Jenny Hicken
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greatnorthmum.bsky.social
Jenny Hicken
@greatnorthmum.bsky.social
500 followers 830 following 360 posts
World-class procrastinator. PhD student, Inclusive Education Research Group @northumbriauni.bsky.social. Programme manager @EveryChildNENC.bsky.social. Knowledge Mobilisation Fellow @arcnenc.bsky.social. GMBPsS.

🌍 Newcastle upon Tyne
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greatnorthmum.bsky.social
Things have got that bad in NHS organisational change land that an ICB colleague is taking 900 years of leave just to get away from it.
Screenshot of email auto-reply saying "Thank you for your email, please note that I am currently on leave returning on 17 December 2925. For any urgent queries please email [redacted] to ensure it is picked up and responded to in a timely manner."
December 9, 2025 at 8:58 AM
greatnorthmum.bsky.social
My 50 most-used words on Bluesky this year suggest I have been on my soapbox a lot
Word cloud visualization for 2025 showing your 50 most-used words, sized by frequency. Top 10: "health" (15×), "those" (12×), "mean" (11×), "children" (10×), "poverty" (10×), "support" (9×), "care" (9×), "autism" (8×), "staff" (8×), "absolute" (8×) (from Anisota's Annual Bluesky Harvest)
December 3, 2025 at 9:00 AM
greatnorthmum.bsky.social
Absolutely wild the proposed standards that migrants will have to meet when a sizeable proportion of those protesting against them would not meet the same standards but are all good because they have a flag
Mahmood was strongly criticised by the Commons speaker over the amount of pre-briefing there was ahead of Monday’s announcement, and this morning the Home Office has been more tight-lipped. But the Times reports that Mahmood is expected to announce “that migrants would usually be allowed to apply for indefinite leave to remain only after ten years — double the five years at present — and must meet certain conditions such as speaking English to A-level standard, having a clean criminal record and not claiming benefits”.
November 20, 2025 at 9:46 AM
greatnorthmum.bsky.social
I mean, giving a child a pair of ear defenders is about the most basic "bit of extra support" that schools can provide. Doesn't require a "label" or a diagnosis. Should be right up Tice's street. Would like to hear from all the teachers and heads who want kids to stop wearing ear defenders btw
Asked what Reform can do to tackle this, he said: “The best thing to do, actually, is to push almost all of it back to the schools. The schools know best, the teachers know best. “And stop labelling people. Just say, ‘You need a bit of extra support; you might need a bit of extra time.’ “You’ve got to the mad situation now where children who don’t have any form of label are starting to feel left out. “I’ll just raise one more point: the sight of children in classes wearing ear defenders - I’m sorry, this is just insane. It’s got to stop. The teachers want it to stop. Heads want it to stop. It’s not the right way forward.”
November 17, 2025 at 5:57 PM
greatnorthmum.bsky.social
I mean I know immigration is the issue du jour but this line from Tice on EHCPs is downright unhinged if he thinks this is what is actually happening @spcialndsjungle.bsky.social @peterwalker99.bsky.social
These are from my colleague Peter Walker, who has been at the Reform UK press conference, where Richard Tice, the deputy leader, has been speaking. I’m at a Reform UK press conference where Richard Tice is setting out how the party plans to save money in local government. On Send support he singles out what he calls “a crisis of over-diagnosis” among children. Tice: “One of the key issues here is these EHCPs [education, health and care plans], middle class parents playing the game in order to save the VAT on independent school fees.”
November 17, 2025 at 1:01 PM
greatnorthmum.bsky.social
Big news in NHS organisational change land this evening courtesy of a 5pm all-staff email from our ICB chief exec. Things are suddenly happening pre-Budget, rather unexpectedly. Info here via email from my union.
NHS England announced today that it has reached agreement with Government on funding redundancy costs in ICBs and NHS England. ICBs will have financial support, through regional allocations, to complete their plans to reduce running costs and implement the ICB blueprint from 2026/27. This means redundancies - voluntary and compulsory - must take place in ICBs before the end of the financial year 2025/26. NHS England has asked ICBs to consult local trade union representatives urgently and then start collective consultations as soon as possible.
November 11, 2025 at 6:10 PM
greatnorthmum.bsky.social
I am also tremendously confused by the idea that if a PE kit doesn't have a school logo on it, it somehow ceases to exist.
Ms Trott also spoke strongly about the government’s aim to limit the number of branded items of school uniform and PE kit to three for primary schools, which is in the upcoming schools bill. “What they’re doing as a result of the schools bill is actually basically banning PE kit in primary schools,” she said. “It’s outrageous, because there is a sense of belonging and identity that is so important in school uniform.” Although she agreed that uniform should not be too expensive, she said there were “many different ways” to solve this problem.
October 10, 2025 at 9:06 AM
greatnorthmum.bsky.social
Principal Skinner meme: Is the rigid mainstream school environment actually causing more disruptive behaviour? Of course not, it is the children who are the problem.
October 10, 2025 at 9:02 AM
greatnorthmum.bsky.social
Officially started my PhD at @northumbriauni.bsky.social this week! I'll be exploring wellbeing and academic support for university students with additional needs and disabilities so let me know who I need to follow in the inclusive higher education space!
Photo of a stack of 8 textbooks on research design and inclusive education I borrowed from the library in my initial excitement, along with my student smartcard.
October 4, 2025 at 4:04 PM
greatnorthmum.bsky.social
I mean the whole thing looks like absolute madness but the Northumbria bit isn't too far removed from the current North East and North Cumbria ICB footprint - it actually works in terms of a health geography due to patient flows from North Cumbria to secondary/tertiary services in the North East.
Map of the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board geographical area
July 17, 2025 at 12:49 PM
greatnorthmum.bsky.social
Welcome to the Tyne and Wear Metro, currently hotter than the earth's core, have a pleasant journey.
Photo from the interior of a very hot Metro carriage
July 9, 2025 at 4:12 PM
greatnorthmum.bsky.social
I mean at least they are acknowledging that this is a problem to be addressed I suppose.
We will also continue our current partnership with libraries and other community organisations to help set people up on the NHS App. We will continue recruiting App Ambassadors across the country to support uptake. The NHS will continue to contribute fully to the cross-government Digital Inclusion Action Plan, led by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, to improve access to and skills with technology among socially excluded groups.
July 3, 2025 at 3:38 PM
greatnorthmum.bsky.social
The level of digital and health literacy required to enable the general public to do everything they are proposing the NHS app be used for will be a serious limiting factor on how successful this element of the plan will be. Only those most able will benefit from it, creating greater inequality.
through the NHS App, allow patients to book appointments, communicate with professionals, receive advice, draft or view their care plan, and self-refer to local tests and services
July 3, 2025 at 3:17 PM
greatnorthmum.bsky.social
I get the need for defence, I really do, but telling people whose lives are already difficult that they are probably going to get harder because of a hypothetical future conflict we might need submarines for is going to be a harder sell than Starmer thinks it is.

