Blog: A person so clearly full of compassion treated with so little compassion

A few weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to meet Michael Braithwaite – a public servant, a Windrush child and a UNISON member. Michael has been through more in recent years than most of us can imagine, with his life torn apart by the vicious “hostile environment” regime introduced by Theresa May as home secretary. Having lived in the UK for 56 years since arriving from Barbados aged nine, Michael – rightly – thought his immigration status was beyond question. He was, and is, a pillar of his community, the kind of neighbour we’d all wish to have and exactly the kind of person who we’re so fortunate to have educating our children. Michael works as a teaching assistant. He specialises in working with those with special educational needs, but he works with all children. You can see why he was drawn to this work 15 years ago, and why he’s so popular with those he’s worked alongside and taught. For Michael, his work was his passion – his second home – and he took great joy in the achievements of the children who he supported. And yet as a result of a single DBS check at work – something he’d done many times before – he found himself out of work caught up in a ridiculous and illogical government policy which destroyed his life. Understandably, the impact was devastating. To be pulled entirely out of your own life – out of work and fearing that losing your family, your home and your friends could be the next step – is something few of us can truly ...
Source: UNISON Health care news - Category: UK Health Authors: Tags: General secretary's blog News Source Type: news