Dear Children of the UK, I write this letter to you as a mother and as a professional. Firstly, I would like to apologise to you for the failings that are taking place daily that lead to so many of you having to suffer significant harm. It was never meant to be like this. When…
Author: outoftheshadows18
My name is Kendra Houseman. I have been involved with Gangs, Exploitation and CSE for over 26 years on many different levels. I am originally from South West London. A complicated background, living in an inner-city estate, and a lack of communication between adults are just some of the factors that lead to me having to make some life changing choices starting at the age of 11. These choices led to many consequences and created “Blondy” the name and person I was known as on the streets of SW London.
…. “What if I can’t love him”?.
I think that becoming a parent, no matter what the age is, is one of the most overwhelming experiences a human can go through. People of all ages are faced with so many different situations when they find out they are pregnant that it can talk all a women’s strength to make it to the…
Your grief is as unique as your finger print
I believe that grief is something that is unique to each and every being. It is like a fingerprint. Only you know how you feel. There may be other people who have experienced the same kind of loss as you. But its only similar as in the circumstance or context. That is where it ends….
Blondy’s People just hit Spotify!
This time last year I started out on a journey that changed my life. That may sound far-fetched or dramatic but it’s the only way I can explain in. We were two months into lock down and I had spent so many weeks crying and feeling scared. Not being able to go out and such…
Schools have a duty under the Equality Act 2010 not to discriminate against pupils on the basis of protected characteristics, such as disability or race
Those with SEN are failed within society daily. Hourly. Now. It shocks me that people are still punished for their SEN , weather that be in school, the work place or the community. In 2019 the Government published “School exclusion: a literature review on the continued disproportionate exclusion of certain children”. The DFE commissioned this…
“You might be proud of me Mum”
My children are the best reflection of me. This week each one of my children has made me proud. One started a new job that they had to fight for, one asked for help when they needed it despite her SEN making that almost impossible at times and one protected someone else when he could…
3 years today!!!! (I will except chocolate as a gift)
So, I just got a notification to say that 3 years ago today I published my first blog. 3 Years! My first blog (Which you can read here) was me absolutely gassing myself up because I received the paperwork that made Out of the Shadows my own company. It was a mad feeling. I’m sitting…
When did we stop looking at him as a victim….Maybe after the first belly full of Heroin?
“We believe he first become involved with county lines when he was 11”. The meeting continued after that line was said but for me…for a moment… not for me. It was like I had forgotten how to breath out. Not because this was the first time, I had heard this. Na…it was not the first…
“Feel Up’s” in the playground…. The Sexual harassment and violence girls face in our schools.
The eyes of the country have turned towards something that has been going on for many many years, that is the sexual harassment and violence that girls face in our schools. I have so much I want to say on this subject, that I almost have to breath deep to ensure I get what needs…
Autism Awareness week…. But who is aware of my daughters autism?
This week is world autism awareness week, something that I may have overlooked once upon a time. But not because I did not care. Because I didn’t really understand. But I do now. Very much so. Autism awareness week is to raise awareness around this subject and spread awareness and I have seen some amazing…
