By Lesley Tait, Head of Quality Assurance and Best Practice
Children who need a wee bit more support are dynamic, thoughtful, generous, spirited…. The list could go on and on.
Earlier this year, my position within FCSS changed to include supporting Megan who is our ASN Co-ordinator, along with all our Early Years Managers.
To give a little bit of background, I worked with adults with additional support needs (ASN) as far back as 1994 (yes, that does show how old I am), and to say that care and support has changed 110% in that time is still an understatement. Let’s move on 29 years!
I have to admit I was slightly apprehensive of having a supportive role to a manager that I have not been in for 29 years, as you might imagine, it was slightly daunting.
Megan and I arranged for us to visit the groups, including Life Skills, OOSC and Saturday groups in Peterhead, Ellon and Fraserburgh. We also visited groups in the October holidays as Storm Babet was hitting the North East of Scotland!
I can honestly say from the bottom of my heart, it was one of the best experiences I have every had. I was made to feel so welcome in every group, the children were amazing (as every child is), and all at once, all that anxiety that I had, left me.
Let me tell you a wee story: I went to one of the groups on a Saturday morning, Megan had given me great insights to each child, with her telling me that one of the young people would make a beeline for me as I was new. That she did! I spent time with her drawing pictures with her, chatting and her bossing me about. It was marvellous and I didn’t want to leave!
A few weeks later I went to an OOSC in Oldmeldrum and the same young person was there. She came running out of the school shouting at me saying that she was happy to see me, and that we were going to be able to draw more pictures together!
You have no idea how this made me so happy, when you are remembered in a happy positive way. The OOSC made me realise how fantastic we can support young people with ASN, but how they can support us to not be anxious, not be daunted; they are just the same as every other young person, but just need more support.
I have not laughed so much, as when I was in that group, and I will always be forever grateful that I felt like that.
What I really want to say is…………..if you think that working with young people who have ASN is not something you have thought of, please think about it.
You will be supported, be given access to training, have a comprehensive induction and in the end, probably have the time of your life (just like I did).
Why not email Megan on megan.lawson@fcss.org.uk and see what amazing opportunities we have today.
