autismcornwall

As an artist colours are clearly important to Robyn Steward. Her paintings are filled with vivid, vibrant yellows, greens and blues of all shades. She also uses colour to to help her tell people apart, including herself. Her trademark blue hat and blue boots allows her to recognise her own image in photographs; without these her face would be indistinguishable amongst the crowd. Robyn has prosopagnosia, a condition that means she is unable to recognise familiar as well as unfamiliar faces.
“It’s common amongst people with autism,” she declared during her public talk in the ballroom of the Penventon Hotel in Cornwall. Living as a young woman with Asperger’s syndrome she is known for her straight talking, no nonsense approach and the audience, largely made up of parents with children on the autistic spectrum, were keen to find out how she manages her life and what tips she can pass on to help them manage theirs.
Robyn, who has cerebral palsy that affects one side of her body, says painti…

Green Light's senior staff staged a workshop for the Redruth Jobcentre Plus team to help them attract more people into the care sector. Green Light is one of the first care companies to join the teams with the Department for Work & Pensions in Cornwall during its 'Campaign in a Box' – a monthly campaign which recently focused on the care profession.
Green Light's Kerry Noonan and Debbie Smith took part in the DWP workshop where they explained the training, skills and experience necessary to become a support worker. Debbie, who has managed several Green Light homes, said it was a brilliant opportunity to dispel many myths around working within the industry, adding: “They were impressed with Green Light's proactive approach. We explained that all new team members undergo two weeks of paid training before they begin working in any Green Light home and that all DBS checks are paid for by the company. New staff are also given two weeks to shadowexisting staff within…

There are said to be around 3 million people working night shifts in Britain. For many working through the night gives them more time in the day to enjoy their favourite pastimes or to spend time with their loved ones. Gavin Mountjoy is a self-confessed family man who says working nights, as a support worker in Cornwall, gives him treasured weekends to see his family. His shift patterns, working several nights consecutively, means he can have up to one week off at a time: “I love being with my kids and having quality time with them is something that I really look forward to.”



As the waking night team member at The Pines, which is home to three young men with autism and other complex needs, Gavin has developed a routine that helps him get through the twilight hours: “I get great support from the rest of the team who have helped me settle in well. I am on hand if anyone needs reassurance during the night.  




"Bill may wake up and want to watch a film. He is an awesome guy and…