EXERCISE 2

LIVING IN PREJUDICIA

The Scenario

It is the year 2030. The economic situation in Scotland has deteriorated drastically over the past few years. There is large scale unemployment and very little sign of an economic upturn. You and your family have emigrated to the country of Prejudicia, and your children have begun to attend local schools.

Your first impressions of Prejudicia are:

• Scotland is portrayed as a poor, backward country, in need of aid. There are regular collections for ‘poor white babies’ at your children’s schools.
• Although you are a qualified and experienced teacher, your qualifications and experiences are not recognised. You are unable to work as a teacher or a teaching assistant. The closest you can get to the education system is to work as a dinner lady in your local school
• No mention is made of Scotland’s major contributions to art, literature, science or sport. Scottish schooling and academics are seen as second rate and corrupt. On the other hand, Prejudicial culture and achievements in these fields are seen as the only desired norm.
• Children are actively discouraged from speaking English at school, although there are other English-speaking children there. So while they have to get extra help with Prejudiciac, other children are progressing in other subjects.
• Similarly, if you or your family speak to each other in English while in public you get disapproving stares and general resentment.
• You were recently in hospital for a minor operation. Whilst there you were offered mince and tatties for your lunch because you were Scottish. Nobody spoke English and you have only learned basic Prejudiciac so you had difficulty explaining that you were vegetarian. You were also treated as a pest because of your different needs.
• All references to Scotland in books, newspapers or television have pictures of men in kilts, living in overcrowded, deprived estates, eating fish and chips and getting drunk. There is a general belief that it is a very violent and unsafe place.

LIVING IN PREJUDICIA

• The Prejudicial people continue to treat you as outsiders – even those Scottish people who came here years ago and whose children were born in Prejudicia. All your concerns are trivialised and treated with contempt. If you persist you are accused of being fundamentalist and having a chip on your shoulder.
• There have been several instances reported in your area of Scottish children being attacked. When the children have mentioned this to their teachers they have been told not to over-react, and not be so sensitive. The attacks were probably nothing to do with them being Scottish. They live in a poor area and these things just happen.

One of your children comes home from school one day saying she is not very happy because:

•  Other children will not play with her
• She doesn’t understand the teacher or the lessons being taught
• The Prejudicial children call her rude names and make fun of her accent, behaviour and colour.

EXERCISE 3

NO ONE HEARS

By: Zoë Charlotte Mason

Published: 16 November 2009: Scottish Recovery Network www. scottishrecovery.net

Looking back I guess one could say that it’s always been there, brimming under the surface. Or rather, she’s always been there, my Nervosa.

Ever since I hit the teens I have felt agitation, disgust and despair for myself, my actions and my appearance. I repulsed myself both, inside and out. However, when I finally found the motivation to start running regularly, outside and in public, things began to change. I finally felt like I had a hold over my stresses, and I could control how my body formed. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve never been overweight. I have always received compliments for my ‘slim yet hour glass frame’. But it’s so easy to pass comment; everything is relative.

The more stress that hit me, the more I ran, and the more I re-formed myself from the outside in. My outlook became so much more positive. I became closer to being the girl I had always wanted to be, calm, caring, spontaneous and lovable. Until this point, I felt the oppressing factors in my life had prevented this from happening and had effectively shaped me into being everything I didn’t want to be. My home life had not been great. Yes, I had married parents and we had lovely houses. Yes, I’d had a desirable upbringing (financially speaking) but what worth is money when family bonds are broken and you feel like there is no love? I grew up feeling like there was something fundamentally wrong with me, that I,( the pretty little blonde girl) was the source of all negativity. I had never heard the words “I love you”.

I spent the whole of my teenage years suffering in the depths of depression, despising myself and my very existence. I craved answers. I felt like my mother begrudged me and that I was her verbal punch bag. Why? I couldn’t understand it. So I ran, I ate less and I ran. I cut myself off emotionally a little more every day and was finally beginning to feel emancipated from my repulsion. I was floating into a blissful daze; it was beautiful, enticing and surreal. I loved it.

Then everything got dark.

My Nana passed away with cancer, my Daddy couldn’t cope, and my mother couldn’t comfort him. My sister had her own ordeals, as did my flatmates who were dealing with their own issues. I became the pillar that held everyone up. I felt all alone and that I was fighting with a withering soul. By this point, I felt like the Nervosa was all that I could turn to and that not a single person in my world had the energy to care. So I held my head and I ran. I ran through rain, sleet and snow. Ran screaming, tears streaming down my face and anger oozing from my feet into the pavement. And it was during the month of March that the devil took hold. The day I baked that flipping Tarte Tatin. Nervosa got me to do things I promised myself I would NEVER do. She got me to vomit.

