Recession Road: Scotch Corner
This post is from our Recession Road series, part of our special report on the global downturn.
When I was a kid I thought getting to Scotch Corner meant we were in Scotland. Clearly we are still in North Yorkshire. This notable junction is where travellers separate off depending on whether they are going north-east (A1) or north-west (A66).
Just around the, er, corner from Scotch Corner is an independent fostering agency (IFA), set in beautiful woodland. Within seconds of turning off the busy drizzly A1 we are trundling along a leafy rural lane towards converted stables that house the Children's Family Trust - one of a few IFAs to operate as a charity.
Team manager for the north-east, Janice Wood, points to a map to illustrate the size of her patch. Their policy is to provide a "family for life" for children and teenagers who have usually already suffered countless losses in their lives.
She has 18 foster carers on the books at the moment, but they are continually looking to recruit more. The local authorities that refer children to them are often struggling to find enough places for them to go.
There is a feeling among Janice's colleagues in the sector that the recession is exacerbating an already difficult situation, with growing numbers of children coming into the care system.
"There's just a general impression - and that's all we can say it is - that we are getting busier. Families are finding it difficult to cope, it's not a coincidence that this is happening now."
She is keen to stress that there are other major factors influencing the situation, such as the recent Baby P case in which social services were criticised for not removing the child from an abusive situation.
The reasons children end up in care always fall into the same categories of neglect or abuse, says Janice. The parents have mental health or drug and alcohol abuse problems, there is domestic violence, or stress from problems with unemployment, poverty and homelessness.
"It doesn't take a genius to work out that if you take all those things together and then add in a recession, it's going to have an effect.
"A recession just puts things up a notch. Children get caught in the cross-fire. A recession is an adult thing but they often get the brunt of it."
You can read an explanation of our Recession Road series here. Words: Paula Dear; Images: Phil Coomes.
I'm 
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~52~RS~)
Comments
Sign in or register to comment.
I have recently moved up to London from Middleham in North Yorkshire, this was due to having to put our Estate Agency business into Liquidation, and find a job.
I employed 26 people across the North Yorkshire area.
Funnily enough the bank we used held meetings at the Leeming Bar Hotel and at Scotch Corner. And I pass by both locations when I visit North Yorkshire every other weekend to see my children, in a borrowed car or travelling by train on an advanced off peak train ticket.
As you would expect the Bank could offer no assistance, in line with their overall lending policy. My business partner and I were told about three months in advance the bank would look to increase our repayment rates. These borrowings were the result of a rapid expansion that created more jobs and gave the North Yorkshire community greater choice in homes, and ironically exposed both of our homes to the bank.
I am now working in London demonstrating an evacuation system to enable disabled people to escape high rise buildings in the event of a fire or other emergency, which basically is a harness/ a steel rope and a winch with a self regulated dual breaking system. I get to jump out of high rise buildings and abseil down the outside of London’s skyscrapers, not much call for this in the Moor’s or the Dales.
My ex business partner is now working in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan providing advice to NGO's showing them how to stay out of trouble.
We both have family in the Dales and thanks to the Credit Crunch we have had to change our life styles, our employment and sadly our family arrangements.
Complain about this comment
View these comments in RSS