Friends of Newcastle Hospital

30/08/2025

Register your free place

30/08/2025

“Does he have aut-tism?”

A little boy asked me in the park today. Just a few moments earlier Tommy had been on the roundabout with him. The boy had pushed it faster, Tommy slowed it down with his feet.

He looked up at Tommy, said something to him that I couldn’t quite hear. Tommy smiled, said nothing, and ran off.

I could see the little boy processing what had just happened, wondered what he was thinking as Tommy hadn’t replied. I prepared myself to step in and explain.

It’s not the first time. For years we’ve navigated playgrounds, awkwardly at times. Tommy either not following social cues or sticking to social norms. Playing differently, unable to reply whenever another child would speak to him.

I’ve lost count of the number of times he’s stood at the top of a slide whilst a queue formed behind him, and I’ve tried to get him to come back down. Tried to explain to the confused kids behind him that he’d just be a minute.

Or tried to make sure that the sand he loves to flick and feel between his fingers didn’t get too close to anybody else.

Tried to ignore, or deflect the stares and the comments. Sometimes from other kids. Sometimes from other parents or grandparents. Seemingly put off by difference. By autism. With Tommy being 14 now, twice the size and age of most kids in the parks and playgrounds, the stares happen more often.

“Does he have aut-tism?” the little boy said looking up at me.

“He does” I said smiling back at him, “how did you know that?”

“My friend in my class has aut-tism. He has a little bit of aut-tism, and we play at school, and he’s one of my friends.”

I explained that Tommy doesn’t talk, that he wasn’t ignoring him. The boy nodded. “I love talking,” he laughed, “I can’t stop talking!”

Then off he ran, happy as anything. And I smiled too.

Because it reminded me that acceptance isn’t complicated.�It’s not hard. It’s not special. It’s just kindness.

And if a 7-year-old can get it right, maybe the rest of the world can too. ❤️

28/08/2025

Good luck to all the children starting school today.. the fun of school is learning new things… it’s a wonderful world of opportunity and possibilities! Have a great day!

28/08/2025

27/08/2025

Kickstart early-years learning

23/08/2025

“Ciara* was in a dark place. Her family relationships had completely broken down. She had a heavy drug problem but had started engagement with Harm Reduction Programme who referred her to Crosscare. She’d been in trouble with the guards, and she got referred to us in Crosscare.

We were working with her on a targeted youth employment scheme. Ciara was reluctant to engage with us, especially when she realised that we couldn’t solve all her problems overnight. But we persisted, we got to know each other and she started to come back more and more.

She’d come every week. She did most of the talking, and we just listened. Ciara initially blamed everyone else for her problems. We learned that she had outstanding arrest warrants and was in trouble with the courts. Her plan was to just ignore it all. We can’t make anyone engage, but we did talk through the possible consequences of avoiding court, including the likelihood of prison. I persuaded her to contact her solicitor. She decided to hand herself in and face the consequences.

Because she knew we had helped her, she started to engage more and more. Before she went to court, we got her a place on a barista training course and she got her driving theory test. We wrote a letter from the youth service to the courts, saying that we could see how she was turning it around. The judge said Ciara avoided a custodial sentence because of this letter and the efforts she was making. There are still some outstanding minor offences she is dealing with, but we’re helping her get through it. She is a different person now.”

- Linda from Crosscare on how youth work can support young people away from crime and into a better life.
*The young person’s name has been changed to protect their identity.

People from all generations have already signed up to the All Ages for Youth Work campaign to show that youth work matters to all voters - will you join them today and add your voice? You can find the link in the comments below

23/08/2025