At first the purging was just minimal, the odd time here and there. It was nothing to worry about, or so I convinced myself. Did you know that vomiting is addictive? The more I vomited the more I craved it and it soon became paramount to my daily routine. Nervosa was in control, she was in full force. Though what I hadn’t anticipated was the debilitated life that it would lead me to. I wasn’t living. I merely existed and could barely function. I could no longer run, but boy did I try. My joints were weak, my legs were frail, my teeth ached and my chest burned. I felt permanently shattered.

One day in May, following a moment of clarity, I begged a good friend to drag me to the doctors for blood tests. I went reluctantly, kicking and screaming, but I went. And I believe this was the day my recovery began.

I finished my University year and I packed up and went home to my parent’s house. I enlisted at the NHS Eating Disorder unit in Aberdeen and began my therapy. The support from the psychiatrist, dietician and health doctor was invaluable; I really could not have pulled through the first stages without them.

And of course the ride hasn’t been easy. I most certainly did NOT enjoy being jabbed with needles on a weekly basis, being told that I risked a heart attack and that only 40% of sufferers make a full recovery. Similarly, attending hospital tests and being surrounded by OAPS was heartbreaking; as was being told that I risked developing Osteomalacia and/or Osteoporosis later in life, and that I could risk losing my teeth and causing a brain haemorrhage through excessive vomiting. But I kept going, I kept pushing for recovery. I was so weak and I felt like life was no longer beautiful, enticing and surreal as it had once been.

For the most part all I did was talk. After so long suffering in silence, feeling isolated and alone, this was all I needed. I love my family and friends dearly, but boy were they clueless. I felt like they kept brushing it off and hiding heads in sand. They avoided me, ‘forgot’ to invite me to events, hid food from my sight and often screamed at me to stop being so selfish. Needless to say, this was not helpful, if anything it made me retreat to the comfort of the Nervosa.

This was when I realised where the real issue lay and it wasn’t me at all, most people simply do not understand eating disorders. So I set out to change this, to raise awareness and help break the stigma. I set up a Facebook group called ‘Behind the Haze’ and for the first time I spoke openly about my condition. Here I relay facts and information about Anorexia and Bulimia, share my thoughts and experiences; I have my poems (one of which is included at the end of this story) and pictures posted from my darkest hours. I also have pictures from a recent photo shoot that I did with photographer Amber Joy (two of which are included here). We collaborated in an attempt to depict the graphic reality of eating disorders and break down misconceptions and stigma by creating provocative imagery. Although it was an emotional experience, this too was a significant time in my recovery process.

By creating this group and sharing my experience, my hope has been to raise awareness of the experience of eating disorders, as well as offer hope that recovery is possible.

The response has been so very warming (and somewhat overwhelming at times); it provides me with hope that one day people will be able to speak freely of their experiences and will receive the care they need from their loved ones and from society. Since setting up the group, I too have found hope with regards to my own condition. In raising awareness I have rid myself of the fear of talking about my condition. And in writing this piece, I have really had to delve into the depths of what went on. Of course, it’s still so painful and raw to reminisce over but talking/writing about it helps alleviate that pain little by little.

Whilst I acknowledge that I am recovering from Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia,I am by no means fully recovered...yet! Right now I still have days where I can’t get out of bed and days when I can’t keep food down at all. Though having been to hospital and learnt the facts, I know what I am doing to my body and I know that with support I can get through. It’s a sad truth but relapse does happen, but the difference now is that I’m stronger and I know that I can break free once more. Communication is so very important and I urge others to talk openly too and to express their feelings, however painful it may be. To anyone that has suffered or is suffering in silence please know that I have been there and be assured that you will be able to find peace through perseverance.

Now consider the following questions:-

• Outwardly affluent, what was missing in Zoë’s family life?
• How common is Zoë’s experience of not being understood by friends and relatives?
• How has sharing her experience helped Zoë?
• What role has communicating her experiences had in Zoë’s recovery journey?

EXERCISE 3

*Names and identifying features have been changed to protect the individual’s identity

Who am I?

