Children’s Fund Medway

Background

The young person was referred to the YISP project by his educational institution due to his disruptive behaviour in school and incidents of verbal/physical aggression towards staff and pupils. As a result the young person was on a part time table in the inclusions unit with numerous fixed term exclusions. The young person has a statement of special educational needs and had few peers or role models. The young person was socially excluded, spending the majority of his spare time in non constructive activities with few age-appropriate peers. He had very low self esteem/confidence and was easily led by other antisocial peers. The dynamics within the family were strained with violent incidents between the young person and the older sibling resulting in police callouts for domestic violence. The young person was at increased risk of permanent exclusion and at risk of antisocial/offending behaviour when in a large peer group.

Approach 

Individual Support Plan (ISP) developed for 6 month period - areas of need identified:

• Education: Support Plan established in conjunction with pastoral support team. Young person received Anger Management sessions and Training Assistant support. Young person attended Alternative Curriculum programme (Word on the Street) for one afternoon a week, completing the 'U CHOOSE' Award and developing life/interpersonal skills

• Constructive Activities: Accessed local youth club and joined a local football club. Participated in planned holiday activities including football coaching

• Health: Accessed family support through local health team

Outcome 

Education: Young person is now on a full time table at school accessing mainstream lessons. Fundamental improvement in behaviour with an overall change in young person's attitude. No exclusions for last 4 months. Good reports from teachers and progressing well on alternative curriculum programme. Role model for younger children.

Constructive use of time: Young person has increased his peer group, forming a positive relationship with members of the youth club/football team.

Self Confidence/Esteem: Young person's confidence has increased dramatically since his engagement in the project with him trying new things and interacting with peers.

Young person's risk factors re offending have decreased significantly since his referral in December 2005.

Quotes (may not be re this case study)

"I have learnt new stuff, meet new people, gone new places and talked to people about problems."

"I really enjoyed meeting the Fireman and learning about the risks. I haven't messed with lighters since and will never again be silly with them”

Case Study 2

Background

Jack was referred to the YISP in July 2006 by his educational institution.

Case analysis of problem behaviour:

• Jack has a negative attitude towards school and his behaviour in school is a cause of concern.  Jack is seeking to get excluded from school

• There is conflict between Jack and his brother at home. Jack's home life is hectic and he seems to find it difficult to accept mum’s partner

• Jack spends a lot of time indoors and is not involved in any constructive activities/clubs

• Jack’s levels of self-esteem are very low.  He has few friends and is easily led by them in an attempt to keep them/please them

Living arrangements:

• Jack lives with his mum, his mum’s partner, and two brothers aged 13 and 2. The family own the house. Jack's father lives in Wales. Jacks mum and partner both claim income support as they are unemployed, although partner states that he is looking for employment. The family is financially restricted

Family & Personal Relationships:

• Jack's parents separated approximately four years ago. Jack and his older brother continued to live at the family home with their father and their mother moved out. Jack's mum returned to the family home after 6 months and his dad moved out. Jack sees his dad once a week but believes that his dad prefers his older brother to him

• Jack seems to have a good relationship with his mum, however there have been problems in the past with Jack and mum’s partner. Jack has an older sister who is 16 and no longer lives at the family home but Jack is still in contact with her. Jack’s relationship with his younger brother is good, however with his older brother the relationship is confrontational

• Jack states in his ‘Over to You’ Questionnaire that he does not know that the people in his family care about him and that he sometimes sees people in his family fighting and arguing. I feel possibly some family therapy would benefit Jack & his family relationship

Education:

• Jack attends school on a full timetable. He will be going up to Year 6 in September 2006. Jack says that he does not like school and he is aiming to be excluded as he would like to attend Silverbank instead (as his older sister did). To date Jack has not received any fixed term exclusions from school. He has been sent home early from school on a couple of occasions, once was for threatening behaviour, other times for not complying with staff requests

• Jack said that he is good at maths & science but nothing else in school. He has had disputes with fellow pupils at school and Jack and his mum state that he is a victim of bullying. The school is aware of conflict with other pupils and is addressing this. Jack has special needs & it has now been confirmed that he is dyslexic. Jack receives 1:1 specialist literacy support under the SEN code of practice once a week and in school mentoring

Neighbourhood/Lifestyle:

