stopfuckingwithme those people need to be rehomed really, really quickly, close to home. And supported properly as well. What if someone's on a zero hour contract or in the 'gig' economy and doesn't get paid when they don't work. And when they do get back to work they find suddenly their hours go right down as they've taken time off. I'm sure there are a lot of employers/managers who wouldn't dream of doing that, but not everyone.
The other thing I really see there being a big need for is counseling/therapy. The survivors are going to be so badly traumatised. They will need psychological support, now and in the future, possibly long-term.
I saw on TV that there were lots and lots of counsellors/therapists down on the estate at the weekend, just off their own bat doing pro-bono work. Going round and listening/talking to people, trying to be early intervention support.
One lady was interviewed and said that she and lot of her fellow therapists who were down there wanted to reassure people that they would continue to be around, that they were in it for the long haul, not just last weekend. I think that is great, and all those people helping for free are brilliant. An absolute credit to their profession.
And I also think that really, proper counseling/support for trauma should be provided by the NHS, especially in this case. But realistically that isn't going to happen.
So I think, especially long-term, one of the charitable needs is going to be counseling & therapy for trauma. Because that disaster, and being ignored before the event and neglected after by the authorities, all the disruption and disconnection afterwards is such a recipe for PTSD. Especially for any children involved, or people who have already fled war zones or suffered abuse.
I also read that one of the cuts to the London Fire Service was to reduce the number of counsellors from 13 to two. How are two counsellors going to handle talking to what, 250 firefighters? This was such a horrendous incident, so many of the firefighters must be distressed by it, never mind how long their career has been or what they have had to deal with before. So I am concerned that they get the proper support too.
Sorry, to go on at such length about that. I have personal experience of what PTSD can do to people, especially children and I just can't bear to think what might happen if these people don't get the right care as well as their other needs met.
So in the longer-term, I think I try to find a local charity that provides counseling/therapy to the victims long-term. In the meantime, I'm thinking the Firefighter's charity, as I know they provide psychological help for firefighters.
For all those affected and all those helping 