This is what my son has been asking himself all his life. You see, my son was born my daughter and as he was growing up I knew that there was something that was not quite right! He was withdrawn and always angry with everyone around him. His teachers said he is an attention seeker and instead of being helped, they said that he would make nothing of his life. I did not want that for my child I wanted him to be happy and successful and for him to achieve everything that he wants to do in his life. It came to the point that they said it was 'my fault' that he was not well adjusted and was quiet. When I asked, the professionals they said that I had to do parenting classes and this would be the answer to the issues.  This made me feel powerless to the situation i.e.

I did the parenting classes, as suggested, to help my child become more adjusted, although this didn't work. David became more withdrawn and introverted to the point I couldn't talk to him anymore. Not knowing what was happening to him, I had to talk to someone about his situation. I took the steps and spoke to our GP who referred him to a child psychologist.  The psychologist spoke to David on a number of occasions, concluding that David, at the age of 14, has Asperger's syndrome. Initially devastated at this news, I also ultimately became empowered in helping my child, through his struggles that were, and are still, unfolding.

Over time, his anger grew, becoming more withdrawn and reticent.  Then one morning I woke up to find a letter from him telling me that he no longer wanted to be my daughter! I read it, first in disbelieve, and cried. The more this sunk in, the more I could understand what he had been going through.  Surprisingly, as if overnight, he was happier, more content and at that time he became my son.

On starting the process of becoming female/male, he had to go through 2 years of counselling, in order that David was assessed through his authentic feelings and psychology. His psychologist was impressed by his honesty and maternal support, and thereafter his transformation began!

People gradually got to know that Elliott wanted to change gender. Although support was given from family and friends, his peer group become hostile and aggressive towards him. Researching on the internet, I found that this is common and to my surprise not only does their peer group have problems with gender change but at least 70% of transgender teenagers have problems with their own families. A large majority of parents have nothing to do with their children and transgender teens end up on the street or in care.

(Wikipedia: LGBT Transgender 2016)

While researching, I found out that at least 50% of transforming genders will self­ harm or commit suicide (Wikipedia: Stonewall and Transgender Report 2014).  This is a higher percentage than in any other group within the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) community.  Doing my research I also discovered that a group called Stonewall who fight for the rights of LGB did not include transgender community until 2015 after 6 months of talks with the group. It took them 33 years to include transgender into their organisation!  I find this unacceptable as in order to self-actualise in accordance with Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs (1954), basic understanding of physiological needs, need to be met to feel safe, loved with a sense of belonging, self-esteem and to meet your personal potential.

Where do transgender kids go to find support?  Luckily for them, LGBT organisation has welcomed all transgender teenagers through their doors for help with counselling, finding a safe way for them to open up. This offers support when it doesn't work with parental support and can often avoid needing the support of authorities, where support may not actually be necessary.

I often think of a shoe that doesn't fit.  How much does it hurt when you can't wait to get them off or find a pair that fits well?  I am sure that's how any transgender child feels in a body that hurts, screaming inside and to everyone, asking 'look at me... I am not a boy/girl! How would you feel? Empowered? Disempowered?  I can see.

My only wish is that in all schools that there would be more education in transgender issues and how the children feel, helping them not to ignore the child or to say they are only attention seeking understand what they are going through. I hope to tackle the schools to have more participation and involvement on this topic and have mentioned to an MSP at our group presentation

To conclude I want to have training to help parents and teenagers in my local community to come to terms with their child's decision on who they want to be and to make them understand that their child is still there but they just want to be a different gender. I feel that in all communities there should be a place that is safe for parents and their children to go to talk and understand each other's feelings.

Source: Part 1 HIIC Essay: Margaret: 2016

Questions

1.       Why do you think David’s initial diagnosis got it wrong?

2.       How did his hi mother feel and why?

3.       What do you think David was going through during the time until he told his mother?

4.       What’s your view of how some families react to transgender teens?

5.       Is the issue of transgender one for discussion in schools?

EXERCISE 3

THE IMPACT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ON HEALTH

Margaret’s* story

*Names and identifying features have been changed to protect the individual’s identity

“I grew up in a loving home with a very happy childhood. My parents had a strong and respectful relationship and so I’d never witnessed domestic abuse or understood how damaging it was to family life.

“I first met Tony* when I was in my 20s when I started a new job. He was senior to me in the office, good looking and gave me lots of attention. I was really flattered. I had been going through a tough time with a recent bereavement in my family and his attention gave me the boost I needed.

