Jake’s story
Case study from September 28, 2021
Jake is 11 years old and has autism. He has a close relationship with his parents, and they are very supportive of his needs. As he approached the end of his time at Primary school, Jake was struggling to cope with the idea of moving to Secondary school. His anxiety meant that he often had outbursts and threw objects, which led to him leaving lessons, and he was falling behind his peers academically.
Working with School-Home Support
Jake’s School-Home Support Practitioner, Alexia, worked with him to help him cope with the idea of moving to Secondary school. She identified that his close and supportive relationship with his mum could help him to feel safe, and invited her to join her sessions with Jake. Alexia helped Jake and his mum to discuss the transition, and helped him to put in place coping mechanisms to deal with and lessen his anxiety. Jake was then able to discuss moving schools calmly, and was much happier in his lessons overall as he finished Primary school.
Setting up links with the new school
Alexia also set up a meeting between Jake’s mum and his new Special Educational Needs Coordinator. His mum was able to explain Jake’s needs from her perspective, and what he needed to feel safe and comfortable at school. This helped her to feel more confident about Jake’s move, and meant that she could contact Jake’s dedicated helper directly if there were any issues.
Jake’s progress
The support Jake received in the lead-up to his transition to Secondary school has meant that the move was manageable for him. He currently has 100% attendance, and has support from a one-to-one mentor throughout each day. Jake is enjoying school, and his parents are comfortable communicating with his teachers to ensure that his needs are being met.
Jake’s mum has said that the support her family received from School-Home Support has helped her to feel confident communicating with his new school, and has built Jake’s self-esteem and confidence as he starts this new phase of his education.
How you can help
There are lots of children and young people like Jake, who could really benefit from the support of a practitioner like Alexia. Support our work today to enable us to reach more children and get them the help they need to get them ready to learn.