h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I think Edward volunteers on the Children's Panel in addition to his day job. All the more reason I admire his being part of it. It's one thing to do something well because you're paid for it; it's another to do something well because you really care... and nothing else.

Aha.

So his day-job is..?

That's classified.

Whenever I'm asked to provide it, I always give my occupation as "occupied".

Well whatever it is, it's probably not the sort of job that would proclude you from being on a Children's Panel.

I don't know what Ed does, either. I've always imagined that it involved monkeys.

I do corporate accounting, as well as managing facilities operations, at the corporate office of a company in the modular housing and lending industries. And that's all I can safely say.

That reminds me...I've got to re-apply for my licence, which is temporary on medical grounds.

Ah, no. The Children's Panel stuff is voluntary - although my company covers my time off in an effort to appear caring, sharing and socially responsible. (If only you knew who we are!). Other members I've met are anything from bankers to retired teachers to a pastor to a radio journalist (and former TV newsreader) who is also local rhyming slang for 'front bottom'. (or 'back bottom' to PC's lot).

So I'm not a Social Worker...although I'm married to one.

What we do is act as lay overseers to the process. If a child is abused, has care issues - or even commits an offence - we get reports from SW, education, etc. and decide what to do for them. We have the say, and can even tell SW 'No - you'll do this instead'. With youth crime - some comes straight to us. In serious cases, Sheriffs (which in Scotland means Judges), the Sherrif asks us for advice before sentencing. But we're not a court. It's more of a duiscussion. And we're legally oblighed to abide by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and seek the child's opinion.

More here:
http://www.childrens-hearings.co.uk/

And that's how I assuage my guilt.

>>I don't know what Ed does, either. I've always imagined that it involved monkeys.

It does indeed. I mainly work with monkeys, wolverines and assorted pond-life.

You don't organise comic book conventions, do you?

Good god! I didn't think anyone would be able to come up wuth an even more shameful occupation.

Nah...I'm a talent spotter for Big Brother.

Mmmm.

Good lord I love teh interwebs...

http://www.chinaexpat.com/forum/2007/03/29/art/shanghai-gynecology-hospital.html

This might actually be handy, it's a site which scours Flickr like Google Images. It's also very quick.

http://compfight.com/