“We started dating and I was really happy. But soon I started to see a more controlling and manipulative side to him. Tony didn’t like me wearing certain clothes and would buy more conservative clothes for me to wear instead. He didn’t like me seeing my friends and would ask me to spend time alone with him rather than go out.  He always said that he knew the best for me. In the four years we were dating I split up with him three times because of his controlling nature but he begged until I went back. I loved him and believed him when he said he’d change. Even my mum thought he was lovely, he had everyone fooled.

“We married and my first child Marcus* was born a year later. Tony was such a good dad, playing with Marcus, taking him to the park and spending quality time with him. A few years later we had another child Faith* and he stayed the hands-on dad. We were living in a five bedroomed house in a leafy village and to outsiders we were picture perfect, but behind closed doors life was very different. I felt trapped and unable to tell people what was really going on.   

“I had always known that part of Tony was controlling, but after we got married he seemed to change. He became emotionally and psychologically abusive, threatening me and belittling me all the time. After I had Marcus and was recovering from a very complicated labour at home, he raped me for the first time. I blamed myself for not healing sooner. I blamed myself for all his behaviour.

“He constantly accused me of having affairs, would shout and scream in my face in front of the children and would play mind games, making me feel guilty for my behaviour. Eight years into our marriage he started being physically abusive and the domestic violence started.

“I would defend him to my family members that knew what was going on. I would plead with the children to keep quiet and be good so he didn’t find fault with anything, even though they were beautifully behaved.  I felt constantly condemned and my self-esteem was really low.

“As the children got older Tony started being abusive towards them too. He would shout at them for not being able to recite their multiplication tables and beat them with belts and shoes. He would punish them when I wasn’t in the house so I could intervene. When I was there and tried to protect them or stand in his way he would turn on me, pinning my arms and throwing me to the floor. I hated the children seeing me get hurt and cry.

“Whenever we were alone I would give Marcus and Faith hugs and kisses and tell them that we all made Daddy cross and we had to try our best to make him happy. I didn’t see a way out and felt trapped.

“After living with Tony for 12 years I finally snapped one day after he accused me again of having another affair. We were in the kitchen, together and he had me trapped against a unit. I threw down the food I was preparing and slapped him in the face. Before I knew it, he had grabbed my hair and thrown me to the floor, slamming my face into the kitchen floor. The children were in the living room and heard my screams; luckily they didn’t see what he’d done to me. Tony went for a walk, came home and apologised, promised me he wouldn’t do it again, but this time I didn’t believe him.

“That night, after Tony had left for work I called the police. I was too afraid of giving a statement but I wanted someone to know what was going on. Later that night the police visited my house but I wouldn’t let them in. I was afraid of Tony finding out and what he’d do. They told me I didn’t have to put up with the abuse and they could help me. I stayed up all night giving my statement and in the morning I called my sister.  The children and I were taken to a safe house. I had gone from a beautiful house to a small cramped space with no hot water and toilet paper but we were in a state of bliss. We felt safe for the first time in years and were so relieved to be free.

“Tony continued to be emotionally and psychologically controlling, calling my family members and telling them I was mentally ill. He was charged with negligence and child cruelty but the court case was mismanaged and after three years the case against him was dropped. I went through 26 court cases where Tony tried to get access to the children but luckily the judge recognised what he’d put us through and wouldn’t give him any access rights. Me and the children were safe.

“I was worried about the violence the children had seen and how it might affect them. We’d never discussed the domestic abuse they’d witnessed or the physical abuse they’d been through but I saw that it had affected them. Both children were sullen, and weren’t very good at articulating their feelings. They were very obedient and didn’t really behave like children at all. They played quietly and were very subdued.

“Both children took part in the NSPCC’s domestic abuse programme at our local centre. It had been three years since we had escaped the abuse but it soon became clear that the children were benefitting from the therapy sessions. Marcus and Faith went to separate group sessions, where they, and other children who had been through domestic abuse, shared their experiences over cake and games. The NSPCC practitioners gave them tools to cope with their anger, like bashing a pillowcase. After one session where Marcus had been asked to make a doll’s house and talk about the different things he’d seen in each room, he came home very upset and angry with his father. He woke up in the middle of the night, sweating and shaking and rocking himself. He just wanted to lash out so I gave him a Yellow Pages and he wrote swear words and wrote awful things about Tony that he’d remembered and ripped them up and threw them away. I felt he’d finally let go of his anger.

