Thu 18 June 2020, 11:51
Tottenham HotspurHaving dedicated her life to supporting children with special needs, our next Hotspur Hero has continued to be there for some of the most vulnerable young people throughout the pandemic.
Lifelong Spurs fan Emma Foskett has been nominated by a former colleague, who praised her 'completely selfless' attitude - a trait that makes her 'adored by everyone' at the special educational needs school where she works as a learning support assistant.
Taken aback by those kind words, she told us: “I’m gobsmacked! You don’t do this job to be recognised, or to have banners put up for you. I do it because I’m passionate about the children.”
Emma’s students suffer from conditions like ADHD and autism, and many have needed additional help to cope with the anxiety and uncertainty caused by the pandemic.
“It has been tough but kids are very resilient,” she said. “With this group, lots of them don’t like change and they’ve needed a lot of therapy to ease their fears.
“Because we’re a small school, the kids really trust us. We’ve had to be honest and give them the facts about what’s going on, but also be there to talk about their worries, constantly reassure them and reinforce positive messages.”
Emma added: “As staff, we’ve had to keep explaining that things will be different and demonstrating safety measures like social distancing. It’s not easy but we’re all helping each other get on with it and get through it.”
Reflecting on what motivates her to do the job, she explained: “A lot of these kids are vulnerable, so we make sure they’ve got a safe space - somewhere they can get guidance, care, a listening ear, that sort of thing.
“When you work with a child over the weeks, months and years, seeing them gain confidence and knowing that you’ve played a small part in that makes it all worthwhile.”
As the conversation moved on to Spurs, Emma’s excitement for the return of Premier League football was palpable.
“I can’t wait! It’s going to be different but I’m just so happy it’s back,” she said.
“My dad introduced me to the Club when I was five and I’ve been totally hooked ever since. I’ve got so many fond memories of us watching Spurs together over the years and I can’t wait to get back in the stadium again.”
Help us highlight our Hotspur Heroes
Help us continue to champion Spurs-supporting key workers by nominating a Hero.
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