help my son. You haven't been able to help my son..." and what I consider to be the funniest thing I've said this morning: "Stop worrying about it!"

"I actually called about the Wells thing"

(He sent a text last night saying he was going to apply to some Trust "for additional money for u and ur son. Should help to maximise your income". I replied: "Ooh! I don't understand....")

"Listen, I'm really late for the school run now, can I speak to you later?"

"Yeah, I'll call at half nine."

I had a paranoid thought that he might read this blog and at half nine instead read it to see if I've written something, in which case, erm, hello support worker!

But I had a greater thought and that is the email I sent to The Tory on Wednesday afternoon when I was mad, mad, maaaaaaaaaaaaad.

This is it:

Hi Tory,

I've just been on the phone to my 'support worker'. He's been asking me why you are coming. He told me that in regards to mine and my son's situation you "don't have the power to do anything."

You might understand that I am feeling really really angry at the moment. I'm thinking, what is the point of the meeting?

The support worker will only be there after all, not to support me, but to report back to the same managers - [permanent, allocations] - who haven't taken a blind bit of notice of my mp, of my doctor, of my son's school, of anybody infact.

Who's to say they'll take a blind bit of notice of you?

I'm sorry for this email, but I'm upset. I'm at a total, total loss of what to do.

I hope you're having a good day.

Kind regards

Sue de Nim

My son was late to school. What can I say, I am feeling abit overwhelmed.

2 comments:

Jennysmith said...

Oh sod them at school! You owe them nothing.

What an incredible amount of frustration you are going through.
Bloody good email you sent xxx

Stigmum said...

Luckily school are cool with what's going on with me at the moment. Just re-read the post, it's rubbish, garbled but I guess as confusing as the phone call was! So thanks indeed for saying the email's good, that is what's important for me and ma boy!! All those cotton pickin' emails I write! xxx