“The NSPCC’s work with my children gave them the light back behind their eyes. They changed from quiet and subdued children to boisterous and playful. It felt like they’d released whatever they’d been holding onto. We were all finally happy and free to live.

“If there are any parents, reading this who are going through something like us I’d say please don’t be scared and please talk to someone. Domestic abuse can happen to anyone and it’s not your fault so stop blaming yourself. If you are afraid in your own home then you are a victim of domestic abuse and there is help out there for you. I’ve realised people outside the family knew what Tony was like because he’s hurt others too. Don’t be their cover for respectability.

“I would recommend the NSPCC’s domestic abuse programme to anyone out there who is worried about the effect that domestic abuse has had on their children. Before my children started working with the NSPCC I was really worried about their futures. The activities NSPCC did with Marcus and Faith gave them ample opportunity to speak about their feelings, and come to terms with the domestic abuse that they’d witnessed and the physical abuse they’d been through. My children are my stars and I know that they will never harm anyone, but without the NSPCC’s help, they might not have been that way.”

Permission to reproduce provided by National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and from Margaret

In 2013-14 there were 58,439 incidents of domestic abuse recorded by the police in Scotland. In 2014-15 there were 59,882 incidents of domestic abuse recorded by the police in Scotland, an increase of 2.5% from 2013-14.

In 2014-15, 54% of incidents of domestic abuse recorded by the police in Scotland resulted in at least one crime or offence being committed. This remained unchanged from 2013-14.

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Crime-Justice/TrendDomesticAbuse

Questions

1.       From the story what were most important health consequences of domestic violence on Margaret?

2.       What was the impact on the health of the children whilst they lived with their father?

3.       How did they react after they moved to another home and why do you think they reacted in this way?

4.       Do the figures for domestic violence in Scotland surprise you? In what way?

EXERCISE 3

MAY I BE MOTHER?

Disabled women are often assumed to be unfit or unable to be parents. Veronica Marris examines the various obstacles put in the way of women with illnesses and other disabilities who want to have children.

Alison John, a woman with cerebral palsy, author and mother of two, was at a local council meeting with her children when a woman said to her, ‘Isn’t it lovely that you and your husband can adopt children?’ Alison replied, ‘Excuse me, actually we bonked for them!’ leaving the woman in a state of complete shock at the idea of an obviously disabled woman having sex and getting pregnant. Alison told this story at the 1992 Maternity Alliance conference on Disabled People, Pregnancy and Early Parenthood, at which many women came together for this first time to talk about the difficulties they had faced in becoming parents.

A woman I know with multiple sclerosis was once told by someone visiting to discuss adaptations to her home, ‘No one in their right mind would leave you alone with the children’, not knowing that she was at the time fostering two children.

Women who have been disabled from birth or early childhood are themselves often seen by family and professionals as perpetual children, in need of care from others, rather than as adults who could care for someone else.  Girls may therefore grow up with the message that the adult world of boyfriends, marriage and children is one from which they will always be excluded.

Sex is something which healthy, attractive people do and society finds the idea of sex rather disgusting when it involves people who are old or fat or ill, or who in any way fail to meet standards of physical normality. Disabled women are expected to give up the right to ordinary desires for love, physical closeness and sex which others take for granted.  If our partners are ‘normal’ men then people wonder why they are with us, and if our partners are also disabled we inspire deep fears about disabled people breeding more disabled people and destroying the health of the nation. As for those of us whose partners are women, much of society has not got as far as thinking about the possibility of disabled lesbians existing, let alone being parents.

If disabled women do have children they will have a much harder job than other women to prove that they are coping with motherhood. They will be at risk of having their children taken into care if they are thought not to be managing and it may be impossible to get appropriate help when it is needed.  Positively Women, the support organisation for HIV positive women, told me of one London borough where women with AIDS can get 24-hour cover so that they can stay home with their children rather than go to hospital and their children go into care. There are so many women living with so many different illnesses and conditions who with their children would benefit from this sort of help, but mostly it doesn’t exist.

So even if women overcome the barrier of others’ prejudice and find the confidence to think of having children, there is much for them to fear.  Women who have managed as adults to live independently and to free themselves from professional interference have to contemplate a new army of professionals, this time concerned for the welfare of their children and the prospect of losing children to the state is terrifying.

Last but not least women may have fears about the effect on their own health of pregnancy and looking after small children. These fears are sensible and well-founded, but it is hard for us to voice them in case we are dissuaded from having much wanted children or are seen as neurotic and cowardly.

