Quest Spring 2018

Spring Update 2018

Quest

Thanks to you, we’re transforming lives

Your support means Ciara’s voice is heard Page 6

Quarriers at home page 2

Quarriers in schools page 4

Quarriers in health care page 8

Quest Spring 2018

Hello and thank you W

hether you attend Quarriers events, fundraise at work, take on a personal challenge, donate regularly or support an appeal, you’re giving someone the chance of a better life.

2

Quest Spring 2018

Update: Christmas appeal goes further Young homeless people want to work, to study, to train and to succeed in life, but we see them struggle to find funding for the most basic of things, and they miss out on the opportunities other young people can take for granted.

M

any of you have supported our Box of Hope appeal over the past few years, and this has allowed us to establish the Quarriers Box of Hope Progress Fund.

We know this fund is needed because so many of the young people we support have no one helping them out financially.

The Quarriers Box of Hope Progress Fund has so much potential to play a powerful part in young people’s lives. It will provide the personalised support that they need, when they need it.

It will give young people access to the world of work, to pride in themselves, an education, a safety net in an emergency, and the power to make progress in their lives, leaving homelessness far behind them.

Because of your support, the help we can give will last longer than ever before.

Megan wasn’t safe at home because of her dad’s mental health issues. She spent her sixth year at school living at a Quarriers youth homeless service. She passed her exams and got into law school.

She applied to the Quarriers Box of Hope Progress Fund to get a second-hand laptop for her studies and wrote a note to her support worker saying

Models have been used to protect the identities of people we support.

You’re a lifesaver, thank you.

3

Quest Spring 2018

Let’s Talk

At Quarriers, we have a huge range of expertise that allows us to pioneer new and innovative support. Our Let’s Talk service is doing exactly that.

I’m worried my dad’s going to find me. I stand beside the school gates at playtime so that if he comes I can run away.

- Ava, age 9

T

hose worries are pretty difficult to hear, but even more difficult to keep bottled up inside when you’re nine. Ava and her mum had fled domestic violence, but no one in Ava’s life knew she had those feelings; not her mum, friends or teacher.

4

Quarriers Let’s Talk Service is making school a safe place to talk about mental health for primary aged children like Ava. Through Let’s Talk, Ava came to a drop-in session at her school and opened up to Service Development Worker Andrea McGowan.

“I’ve heard people say ‘but they’re only in primary school, why do they need to talk about mental health?’” says Andrea. “But here are some real examples: worrying about your mum’s cancer diagnosis, being frightened by terrorism on the news, feeling angry about things going on at home and getting into fights at school, feeling so anxious you stop eating. Adults often don’t know what goes on for children. This project is about finding

Quest Spring 2018

out, giving them a voice, and making that an everyday part of being at school.”

The service launched with a pilot in three schools last year, and is now working with nine primary schools in the north east of Glasgow. That means that 2,000 children – around 50% of the school population in that area - have access to the service.

It’s important because research shows that half of mental health problems have started by the age of 14, something Andrea understands more than most.

“Early intervention isn’t recognised enough.

I had a foster brother who committed suicide last year. He was troubled his whole life and I know his issues started in childhood and followed a pattern. I can see a child, and I can see how things are going to go for them if someone doesn’t come in and intervene.”

In practice, that means not only offering drop-in sessions, getting out and about to schools and talking to classes and assemblies to introduce the idea of chatting about mental health, but also training teachers.

Top tips Andrea’s top tips for chatting to children about mental health •

Kids are more likely to share if you chat to them when they’re focused on another task, like colouring in.

•

Share your own feelings with them – good and bad.

Just remember that they’re still children and you need to talk with them in an age appropriate way. It will let them know ‘it’s okay to not be okay’.

• Let kids get bored sometimes.

Five or ten minutes of quiet time could be good for them.

“Mental health as a subject is a part of the school curriculum, but not part of teacher training,” says Andrea. With input from children and teachers, Andrea has developed a teaching pack. It’s a unique resource which is addressing a huge need, and proving vital for teachers.

“It’s so exciting because we have so many opportunities to develop,” says Andrea, “but we’re also upskilling teachers and support staff, and providing resources that mean that we don’t have to physically be there for schools to be able to use this tool for years to come.”

