YOUR VIEWS: Still a need for Avonlea and Thor House, back to school concerns and praise for hearing aids

Still a need for Avonlea and Thor House

I have been a member of the Children’s Panel and at one time worked at Thor House in Thurso, so have experience of what happened at the Avonlea centre in Wick and at Thor House.

A few years ago the social work department claimed that the children’s home in Wick was no longer fit for purpose and they were moving to a much smaller unit (Avonlea) where the young people would receive much more support than they could have at the children’s home.

There is still a need for such a unit in Caithness as some young people are not suitable or cannot be placed in foster care. Thor House is not a suitable replacement for Avonlea.

Young looked-after children should not be sharing a building with adults with learning difficulties as they have their own problems which need addressing and should be in a dedicated unit.

When Thor house was opened in Thurso there was a four-bed unit attached to it which would allow families with young people with more serious learning difficulties a period of respite care. Anyone who has or knows someone in this position will know how important that this respite is for the health and wellbeing of families.

As I said, I worked at Thor House for a short period of time including spells in the respite unit and the work done by the staff there was amazing. Families could have a few days or a week to themselves knowing that their young person was being well looked after at Thor.

Both of these facilities were run by Highland Council in Caithness, so the same council needs to tell the people of Caithness. What the people of Caithness need to know is: Who decided to close the Avonlea home in Wick and why? Who decided that there was no longer a need for a respite unit for young people at Thor House and who decided that Thor House was a suitable place for young looked-after children?

We have six elected councillors covering Wick and Thurso, it is time they put aside their political differences and got together to give us the answers to the questions I have asked. I read recently that the official in charge of these matters had his hands tied about these decisions.

Council officials need to remember that they are employed by the council to carry out the work of the council and should be answerable to our elected councillors.

Name and Address Supplied

Back to school concerns

Schools are back in Scotland, and this can be a difficult time for some children. Childline delivered 2283 counselling sessions across the UK where returning to school was mentioned in 2023/24 – with over a third of these taking place in August or September.

Children speak with counsellors about a variety of concerns at this time such as worries about starting a new school, increasing demands to get good grades, picking their subjects in key years and challenges around making new friends. The change in routine can also be a source of stress.

The NSPCC – the children’s charity which runs the Childline service – has some useful advice for parents and children during this time.

Parents and carers can listen to their child’s concerns. You could ask your child to write down everything they are looking forward to at school, and everything they are worried about.

Once your child has shared any concerns, you could chat through their concerns, to help them cope with their worries and also look at the positives.

No matter the reason, if a young person is struggling ahead of going back to school, it’s vital that they are encouraged to talk to a safe adult about this, whether that’s a parent, carer or teacher.

They can also try using the Childline online mood journal and stay connected with friends and family – whether that’s online or in person.

And physical activity is always a great way of relieving stress, so they can try playing a game outside, go for a walk or take part in a sport.

More tips are available on the NSPCC website, and Childline is available 24/7 on 0800 1111 or they can use the online chat function.

Adeniyi Alade

NSPCC Scotland service head, helplines

Hearing aids are smart new gadgets

Hearing aids can bring life-changing benefits for millions of people with hearing loss. But new research from RNID, the charity supporting people who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus, has revealed the depth of stigma that surrounds them in UK society.

Nearly half (47 per cent) of the general public said hearing aids haven't been accepted by society in the way that glasses have, and 11 per cent said they would even prefer to live with hearing loss than wear hearing aids. Shockingly, our research found that more than one in three people (34 per cent) would try to hide hearing aids if they needed them.

At RNID, we want to challenge these damaging perceptions. Hearing aids in the UK – whether accessed through the NHS or bought privately – are all digital. They contain advanced technology to make listening easier, allowing you to enjoy everyday sounds, keep up with conversations, and even stream phone calls or podcasts directly to your ears through Bluetooth.

Hearing aids benefit people of all ages and backgrounds, and research shows that they have a massive positive impact on your health and wellbeing – including potentially reducing the risk of dementia in later life. It’s essential that we leave negative attitudes behind and celebrate hearing aids for the amazing, life-changing devices they are for millions of people in the UK.

Franki Oliver

Audiology manager

RNID

Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.