In February 08 I attended a Society of Authors conference in Edinburgh and heard a presentation about how non-fiction writers could reach a much wider audience through the internet. Setting up a website based on our work was suggested…

I thought, What a good idea! Having listened to so many people on local and national telephone help-lines, and hearing so many common themes about communication within families; within professional teams; and most of all, between families and professionals and how very important building constructive conversations is to creating the most effective care possible, I’d written and co-written books already published by John Wiley and Sons, and Routledge…on just this subject.  (For more details, see page on my non-fiction writing.)

I thought, We could invite Guest Writers….And the site could be interactive! That way family members as well as professionals could ask questions, read each others’ viewpoints, come to a much better understanding… much easier to ask questions when you’re not face-to-face…

And I came home with the thought of how to make the idea a reality. Talked to George Baird of Resourceful I.T. on whom I rely for all my computer and technology needs and problems. He did some more thinking around the idea, and some exploration on the internet. Yes, he said, it could work…Have you thought of a name?

Expenses for technology, fees for internet domain name etc, we thought, could be paid through asking for a small subscription fee.

So began work on www.workingtogethercare.com – a much bigger job than either of us imagined. George built the site, I did the writing and inviting Guest Writers. Then Penny Hemans came on board, with her passion for photography and contributed images.

A very very steep Learning Curve as George taught me how to add material to the site, add images, add Meta Data (I’d never heard of such a thing just a short while ago).

Now, in November 09, the site is built…thanks to George’s technical support all the way, I’ve added well over a hundred practical articles to the site, under such headings as Communication, Information, Resources, Carer Survival, along with Penny’s wonderful images.

And I’ve realised that the idea is much bigger than I am, bigger even than the resources of our small team.

Now we’re at a new stage, exploring possibilities such as linking up with a big organisation; or finding funding to cope with the admin which is needed to send out information to professionals and family carers working with people whose condition involves ‘challenging behaviour’. Discussions are ongoing with lots of interested friends and contacts.

Feels like a major crossroads!    Do get in touch if you have any suggestions.

Only a few weeks now until the end of this year.  Who knows what 2010 holds…