Page 22 - Community Living Magazine 34-1

ivy angerer award
Students stand up for rights

Student learning disability nurses wrote about a time they promoted the rights of a person they
worked with for a competion jointly sponsored by Community Living in memory of Ivy Angerer.
Here are the winning entry and the runner-up

Gracie’s plea “given up on” by various groups that the
Winner: Theresa Parker family and herself had thought might be
able to help and assist in getting Gracie
I first met Gracie last year and wanted to back into school.
help from the word “go”. Gracie is 13 With Gracie’s consent, I approached the
years old and experiences high levels of school that she had been absent from for
anxiety and low mood. She is also autistic many months and arranged a meeting for
coupled with pathological demand Gracie, her parents, pastoral leader and
avoidance (PDA). year head. Before the meeting, I met with
Gracie has a loving family, who struggle Gracie several times to ensure that she
with her “spirited” and (at times) could express her views and feelings. I
demanding behaviour. Although Gracie encouraged her to keep a diary and to
has been seen by CAMHS [child and adult attempt to do at least one activity per day.
mental health services], GPs and I wanted to make Gracie see that she
counsellors, she continues to be in turmoil would be listened to and that options
and feels “abandoned” by the education were available to her. She had choices
system as well as by much-needed to ensure that her life was valuable and
support from health and social care. precious and she had rights to entitle
Gracie’s behaviour and fluctuating her to the life that she wanted to live –
moods have had a huge impact on her even if it did not always appear to
education and lack of attending school. conform with what was expected of her
Gracie and her parents have been from others. Theresa Parker with her award, which was
threatened with the possibility of fines, presented by Helen Laverty MBE, professional
as well as the possibility of being Given a voice at last lead for learning disability nursing at the
prosecuted. Her autism diagnosis has During the meeting, Gracie was given the University of Nottingham
been overlooked and brushed aside as opportunity to “voice” her fears, concerns
“lots of people have autism and still and hopes. At the end of the meeting, it determination and inner strength in the
attend school… and manage fine was decided that Gracie could go back to face of much adversity. She has been
throughout life” ethos. school on a phased return. dismissed by many as being awkward,
It is this attitude that led Gracie to Gracie and I discussed that it was not difficult, challenging, disruptive and lazy.
attempt suicide last year, leading to some going to be easy to return – but, with her Having the privilege of being involved
CAMHS intervention. It left the family CBT [cognitive behaviour therapy] with Gracie and her family has highlighted
devastated, confused and not knowing strategies, it would be a start. for me the importance of being able to
how to help Gracie move forward in terms It has taken many months for Gracie to support vulnerable youngsters in a
of living her life to the full. attempt to get back into school and this is a positive way, providing them with a
In the months that followed, Gracie’s “work in progress”. Gracie still has days “voice” when they feel unable to articulate
personal care and hygiene were where she struggles to get out of bed, their feelings, emotions and frustrations.
compromised as was her relationship with attend school and be with her family but I am proud of the profession that I will
her mum especially. She became very she also has days where she goes into be joining once qualified – a learning
angry and reacted in a physical manner as school and participates in drama where she disability nurse. For Gracie, the support
her mum struggled to encourage her to said “I lose myself by reinventing myself”. has enabled her to know her life is
get up each day, sleep and settle at night, I have learned a lot from my important and worth living.
attend to personal hygiene as well as leave involvement with Gracie – it has shown It is a reminder to her that she does
her bedroom. Gracie appeared “lost” and me that Gracie has willpower, matter, that she can achieve and know
was struggling with all aspects of life. that she can seek out my help when
I first heard about Gracie and her needed. I know Gracie will make a
situation when I attended a workshop for Gracie has determination and difference to this world – and those
parents and carers regarding autism inner strength in the face of who meet her will be moved by her
and PDA. wonderful smile. n
much adversity. She has been
Given up on dismissed as being awkward, Theresa Parker is just completing her final
I wanted to be able to support Gracie, year of training as a learning disability
offer some hope for this lovely teenage difficult, disruptive and lazy nurse at Coventry University. During the
girl who somehow seemed to be left and Covid-19 crisis she opted in to assist

22 Vol 34 No 1 | Autumn 2020 Community Living www.cl-initiatives.co.uk