Sarah arrived at our Peak View assessment home when she was just 15 years old. She had experienced deeply complex issues during her early years and was in desperate need of some help and support. Both of her parents were homeless and struggled with substance misuse. Often, Sarah didn’t even know where her parents were and had to fend for herself in their absence.

As a result, Sarah was considered high-risk for going missing. In fact, within her local authority, she had the highest number of missing episodes of any young person at that time. She was also carrying the emotional weight of being separated from her sister, half-siblings (who were adopted in a closed process) and her nephew.

Sarah was a young girl who felt lost, rejected and unsafe and on top of everything, she’d completely disengaged from school.  

New beginnings

Despite the adversity she faced, Sarah’s time at Peak View formed the first chapter of a new story. Her time at the assessment home gave Sarah some much-needed respite from the stress, fear and anxiety of her old life.

She found stability and support from the home team and began to build trusting relationships with them. Sarah engaged in daily life at the home and took her first steps back into education by completing some AQA units.

Back to school

After four months at Peak View, Sarah moved to our Brick Lane home with a new team. The transition was carefully managed to ensure Sarah felt comfortable with the changes. Once settled, her new home team focused on re-engaging Sarah in education. This was a very slow and sensitive process, as Sarah took time to reconnect with the love of learning.

After receiving lots of support and encouragement, Sarah was enrolled in the Turning the Curve™ education programme, which features an entirely flexible and child-centric curriculum that enabled her to learn in a way that suited her needs.

She started with a home tutor, and over time, her tutor would take her for short visits to Esland Bedford School so that she could get used to the environment and the teaching staff there. Eventually, she started attending regular sessions at the school and began working on ASDAN awards in maths and English.

Reconnecting with family

At the home, Sarah celebrated her 16th birthday, and with this milestone, she began embracing new independence skills and hobbies. The staff noticed Sarah had a fondness for animals and encouraged her to take up work experience at a local dog groomer.

Sarah’s emotional journey included reconnecting with her family. The team supported her in establishing regular contact with her sister, and visits with her parents were gradually reintroduced. When her mother became critically ill, the team helped Sarah visit her in intensive care, which meant the world to her during a very difficult period. Though she found it hard to discuss her parents, Sarah’s openness and resilience grew over time.

Embracing independence

When Sarah turned 17, she began her transition into semi-independent living. She fully embraced her independence plan, which covered numerous topics, including budgeting, cooking, shopping, medical management, and safe travel.

Her home team were impressed with how capable she became at managing her medication and money. Even when she overspent her budget one month, Sarah learnt from the experience and made sure to keep a ‘rainy day fund’ handy so that she didn’t end up in difficulty again.

After two years with us, Sarah left our Brick Lane home. To help her settle into her new independent life, the team provided practical gifts, such as an air fryer, kitchenware, and bedding. They still check in with her regularly, but since day one, Sarah has thrived on her new way of life.

Not afraid to try again

A testament to Sarah's progress is that she has never once gone missing during her time at Esland. Her journey is a powerful reminder of what young people can achieve when they are given the proper support, care and consistency. Sarah's key worker often shares a quote that has deeply resonated with Sarah during her time with us:

"It's not about never falling – it's about never being afraid to get back up."

For Sarah, this message wasn't just a quote; it became a mindset. She learned not to fear failure but to embrace life's opportunities, face challenges head-on, and trust that she had the strength to move forward.

 

*We have changed the name to protect the young person’s identity.