00:12
so mr. B was actually my first ever case
00:15
as a qualified social worker initially
00:19
we had a referral from various agencies
00:22
raised in different concerns
00:24
Varian in nature concerns around his
00:28
deteriorating health his accommodation
00:31
he was described as quite unkempt a
00:34
poorly man he was struggling to look
00:37
after his cat and the pressure was on
00:41
really to say that he needed alternative
00:44
common accommodation and people felt
00:46
that he needed to be in a care home as
00:49
opposed to his own home the first time I
00:52
met mr. B he looked quite deflated he
00:56
didn't really speak much he looked quite
01:00
sad if I'm honest he had quite a long
01:03
beard he had long hey he initially was
01:07
quite reluctant to engage with me he had
01:10
a lot of support in the past from
01:12
various services when I sat down I
01:16
simply said how are you you simple
01:19
language make it about the person
01:23
strength based practice is key really in
01:26
achieving positive outcomes for people
01:28
just just having that simple
01:30
conversation how were you what's going
01:33
on tell me what's going on
01:34
how do you see things at the moment what
01:37
does a good life look like to you tell
01:39
me a bit about yourself just to start
01:42
that conversation so even even though I
01:44
had all of the information from previous
01:47
agencies and I was mindful of that
01:49
information you need to start with the
01:52
positives you need to start with what
01:54
the person feels what the person wants
01:57
and he simply told me that he loved his
02:01
cat he didn't care about his health he
02:04
was refused in hospital admissions he
02:07
didn't like where he lived but he didn't
02:09
want to go anywhere else because he
02:10
didn't want to leave the cat and soon
02:12
then you could see that his whole life
02:15
revolved around Cathy the cat and when
02:19
you focused on what mattered to him and
02:22
he focused on the cat
02:23
everything else around him almost solved
02:26
itself because he felt better his
02:28
well-being was improving and I think at
02:31
that point in time he was very much
02:34
saying to me
02:35
isn't it funny laughs that people can
02:37
fit people people think that they can
02:39
say to you what you need why are people
02:42
telling me what I need why isn't anybody
02:45
asking me what I want or how I see
02:48
things or how I feel about things and I
02:51
think when you make that shift it's it
02:54
just creates positive outcomes for
02:55
people and that's what it's all about
02:57
really isn't it it's about empowerment
02:59
if we go in and we have that
03:01
preconceived idea of what people need
03:03
that won't achieve positive outcomes and
03:07
that's actually disempowering people
03:08
what we need to be doing is going in and
03:10
having simple conversations with people
03:12
about what matters to them but he was a
03:15
counsellor for 40 years very intelligent
03:18
man very very dry sense of humor
03:21
had full mental capacity regarding the
03:24
risks of the situation that he was in
03:27
and obviously we have to respect
03:28
people's rights to make and why his
03:30
decisions in those circumstances and I
03:33
think giving him all the information
03:34
that he needed and the advice and the
03:37
advocacy if you like allowed him that
03:39
and to think outside of the box and
03:42
think actually there's other options
03:43
here what else can I do
03:45
where else can I go and giving him those
03:48
options of moving with the cat just
03:51
opened new possibilities for him and I
03:53
think now that he's achieved the outcome
03:55
of seeking alternative accommodation
03:58
with the cat that's now opened up new
04:02
outcomes SWE's he's evolved in he's his
04:05
life is improving in a way that he
04:08
wouldn't have seen at the beginning of
04:10
my involvement it's been a long journey
04:13
it wasn't so easy in the beginning I
04:16
think the biggest barrier for me was the
04:18
cat simply because the cat absolutely
04:21
hated me so that was quite difficult in
04:24
the beginning home visits were tricky
04:26
the cat didn't like anybody being around
04:29
him especially the paramedics
04:33
but especially me as well so I did have
04:35
many scratches and scrapes from the cat
04:38
at the time I think moving him was was
04:41
quite tricky as well with the cat
04:44
David was no issue whatsoever but
04:47
transporting the cat in my car was was
04:50
quite tricky and I think David did say
04:53
I've it's quite strange I've never seen
04:55
a social worker we're in heaven gloves
04:57
before so that was a new one for both of
05:00
us good the time we have come a long way
05:04
and I think the biggest part of this is
05:07
that trust in relationship it's just
05:09
about spending time with people getting
05:11
to know them and if you go in thinking
05:14
you know what they need it just creates
05:17
that barrier straightaway they don't
05:19
want to engage with you and with David I
05:21
think investing that time in him in the
05:23
beginning just created a really positive
05:26
relationship
05:35
you