When a door closes someone might have slammed it in your face....

It has been quite hard the last few days.

There was a plan that P's mum would, for his benefit, move down here so that his education could continue without disturbance.

That of course was dependent on help from SS so of course that never happened.

Well it was all set to happen then Daycastle discovered that if they shipped mum down here they could not wash their hands of P and leave him for our local authority to pick up the tab.

P has now been placed in a situation where he will lose 5 years of social links in an instant. The sort of thing best practice says should not happen.

This is a very complex case and can't be treated as something that simple.

He was very quiet coming back this weekend and we think a compromise needs to happen for him where he goes to his mum for a few weeks then comes back here for part of the Summer including a week in France we think.

Then at the end of the summer away he goes - he's on his own.

We will stay in touch but our ability to help will be limited.

Today though has been like a bloody roller coaster - this might be a long blog, could be time to send out for coffee.

The morning opened with the phone, time to get a grip on the social worker problem.

Phoning at 9.05 she was "not available" that's SW speak for "hasn't arrived yet".

Off we set on Tesc bent, but I left a message expressing surprise that having been told that we are often not around at 3.30 to 4.30 she had chosen those times to phone trying to arrange a meeting on a day of the week that was even more surprising as she would have known we are not available that day.

This in turn produced the answerphone message cryptic about not understanding the message left for her.

Which in turn was dealt with, when management called her back, by expressions of sorry she had "forgotten". S'funny that, she made an agreement that she would treat us respectfully, yes easily forgotten.

Sorry to all the social workers reading this if this makes some social workers sound more problem than solution, unfortunately that's how it feels and far too often too.

Though she was not the only amnesiac social worker. P's SW called today to arrange a statutory review, she, it seems didn't know that mum had a flat, had no inkling that he was to return to mum on the ** of )()* 2009. This was puzzling when on a named day last week she had met with mum who told her.....

Oh yes she remembered now.

Amnesia is dreadful complaint aye...

But today has not been all bad.

While we enjoy these lovely benefits of life - other things happen.

My middle daughter Bruce, the genetically modified hoover, was called in for interview at the local collage.

They offer a photography A level that school don't so of course she has gone there.

She blew their interviews apart today.

They are not used to students who score 100 percent on their tests.

Of course they had not yet met Bruce...

Who flew it

Then the tutor noted that her application for A level photography had been passed by the tutor with no art GCSE or even grade specified.

This was very unusual most students send in a portfolio and the tutor sets them a grade, Bruce sent one in and the tutor said "you are in" - Bruce was pleased.

The tutor had seen the photos, recognised potential and added her - is that OK?

But of course the tin hat had not yet arrived

The university

Has offered me some serious work.

So whilst the service I work for treats me as an idiot the university seems to think I am slightly clever.

I just wonder who is being truthful.

I want to be really positive about this.

But when so many people get so forgetful it can be difficult.

R