• Jack lives in a crime hot spot area where criminal and anti-social activities occur. Jack spends a lot of his spare time indoors and states that there is not much to do in the area and that he has nothing to do in his free time. Jack does not engage in any constructive activities or belong to any clubs. I feel that some kind of activities after school/weekends would help him to make new friends, boost his confidence & self esteem levels and occupy his free time. Jack has expressed that he likes fishing & watching the television

Substance Misuse:

• Jack says that he does not smoke or use drugs/drink alcohol. In the ‘Over to You’ Questionnaire Jack's mother stated that she worries that he may get involved in drugs or alcohol. The mother smokes cannabis on a regular basis

Emotional/Mental Health:

• Jack has a lack of self-esteem, which is influenced by his brother’s constant name-calling. Jack finds it difficult to control his anger and often loses his temper. Jack also worries about the future and what might happen when he grows up

Perception of Self/Others:

• Jack has very low confidence self-esteem levels and does not think he can do anything well. He believes that his dad likes his older brother more than him. As highlighted on his questionnaire, Jack does not feel good about himself and cannot cope well with his problems

Thinking and Behaviour:

• Jack's mother expresses concerns that he is a follower and often does things to fit in with a group.  Jack wants to hang on to the friends that he has, so gives in to peer pressure easily and also has been known to give them money/belongings

• Jack seems to be aware of the consequences of his actions but the need to fit in overrides this

Anti-social and offending behaviour:

• Jack is not known to the police and there is no history of offending known. However, he was involved in entering an empty house without permission a few months ago with peers. The police were involved, however no further action was taken against him

• Jack has been involved in anti-social behaviour such as stone throwing when with a group of friends but says he is not the instigator of this

Motivation to change:

• Jack's family, especially his mum, is supportive of him receiving some help/support. In his questionnaire Jack expressed that he wanted help to sort out the problems in his life and that he can see reasons for not getting into trouble. Jack has also expressed on his questionnaire that he would like help to cope at school

Protective Factors:

• Engaging in YISP

• Current support that Jack receives in school (Mentoring/1:1literacy)

• Jack wants to cope better at school

Approach

Education:

• Weekly 1 to 1 and group mentoring support

• Access to 1 to 1 literacy support

• Referral to group mediation sessions in school

• Referral to educational psychologist

• Referral to Word on the Street

Health:

• Referral to specialist optician and school nurse re hearing

Constructive activities:

• Access to after school clubs/summer holiday programmes

Social welfare:

• Referral to Social Services re Child in Need

Outcome

Education: Vast improvement in attendance and behaviour in school with access to mentor and in school support. Improvement in Jack's participation in lessons and no incidents of his trying to run out of school. Word on the Street has enhanced Jack's confidence and self esteem and he is a happy and outgoing young man.

Health: Continued support with his sight and hearing difficulties which has resulted in an improvement in his reading and listening skills.

Constructive Activities: Jack is regularly attending breakfast club and after school activities. Engaged positively in summer holiday activities of football and basketball coaching. Access to Positive Futures Programme with Gillingham Football Club.

Social Welfare: Noticed improvement in Jack's hygiene and presentation with clean clothes.

Antisocial Behaviour: No known engagement in any ASB in the community/school environment.

Case Study 3

Background

Has a problem controlling his temper, which leads to violent outbursts; hangs on the street with an older anti social peer group; has insufficient parental supervision; resents not having a father figure in his life.

Approach 

Individual Support Plan (ISP) developed for 6 month period - areas of need identified:

• Anti social behaviour: Continued liaison with local Police Officer and the Youth Services Detached Team in the local neighbourhood to monitoring Lee’s behaviour

• Education: Weekly 1 to 1 anger management sessions through Connexions; weekly access to an in-school mentor

• Parenting: Referral to and participation in YOT parenting support group for mother

• Constructive activities: Participation in weekly football training at Northcote Recreation ground through Gillingham F.C. Continued access to rugby coaching through a local club every Sunday

• Support: Allocation of a male mentor through New Directions mentoring service and weekly engagement. Weekly one to one counselling to deal with the family break-up

Outcome 

• Anti social behaviour: No ASB/Offending has been witnessed or reported in the local neighbourhood

• Education: Lee regularly attends anger management and mentoring sessions in school with a small but noticeable improvement in his temper control and behaviour

• Parenting: Improvement in family dynamics with more effective boundaries established in the home, supported through the parenting programme

• Constructive activities: Ongoing participation in activities

• Support: Lee is now dealing with his feeling around his parents’ separation, through counselling

Quotes