A new chapter, a new beginning

It all begins with a little thought, a little leap or a giant one in my case. I had never really thought about what I had to offer until a mirror was held up to my life and I had to make a decision. When I was a Year 6/7 teacher in a specialist school I was the one that did transition. I would go and meet parents and carers who’s little one had been in a mainstream cocoon for so long and yet at that moment in time they knew that the gap between their child and their peers was too big and they were worried about what would come next. I knew that seeking a specialist place for my children (all teacher’s claim their kids as their own, including me) would be the best decision their families would make. However there is still a stigma about a young person attending a “special school”. For me a specialist school means that, that we can adapt and tailor the curriculum to meet the needs of those young people and do it well. To focus on communication, to give a young person as much independence as they can access.

So something happened that made me rethink my career and my life’s work. In the job I was doing I felt awful giving welcome visits to parents and saying “this is what we have, however we don’t have any spaces”. Seeing families looking hopeful and then disheartened. I felt like I was the one letting them down, not the “system”. So I thought how can I make a difference, how can I help? Is there something that I can do? So I developed the idea of Kairos. If we can help and support educators in mainstream schools and nurseries with communication, behaviour challenges and rapport then in theory the schools can put those things into practice earlier, sooner and maybe the gap wont be so wide? Those young people will have the tools to do the bigger things and to thrive in their environments. Well, that is my hope anyway. I know that I can do this, I can help. Phase one is to support schools, phase 2 is to help families and this is where I might need more of your input. What would you like to see as family support?

Here as always

Kara