I’ve had a few conversations over the last month around Test Two and the idea of, ‘Would I use that language in my kitchen with my family or the café or pub with my friends?’. People rarely have an issue with the test, and I’ve yet to find someone who doesn’t agree we’ve created a bunch of daft and othering language in our world of social care. The sticking point, which I find fascinating, is the apparent conundrum of which words to use instead. Turns out, the answer might already be in your kitchen.

In episode 14 of the Gloriously Ordinary Lives podcast, you'll hear that I am absolutely thrilled to introduce you all to the lovely ⁠⁠⁠Marianne Selby-Boothroyd⁠⁠⁠, who's joining the Gloriously Ordinary Lives team... that's right, the Gloriously Ordinary Lives team! How exciting is that?

Have a listen, and we'd love to hear what you think!

I've just come back from one of my favourite days of the year - our annual Social Care Future gathering. Support workers, social workers, families, commissioners, directors, disabled people, policy makers, older people... all united by our shared passion for creating a Social Care Future where we get to live our Gloriously Ordinary Lives. Here are my reflections.

Over the next few weeks we're going to be putting together another section on the website: the stories of Gloriously Ordinary Lives. Dead simple, just places where real people are trying stuff out and it feels a bit Gloriously Ordinary. Today I thought I'd share a story from each test that might give you a little bit of inspiration - certainly things that have made my heart sing.

This is week two of me reflecting on unregulated versus regulated care and support, exploring what regulated organisations can learn from personal assistants and micro enterprises so that good people don't get caught up in processes that actually get in the way of people's lives being gloriously ordinary.

This one’s all about what good support really looks like. There’s been a lot of noise in the press and on social media about the supposed danger of unregulated care. I share my experience of employing personal assistants and working with micro-providers — and why choosing who supports us, based on what matters to us, works.

This one’s all about how easy it is for things to turn un-gloriously ordinary very quickly and without malice or intent. I've had several conversations with families about things that aren't awful, aren't 'oh my days that's appalling'…but just aren't right. They fail the Five Tests for Gloriously Ordinary Lives in low-level ways - things you might think don't really matter, but they add up.

In episode 13 of the Gloriously Ordinary Sundays Podcast I chat with Beverley Samways from Unique Connections.

I recently came across the work of Unique Connections online, when exploring how I could help and support The Girl to live a gloriously ordinary life. Beverley and I talk all about the importance and power of seeing the emotional person behind the behaviour, and how being truly present with someone can replace self-injury with connection and words.

* Trigger warning - we talk about self harm *

This one's all about identity. I’ve hesitated over this blog. It’s the last of three (for the moment) about the role of inclusive education in enabling Gloriously Ordinary Lives, but it’s taken me to a tricky place personally. This is probably version 34 as I’ve struggled to find the right words, or even to be clear about what I want to say, so apologies now for my clumsiness.

You will know that the ideas and shaping of Gloriously Ordinary Lives came from my kids. The more I reflect on what it takes to keep things gloriously ordinary, the more I’m inclined to go back to our education system and how we choose to segregate and ‘other’ children from the youngest of ages.

This week I tell you some stories, then next week I’ll start to unpick how I think it works, with some help from Ciaran. I’m thinking again about the power and impact of all our children going to school together …and how this is a great starting point for creating and supporting Gloriously Ordinary Lives.

Thanks to the brilliant Maff Potts, I recently had an ah-ha moment. In Test Four, I make a big deal about the importance of supporting, enabling and nurturing real friendships and I stick by that... but now I’d like to add something else.

In episode 12 of the Gloriously Ordinary Sundays Podcast I chat with ⁠Maff Potts⁠, founder of ⁠Camerados⁠ and author of 'Friends and Purpose'.

We explore Maff's brilliant concept of 'front of house' versus 'back of house' - using the restaurant analogy to show how we often bring our very dehumanising policies, procedures, and language into spaces where people should feel human, comfortable and valued.

Have a listen - I'd love to hear what you think!

Dear lovely supporters of Gloriously Ordinary Lives, I promised you a postcard and here it is!

I’m writing this quickly on the Friday before you read this, trying to get everything sorted before I leave for Kefalonia for 10 days - hurrah. Ciaran usually comes to me for dinner every Sunday evening. The obvious 'Serviceland' solution? Pop in some extra paid support, maybe a temporary hours adjustment through his social worker... But why is that always the starting point?

As the third and final part of my musings on friendships and connections over the last few weeks, I wanted to share a quick story. I hope it will put a smile on your face as we get back into real life after the long weekend.

I wanted to do a bit more musing this week on friendships and connections. I reflect on the role of paid support in people’s lives in facilitating and supporting friendships connections and relationships. Are you looking for look opportunities to facilitate/nurture/grow/support connections and relationships? Is it a priority?

In this blog I reflect on friendships, connections and relationships - all the stuff that’s covered under Test Four. We need to buck our ideas up about what constitutes friendship and accept that we all do it in very different ways. When we judge someone's ability to have friends, we're talking baloney.

Ciaran Cameron turned 30 on the 19th of March, so we are in the middle of a week of various celebrations, reminiscing and wondering what's next!

So, it's the end of the I Open My Own Front Door, Do You? campaign… well, the start of it, I guess, as this was the launch week - but don’t think it’s gone away. In this blog I reflect on a couple of things that have really hit home for me since the campaign began.