November 2020

If September was all about Authors then November seems to have been about Mental health and Social workers.

The stress of confinement in lockdown and the financial and health pressures of the Pandemic are causing a big surge in cases of domestic abuse. I photographed three social workers for Guardian Labs and Wandsworth Council - Leila Hassan Farah, Nana Obeng (above) and Caitlin Hanley (Bellow). It was interesting to learn how difficult it is for them to intervene legally in cases of domestic violence, and how they focus on opening a dialogue with the abuser (nearly always the man), to try to get them to look at why they are abusing. A really challenging profession and I’m sure also very draining and stressful. Their stories are here and here.

The other story that I did was for Bridge Studio and UK Government, and was about the challenges of identifying and supporting people with mental health issues. Dr Ban Haider, a south London GP, says that she finds that a lot of people are often apologetic to come forward with their mental health concerns, as they feel that doctors are too busy with the pandemic to deal with them feeling anxious. But actually GP are keen for them to talk about their stresses and concerns so that they can be addressed before things escalate. Teacher Hannah Tayler, is the mental health lead at a primary school and again stressed the importance of children talking to someone, and providing emotional and practical support.

What really came across from meeting both these sets of people was how the pandemic was affecting society in more ways that just a health emergency and how important mental wellbeing as well as physical wellbeing is, at this moment.