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Asked what he would say to Scottish voters concerned about the government cutting benefits while increasing the defence budget, Starmer said: “I am absolutely clear in my priority is the safety and security of everybody in Scotland.”
June 2, 2025 at 1:35 PM
greatnorthmum.bsky.social
I didn't know this about Luis Enrique's daughter - glad he has had this win tonight (whatever you might think of the match itself!) #ChampionsLeague
Luis Enrique pulls on a new t-shirt. On the front, a homage to his daughter Xana, who passed away in 2019 aged just nine. When Enrique won this competition with Barcelona back in 2015, he celebrated with Xana on the pitch, and she planted a Barcelona flag in the ground. Enrique’s shirt depicts her planting a PSG flag as well. He’s smiling. Fond memories. Such a sweet, sweet, bittersweet moment. “I remember an incredible photo I have of her in the Champions League final in Berlin, after winning the Champions League, putting the flag of FC Barcelona in the pitch,” explained Enrique during this week’s build-up. “I have the wish to be able to do the same with Paris Saint-Germain. My daughter won’t be there, but she will be … she won’t be there physically, but she will be spiritually and that, for me, is very important … my daughter loved parties and I’m sure where she is, she’s still having parties.”
May 31, 2025 at 9:26 PM
greatnorthmum.bsky.social
Gif of Dennis Hopper's character in the film Speed saying "The whim of a madman!" And looking pleased with himself for being the madman.
April 9, 2025 at 8:29 PM
greatnorthmum.bsky.social
I know this is almost the least of its problems but there are three different depictions of allegedly Durham Cathedral in the video and not one of them is actually Durham Cathedral.
Not Durham Cathedral Not Durham Cathedral Not Durham Cathedral Actual Durham Cathedral
March 25, 2025 at 10:04 AM
greatnorthmum.bsky.social
Props to Anna Maxwell Martin for this interview 👏

www.theguardian.com/education/20...
March 22, 2025 at 10:24 AM
greatnorthmum.bsky.social
Most unbelievable bit of this is the suggestion United will be winning 3-0 again at some point.
One of the artist's impression images of the proposed new Manchester United stadium with the scoreboard above the pitch reading 3-0
March 11, 2025 at 10:34 AM
greatnorthmum.bsky.social
I think this is my favourite of the Vance protest placards in Vermont. Absolute deviant behaviour.
Handwritten placard reading "J.D. Vance puts his cast iron skillet in the dishwasher"
March 2, 2025 at 10:26 AM
greatnorthmum.bsky.social
Just seen this screenshot shared by @simonpegg.bsky.social. This is quite the hot take - as if Musk is every normal person rocking up to work with their young child in tow and their boss going "This is fine" and everyone gets on with their day. He is not the poster boy for working parents Liz!
February 12, 2025 at 6:08 PM
greatnorthmum.bsky.social
Handwritten placard saying "Our expectations for you were low but HOLY FUCK"
February 5, 2025 at 9:12 AM
greatnorthmum.bsky.social
This chart right here from @jrf-uk.bsky.social new UK Poverty report shows why all the outrage about pensioners' winter fuel payments is so disproportionate - children are consistently most affected by poverty and none of those shouting about pensioners have ever shown similar concern for CYP.
Chart showing poverty rates for different categories of people from 1994/95 to 2022/23, indicating that children have consistently had the highest poverty rates, while pensioners, along with working-age adults without children, now have the lowest
January 29, 2025 at 3:17 PM
greatnorthmum.bsky.social
Don't know why I've never really noticed but was just in traffic behind a Tesla and it was suddenly so obvious the logo looks like an IUD. This is what happens when women presumably aren't involved in design choices. #DiversityMatters

Image ref: www.hejkarlie.ch/inspiration/...
Illustration of a uterus, Tesla logo and intrauterine contraceptive device for comparison
January 27, 2025 at 5:50 PM
greatnorthmum.bsky.social
December 11, 2024 at 10:12 PM