My Fellowship in 1984 was to examine provision for disturbed and disturbing children and young offenders in French-speaking Europe. I intended to expand my knowledge because at the time we only knew about provision in the English-speaking world and it would inform my work running a unit for excluded children, as well as my voluntary work as a prison visitor.

As a result of my Fellowship, I was eventually appointed as head of service for all children in Newcastle outside normal education, ie hospital teaching, pregnant schoolgirls, excluded pupils, children in psychiatric units and home education, and I wrote articles on the problem areas of education as well as contributing to discussions on TV and radio. In fact, thanks to my Fellowship this was a two-way process because I also made a documentary film for French TV comparing their system with provision in England.

I am proud to be a Churchill Fellow, through which I have met interesting people from all walks of life, especially at the regional meetings of the East Pennines group where for several years I served on the committee.