In Residence

This edition of The TCJ offers the following articles: From Hungary, Edina Feckso-Pirisi and Nandor Grosch present a fascinating account of their work in Children’s Homes with the ‘Kids eye Public Art Association’; ‘A case study of a child filmmaker from a children’s home’  specifically their work with one young person Magdi (anonymised name). They … Read more

In The Handbook of Residential Care (Routledge 1993) I wrote a chapter called “Creating helpful organisation”. It covered buildings, furnishings and decoration, using money, boundaries, public and private space, kitchens, bathrooms and lavatories, food and catering, team and community meetings, supervision, staff support groups, training and development, rotas, routines and habits, smoking, and rituals and celebrations. … Read more

It was a very simple ceremony.  Family and friends had gathered outside the local church beside a rose-bush that was being planted, and then one by one they buried the ashes of their mother/grand-mother/sister/friend.  There were some embraces.  There were some tears.  The little children played, watched, and engaged from time to time like butterflies.  … Read more

Artistic techniques in the field of social pedagogy Introduction The personality developmental effects of art, when used to create opportunities and to tackle disadvantages, play an intermediary role between the disciplines and practices of psychology and pedagogy[1]. It provides a good opportunity for children to develop self-awareness, self-regulation, a feeling of self-efficiency and social competence, … Read more

We are very pleased in this 70th anniversary of The Mulberry Bush School to bring you a  themed edition on the work of Barbara Dockar-Drysdale (1912-1999) our founder and pioneer of the concept of therapeutic child care. The first two previously unpublished papers are from the 2012 Mulberry Bush Charity AGM, the centenary of the … Read more

 With the Mulberry Bush now reaching its 70th year, it’s time to tell the story of The Mulberry Bush. As a former Mulberry Bush child, its hard to look back at my time there, I am affected by many memories both good and bad, and some far to painful to even consider. I arrived at … Read more

I first came across the life and work of Barbara Dockar-Drysdale while I was researching residential child care at Edinburgh University from 1969 to 1973. Some of what I gleaned was through her own writings, but also from the work of Richard Balbernie and others who admired her pioneering initiatives. This period was seminal in … Read more

This is the second previously unpublished paper about Barbara Dockar-Drysdale from the 2012 Mulberry Bush AGM. Richard Rollinson was a former Director of The Mulberry Bush School, and is currently Chair of Trustees. Barbara Dockar-Drysdale, “Mrs. D”: The Woman and her writings: A Personal Appreciation By the time Lesley [then my girlfriend and now my … Read more

Here is a previously unpublished paper given by Christopher (Robin) Reeves to the Mulberry Bush Organisation AGM, October 2012. This was the centenary year of the birth of  BDD. Robin Reeves was formerly therapeutic consultant to the Mulberry Bush School, before becoming Director from 1980-1991. Barbara Dockar-Drysdale I’m grateful for the invitation to say a … Read more

A warm welcome to our newest members; Diana Lynch Bodger; Play Therapist, UK Helen Gedge; British Association of Play Therapists. James Anglin; Professor at the School of Child and Youth Care, University of Victoria, Canada. Patrick Reason; Associação Beneficente Encontro com Deus, Brazil. Antony Clements, Childhoodfirst, UK Chris Bennett, Caldecott Foundation, UK Events: The next … Read more

We were sitting together either side of the fire and chatting together. It was a few months after the last time we had met.  Reuben, as I will call him, had driven down from East Anglia to Mill Grove, and we began to catch up on news over a cup of tea.  He and his … Read more

There can be little doubt that the internet and social networking are transforming our lives individually and collectively.  As individuals there are opportunities to decide and revise our “identities”, and socially we are all potentially globally-connected.  It will be for future historians to assess what effects this is having, how profound and how lasting they … Read more