@QLetsTalk

Pictures drawn by children at a Let’s Talk session

5

Quest Spring 2018

Giving young people a voice C

atherine Harrison is Information and Advocacy Officer at Quarriers Falkirk Children’s Rights Service and has been advocating for Ciara for five years. This support began when Ciara was taken into care aged 11 and placed in a children’s residential crisis unit, then moved to a more long-term placement.

Catherine: Young people in the care system often find it hard to be heard. Professionals have to make decisions about where you live, who you see, what’s safe or unsafe for you. My job is to make sure young people like Ciara get heard.

Ciara: I remember the first time I met Catherine. I didn’t realise what a serious thing I was going through.

6

Catherine: When we very first meet a young person it’s because things are at crisis point.

With Ciara, it was because she had been taken into care, and was about to have her first Children’s Hearing, where the court was going to decide about Ciara’s longer term care.

Ciara: Going to a meeting is like… there’s this big table, and all people sitting there.

There’s a wee ‘typy’ lady who’s typing everything down.

The worst part is seeing your notes – everything that’s ever happened to you, all the most private stuff, and everyone has a copy.

Quest Spring 2018

Catherine: When I first started working with Ciara she didn’t feel able to go into meetings.

Ciara: For a long time I didn’t want to go in to the room at all – it’s the same room where I was put into care. I remember sitting in that room for hours while they decided where they were going to put me.

I hate that room.

Then, you’re also scared to say what you want to say because you’re saying it in front of your key worker, a senior social worker, people from school, the chair, the review co-ordinator, my mum, my gran, even the lady who does the typing. It’s such a tense environment.

Catherine: In that environment, Ciara needs someone who she can trust, so a really important part of my job is building a good relationship with Ciara and the other young people I work with. It’s all about spending time, so things like the days out provided by donations to the Quarriers Summer Appeal are brilliant.

Ciara: It’s good to get out and about. There’s loads of reviews and hearings, so instead of my meetings with Catherine always being serious, we get to have fun.

Catherine’s support has helped Ciara to come out of her shell, and she feels able to speak up at meetings now.

Catherine: I’m Ciara’s voice. Before a big meeting, we’ll take notes on what Ciara wants to say. If she wants to speak then I can support her in that, but if it’s difficult then I can make sure her views are heard.

Ciara: Before, I would have been panicking a lot. But the last time we went, I felt I could speak, and it was much better being able to talk for myself.

Ciara had never been out for a sit down Chinese meal so asked if this could be her summer day out last year.

- Catherine

Ciara’s also speaking out in other ways and has joined a national panel of young people asking for their rights to be upheld and for hearings to be made better for them.

Ciara: I feel better knowing that things can be changed so that no one has to go through all the rubbish things I’ve had to go through.

Catherine: When I first met Ciara, she would never have done something like that. I think it shows how far she has come and how much her confidence has grown. It’s fantastic to see.

7

Quest Spring 2018

Building a world where no life is shattered by epilepsy Just before its fifth birthday, The William Quarrier Scottish Epilepsy Centre won the prestigious Laing Buisson Award for excellence and innovation in health care. It’s a proud moment, and a validation of Quarriers’ belief in the need for the service.

I

n 2011, Quarriers launched a public appeal to raise £6.5million to build a new epilepsy centre. Our work in epilepsy dates back to 1906, when the Colony of Mercy, a treatment facility for people affected by epilepsy, opened in Quarriers Village.

William Quarrier had launched plans for building this facility in 1895, although he sadly passed away before he saw his vision become a reality.

Over 100 years later, we knew we could grow that expertise and began the ambitious plan to build a new Scottish centre of excellence for epilepsy care and diagnosis. We also knew the extent of the need: in the UK 87 people are diagnosed with epilepsy every day, but misdiagnosis is estimated at up to almost one third of cases.

The William Quarrier Scottish Epilepsy Centre is the only mid-term residential unit in Scotland where people with complex epilepsy or additional needs can be assessed using world-leading video and recording equipment. It means that seizures can be recorded as they happen, and that makes for accurate diagnosis.

“When people come to The William Quarrier Scottish Epilepsy Centre, it’s because their 8

Gerard Gahagan, Head of Epilepsy Services, and Lorraine Jackson, Unit Manager

case is complex and all of the options offered through the NHS have been explored and exhausted. They need to be here,” says Dr Maria Oto, Consultant Neuropsychiatrist at the centre.

