I too have a child who appears to have Asperger's syndrome ("Love is ..." 19 July). Rhys is six in September and I have been raising queries about his behaviour and social skills since he was 18 months old.
I have had all the insults under the sun. "He is out of control", "That child needs more discipline", "If that child was mine....". I have learned to bite my tongue. Asperger's syndrome is a very misunderstood disability and can be distressing for both child and parent. Often I have had to watch my child bang his head on the floor, pull at his hair, scratch at his eyes, all because he cannot understand the situation he is in. Rhys finds it very difficult to maintain eye contact. He is obsessed with dinosaurs and pre-history. His imagination is wild. His school teacher often refers to him as the next Steven Spielberg.
When he was asked one Monday what he had done over the weekend, Rhys told everyone that he went to the moon. When he was told that it was unlikely that he actually went to the moon he became upset and strongly stood by his story. Even though his development in social communication and interaction is slow, Rhys is by no means stupid. He loves to do complex jigsaws with lots of small pieces. He has a great fascination with anything scientific.
Rhys was first referred to a psychiatrist last September. He finally saw her this month. It is now only a matter of time until a diagnosis of Asperger's syndrome is made. I know that this is going to be a very long and drawn out process that will be difficult for us both at times. I know I must be strong.
It was inspiring and comforting to know that there is another person out there who feels the same way as I do. I would just like to say well done. It's not easy but very rewarding.
Kathryn Armour
Cwmbran, Torfaen
Awareness starts in the supermarket
The kind of behaviour Fox ("Love is ..." 19 July) displays is indeed behaviour that many of us (myself included) do not understand. We merely think the child is naughty and problematic. This usually happens in supermarkets where Fox's mother rightly points out, the parents are criticised and questioned by onlookers.
Her article was not only informative but from the heart. It has certainly made me think a bit more about such children and their behaviour. However, I am only fortunate enough to have seen this article because I subscribe to Community Care through my work. What about the people who haven't read the article so cannot possibly begin (unless they have personal experience) to think that maybe the child they are getting annoyed about has Asperger's or that there is a genuine problem?
So come on, let's make people aware and start in a place that we all go to, the supermarket. If it makes just one person stop and think before they judge, it's a job well done!
Name and address withheld
Unhelpful attack
It is unfortunate that the writer of the letter criticising South African social workers (Letters, 12 July) chose to withhold their name and address. If they believed strongly in what they wrote then the obvious approach would be to identify themselves.
I believe that such generalisations fail to contribute to the integration of South African social workers into UK social services. Instead, they exacerbate the artificial split between British and South African social workers. The South African social workers in our borough have shown a willingness to learn and to contribute fully to their teams. Likewise, their UK colleagues have shown a tremendous and heart-warming openness to social workers from various countries. We all do the best to facilitate the processes within our teams and with our clients, regardless of our cultural or ethnic backgrounds.
I believe that all social workers will "leave when they don't like the job". Yet the writer singles out South African social workers. The writer's attack on South African social workers is unhelpful, unsubstantiated and unprovoked. We work towards integration in our teams, learning new systems and processes, undertaking courses provided by our borough and integrating into British society. In our borough, we have a relationship that encapsulates a spirit of co-operation and consideration for others.
Perhaps the writer should limit feelings of resentment to their own experiences, and not include all South African social workers.
Nadine Chorn
Chadwell Heath, Essex
Care home transfer will benefit residents
The transfer of Florence Hammond House, where Flossie Hands lives ("Moved to tears", 28 June), to a trust, was considered to be the option most likely to allow the residents to remain in the homes they love with the staff they know and trust still with them.
It will also result in funding being freed up to bring all the homes up to new government standards, improving the residents' quality of life and preventing wholesale closures of homes without replacement provision. Independent advocates are being appointed in order to allow maximum involvement of residents and their families in the decision-making concerning any refurbishment and rebuilding that is necessary.
Of course, movement is distressing for residents and would only be undertaken where it is impossible for a home to be refurbished without moving them temporarily or where a home must be rebuilt. This would ultimately be for the good of the residents, and is necessary to meet the new government standards. All homes must be fit for purpose and this is the same whether with a trust or with a local authority.
Sandra Taylor
Director of social services
Birmingham Council
Memories of a gentle and reflective man
We are extremely sad to hear of the untimely death of Tom Burgner (News, page 4, 19 July). Over the past ten years we have met Tom on many occasions and have always been struck by his gentle and reflective manner and his capacity to listen and unravel the complexities relating to regulation and the protection of vulnerable people.
He played a significant part in placing regulation centre stage. His elevation to the National Care Standards Commission was well deserved and it is a great sadness that he will not be able to see the culmination of all his efforts.
The National Association of Inspection and Registration Officers greatly appreciated his contribution over the years and he will be sadly missed.
Alan Jefferson, chairperson
Heather Wing, founder president
National Association of Inspection and Registration Officers
Rotherham
The wider concerns of shareholders
The article by Ruth Winchester ("In the right vein" 19 July) states that "any profit-making company's principal responsibility is to its shareholders".
Arguably this is correct, but shareholders are not only interested in the company maximising its profits for their benefit.
Trinity Care is a public company with more than 200 shareholders. However, a significant proportion of the shareholders have invested because of the company's mission to provide Christian-based whole-person care.
The fact that we have chosen to do this on a commercial basis is a matter of pragmatism and is of secondary importance to a number of shareholders.
Having said that, we obviously do have to take account of the fact that another significant number of shareholders expect to see a good return on their investment. The simplest way of describing our approach is that we endeavour to exercise good stewardship of our finances in order to discharge our responsibilities to all shareholders .
However, it would be an unfair picture to suggest that "for profit" private sector companies are motivated by finance only.
David Henderson
Chief executive
Trinity Care
Motives questioned
Along with Anthony Williams (Letters,19th July) I question whether the cries of guardians ad litem are a reflection of their own loss of status and income, rather than distress about the impact on children.
I do not doubt their commitment to children, but they are hardly unique in this. For many years now, experienced and dedicated social workers have endured fundamental changes in their role and practice. Who listened to their cries?
I know of many social workers who live in circumstances not too far removed from those families they work with. They do not enjoy high salaries and prestige. Neither do they threaten a mass walk-out from their jobs because they do not like the terms and conditions that are being imposed.
Guardians have enjoyed years of tranquillity, while others have had to fight to maintain their existence. The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service may or may not prove to be effective, but to abandon it before it has even begun seems to be leaving children vulnerable.
Name and address withheld
