Stepping into 2014- walking in My Shoes with Mooloo

Hard_Up_Hester

I'd get on to social services, though experience tells me there is probably not a lot they can do.
Trying to give DGD a safe & happy life is important.

Grumpyoldmoo

Mooloo you truly are an inspiration, you pack so much into your days.

thorsoak

Mooloo - my son tells me that you should google POVA (protection of vulnerable adults) - under POVA Social Services HAVE to act!

Twin 2 is being financially and mentally abused and under this legislation, Social Services have to take action.

gizmo111

thorsoak wrote: »

Mooloo - my son tells me that you should google POVA (protection of vulnerable adults) - under POVA Social Services HAVE to act!

Twin 2 is being financially and mentally abused and under this legislation, Social Services have to take action.

Yes they have to investigate but they can't actually do anything to stop her making poor decisions. From a LA website

What will happen if I report someone to Social Services?

When you contact us, we call this a 'referral. We will take as many details as we need to see whether the referral needs to go through the safeguarding process or whether another service might be better.
If the referral needs to go through the safeguarding process, Social Services will arrange an investigation in line with the Wales Interim Policy and Procedures for the protection of Vulnerable Adults from Abuse.
The investigation may involve several agencies e.g. health services, police who will work together and talk to people involved to find out what has happened and what the person who has been abused would like to happen. If a crime has been committed (such as theft or assault) the police will talk to the person who has been abused about whether they want to press charges.
If the person who has been abused is not able to make decisions about what should happen, they might have an independent advocate, relative or care manager to speak on their behalf.
After the investigation, action will be taken to ensure the person is protected in the future. This action will depend on individual circumstances, but it might be the person getting a different kind of service or support, or a court taking legal action.

Savvy_sewing

I will call Monday.
I'm shattered! I was so hot all day today! Feel like I was working in a sauna! I didn't sit down for more than two minutes at a time. We over ran by an hour. And we were still not finished. If a machine went wrong, they all went wrong! Trouble shooting was time consuming!
The embroidery machine chewed up, and we had to abandon that one.
The private lesson was really a little girl with the hobby craft mini machine

Don't buy it! It's terrible!
I am so relieved that the afternoon didn't have anything booked in.
We shut at 4. Took DS's GF home, collected DGD went to Aldi, and home for 6!
Cooking tea!
Then tonight I'm going to have a hot bath and hopefully sleep well!

grey_lady

Oh Mooloo - great about the shop but just awful about twin 2. This makes me cross - 'Yes they have to investigate but they can't actually do anything to stop her making poor decisions. From a LA website.'

Savvy_sewing

grey_lady wrote: »

Oh Mooloo - great about the shop but just awful about twin 2. This makes me cross - 'Yes they have to investigate but they can't actually do anything to stop her making poor decisions. From a LA website.'

Alas the story of our lives! You can't force her to do anything. She nievally thinks these people are her friends.
She's lost her home, she's hours away, and I cannot do anything about it. We can't actually lock her up!! We have no choice but to watch her ruin her life.
My heart is breaking. But my hands are tied.

Yesterday I stayed home, cleaned the house, changed beds, did washing, and was in bed by 9pm

I dreamt of sewing! The jobs that are waiting to be done, and how the hell was I going to cope if this pace continues! I will be a zombie!

minimoneysaver

I suppose it has all happened VERY quickly. You've gone from working a few hours a week, mending and improving a few outfits, to running your own shop and instructional lessons! That's a lot for anyone to achieve....let alone someone with the issues that you have to deal with, that your family throw at you.

Savvy_Sue

Mooloo wrote: »

how the hell was I going to cope if this pace continues!

I wondered when I saw your planned opening hours if you were over-extending yourself, and again, just wondering, if it would be worth reducing them sooner rather than later, maybe not opening at all on your 'short' day for example.

My reasoning for 'sooner' rather than 'later' is that if people get used to your current hours - because you've been open for AGES and those were ALWAYS your hours - and try to call in and find you're NOT open when they thought you were, they may go elsewhere. Whereas if they get used to reduced hours NOW you won't have that problem.

It doesn't reduce the amount of time you can give to the business - it may actually increase it, because you can work on stuff without interruptions either at home or upstairs hidden at the shop. But it does mean you can do things like stay home for deliveries or the gasman or whoever on your closed day without having to rely on DS's g/f or DGD's mum.

Because my feeling - and other people may disagree with this - is that if a small shop says it is open from X am to Y pm on these days, then that is when it must jolly well be open. Yes, I will cut you a small amount of slack if I arrive once, maybe twice, and find a note in the window to explain why I am not there - domestic emergency etc - but I'm afraid that I just will not keep doing it.

And if I arrive and there is no note of explanation and no way of getting in touch, you've probably had it with my custom because I will not feel I can rely on you. For that reason, if you now have a 'work' mobile I'd suggest putting that number in the window next to your opening hours with a note asking people to phone you if they need to contact you when the shop isn't open as expected. You don't have to keep it on out of hours, or even in hours, but you do need to check the messages if it's off when you should be there.

I don't mean this to sound unfriendly so I hope you can see where I'm coming from. DH and I used to go to a lovely cafe which was also a training school for people with learning difficulties, but it became increasingly difficult to predict whether it would be open or not! We finally twigged that it didn't open in school holidays (including half-terms), but sometimes in other weeks, and there was never any warning or explanation!

BTW, holidays, obviously you're going to close when you go on holiday, but please do put a note up about a month ahead warning people of your closure!

Savvy_sewing

Yes I get you.
I already have my number on the door beside my opening times.
I get it about not being open etcetera.
If I have to nip out, (I did today). I actually put a note, a time, and reason.
But it won't be easy being a one woman band. Today I had a door bell installed, so if I am working upstairs I can be summonsed, with out leaving the door open.
I hope that once I am used to working so much I will adjust.
I do feel it's important to be open as much as I can.
Perhaps I will tweak the hours if it seems to be quiet at certain times.
I am resisting bringing work home but only just.
I just hope that I can get to do some of my makes! But so far it's all alterations!!