The average length of time that people are misdiagnosed prior to admission at The William Quarrier Scottish Epilepsy Centre is seven years. The patients who come to us for help have two big questions: what is happening to me, and what treatment will most improve my life?

These are the people who we help.

Quest Spring 2018

They’ve given me my life back.

- Laura Eccles

Laura and her mum

Laura Eccles was admitted to The William Quarrier Scottish Epilepsy Centre (WQSEC) for a four-week stay.

Her mum Vanessa talks about her time there.

“Laura was having multiple, prolonged, unexplained seizures. She’d had at least 15 hospital admissions and had been rushed to emergency several times over the space of 18 months.

“Laura has cerebral palsy and is on the autistic spectrum, but until then her quality of life had been great. She went to the gym, did drama, and loved horse riding.

These huge unexplained seizures came out of nowhere. We had seen a different consultant during each visit to hospital, and were started on 11 different types of new medication.

She is so precious to us.

We were terrified we were going to lose her.

- Laura’s mum “Everyone was lost until a consultant suggested the William Quarrier unit in Glasgow.

“Once we got to the William Quarrier Centre, you could immediately sense how much Laura relaxed. I cried and was cared for by the amazing staff team. You’re at your worst time, but the camaraderie at the unit is amazing.

Within four weeks, life was back on track.

- Laura’s mum “What you have at the WQSEC is a team of exceptional neurologists. They explained everything every step of the way and gently weaned Laura off the meds that hadn’t been working. We went home with a new programme all written for what to do when she has a seizure, and the whole family has had training with the programme the WQSEC gave us.

“Laura is now a WQSEC patient. That means they take the lead on all of her care, and that will continue, because her needs are changing all the time. We become extremely overwhelmed and emotional thinking about what they have done for us, and for our beautiful, precious daughter Laura.”

9

Quest Spring 2018

A cause close to our hearts Choosing to donate to a cause is such a personal decision.

Everyone has their own reasons for wanting to make a difference, but we know that lots of you have a close family connection.

Whatever your reason for supporting Quarriers, thank you.

We wanted to give something back.

S

teven and Jill were incredibly thoughtful and donated to Quarriers instead of having favours at their wedding. “My sister was looked after at a Quarriers respite service before she passed away,” says Steven. “I’ve always supported and I feel very loyal to the charity so when we were getting married we thought ‘well what can we do to support Quarriers at the wedding?’”

Steven got in touch with our community fundraising team, and we made him place cards for guests which explained the couple’s kind gift. “It all went down pretty well,” says Steven. “It was just an added nice wee thing on an amazing day.”

Close to your heart?

If you have a family story to tell, or would like to fundraise or donate in memory of someone, we would love to hear from you.

You can call on 01505 616016, email fundraising@quarriers.org.uk or you can use the reply envelope enclosed.

10

Quest Spring 2018

In memory of Jack

Every penny counts Did you know those wee bits of small change that hang about on tables, worktops and in pockets can change lives?

We introduce our new home money boxes.

Simply put the box on your hall table or kitchen sideboard, and save all those spare pennies in aid of Quarriers.

If you feel connected to Quarriers and would like to help a wee bit more, this is an easy way to do what you can. Those pennies will all add up and play a vital part in funding even more support for people who need us.

If you would like a home money box, please call us on 01505 616092, email fundraising@quarriers.org.uk or use the freepost reply envelope enclosed.

When Jack Drummond passed away at the age of 98, his children felt it fitting that the collection at his funeral was in aid of Quarriers.

Jack was a former Quarriers boy, and lived in one of the boys’ cottages in Quarriers Village for six years from 1928 when his adoptive parents died. Jack was just ten years old.

“What would have happened to our dad if it wasn’t for Quarriers?” say his children. “It was a difficult time in his life, but he often spoke of it fondly. Over the years, we would often go with him for a visit back to the village. It’s a big part of our family history and we knew dad would have wanted the collection to go to Quarriers.”

11

Get the girls together – it’s time for Quarriers Ladies Lunch.

A day out with the girls you say? Let’s do it!

Sunday 29 April 2018 12 noon to 4.30pm The Grand Central Hotel, Glasgow £40pp

Great food, shopping, goody bags, guest speaker and live entertainment

Book now by calling Events on 01505 616054.

You can also email events@quarriers.org.uk.

Don’t miss out - book today! www.quarriers.org.uk/ladieslunch

Quarriers is a registered Scottish Charity No. SC001960