Thousands of women with illnesses succeed in having children and staying healthy; many more need information to help them do so.

Information about pregnancy and childbirth for those of us living with illness is scarce and often contradictory. Professionals seem at times unconcerned and blandly reassuring, but at others terrify us with threats of what will happen to our babies if we get pregnant or fail to follow their instructions when we are pregnant. In a survey published by Positively Women several women mention the negative attitudes of doctors towards them becoming pregnant: ‘The doctor said I would die of AIDS and so would the baby.’

Women with conditions such as Iupus, sickle cell anaemia, diabetes and many others receive conflicting advice and information about the risks of pregnancy to themselves or to the baby. One friend with thyroid disease and another with diabetes have both had several miscarriages and badly want to know if those are connected to their medical condition or if there is any way they can be helped not to miscarry again, but the information they want is not available.  In a survey done by Maternity Alliance a woman with rheumatoid arthritis mentions putting off having a family for 11 years because of inaccurate advice about the likelihood of passing on the disease to her child.  Disabled women and women with illnesses are often left out of literature and discussions about pregnancy, childbirth and reproductive rights.  Women’s Health and other organisations could do much to lessen women’s isolation by developing appropriate information.

Veronica Marris is the author of ‘Lives Worth Living: women’s experience of chronic illness,’ published by Pandora Press in 1996, and has been involved in a support network for women with diabetes.

Source: Women’s Health Newsletter, 27 November, 1995.

QUESTIONS

1.       In the article, what ‘shocking idea’ did Alison John leave the woman at the meeting with?

2.       How does the author suggest that women who have been disabled from birth are treated?

3.       What does the author suggest is a common attitude towards disabled women, sex and sexuality?

4.       Name three obstacles, outlined in the article, faced by disabled women if they decide to have children.

EXERCISE 4

THE MEANING OF ‘EQUITY’ IN HEALTH

The term ‘equity’ implies a moral and ethical judgment.

If we say that things are inequitable, we refer to differences which are unnecessary and avoidable, rather than just ordinary differences amongst people. We also mean that this is the result of unfairness or injustice.

Inequity means that things are;

• Unnecessary and Avoidable
• Unfair and Unjust

If things are unnecessary and avoidable, we can begin to work to change them.

EXERCISE 5

SOCIAL JUSTICE

Social justice ‘can be defined in terms of a hierarchy of four ideas.  First, that the foundation of a free society is the equal worth of all citizens, expressed most basically in political and civil liberties, equal rights before the law and so on. Second, the argument that everyone is entitled, as a right of citizenship, to be able to meet their basic needs for income, shelter and other necessities

. . . Third, self-respect and equal citizenship demand more than the meeting of basic needs: they demand opportunity and life chances.  Finally. . . we must recognise that although not all inequalities are unjust . . . unjust inequalities should be reduced and where possible eliminated’

(Commission on Social Justice, 1994, pp. 17-18).

‘Our vision for delivering social justice in Scotland:

A Scotland in which every child matters, where every child, regardless of their family background, has the best possible start in life;

A Scotland in which every young person has the opportunities, skills and support to make a successful transition to working life and active citizenship;

A Scotland in which every family is able to support itself – with work for those who can and security for those who can’t;

A Scotland in which every person beyond working age has a decent quality of life;

A Scotland in which every person both contributes to and benefits from the community in which they live’

(Social Justice . . . a Scotland where everyone matters, Scottish Executive, 1999).

‘I reiterate the Executive’s commitment to Social Justice . . . The attack on poverty is our first priority.’

(Donald Dewar MSP, First Minister for Scotland, 14 August 2000).

‘ . . . the first thing I want to do is to continue the programme of social justice: tackling poverty and disadvantage.’

(Henry McLeish MSP, First Minister for Scotland, 26 October 2000).

[Source: Robina Goodlad’s paper for Working Together Learning Together]

DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES, COMMON PROBLEMS

1. What I got out of today’s session.

(Interesting information, anything new learned, enjoyed the session etc)

2. Things I would like to know more about.

(Questions I have in my mind. Things I don’t quite understand.)

3. Is there anything you learned today that has changed your attitude towards your own health (Please give an example if you did)

4. What I put into today’s session.

(How I feel I contributed - listening well, supporting, offering my views etc.)

5. Different Experiences, Common Problems

Think back to the case studies you looked at in this unit. Can you give examples of 3 groups that face additional barriers to achieving good health and for each one describe why this is the case.

Example 1

Example 2

Example