Karl's Story
Case study from February 2, 2022
13-year-old Karl’s attendance was 68% when he was referred to School-Home Support. After working with School-Home Support for eight months to address issues around neglect, housing, and parental engagement, Karl’s attendance rose to 85%.
The family background
Karl’s mum Ladka is a single mother, who lost her job after the amusement arcade she worked at shut down due to Covid-19 restrictions. Karl was referred to School-Home Support to tackle his low attendance and safeguarding concerns.
The situation
Karl would often fall asleep in class. The family lived on a very busy road in an unsafe area, and Karl had to walk down an alleyway with people using drugs on his way to and from school. As Ladka had lost her income due to Covid-19 restrictions, she was struggling financially. She couldn’t purchase items the family needed, and the family didn’t have a cooker or a working fridge. Ladka also couldn’t afford to replace Karl’s school uniform which no longer fit him, and paying for a bus pass for Karl to attend school was adding further financial strain. During the 2020 lockdown, Karl didn’t have access to a laptop to complete school lessons. He also had anxiety around returning to school once the lockdown lifted.
How did School-Home Support help?
If School-Home Support hadn’t stepped in to support Karl and Ladka, he could have missed 243 days equivalent to 1 year and 3 months of his high school education. By investing so much in the family Zoe has helped them invest in themselves. School-Home Support Practitioner, Zoe, worked closely with the family to create and implement a robust support plan. Throughout the lockdown, Zoe was in regular contact with Ladka and Karl to carry out welfare checks. She also organised for Karl to receive a funded laptop to ensure he was able to continue learning. Zoe supported Ladka through a house move and put her in contact with Bradford Homes, and the family is now living in a safer area with reduced bill costs. She organised for the School-Home Support Welfare Fund to provide the family with a new school uniform for Karl and a cooker. Zoe also successfully applied for a funded bus pass for Karl and organised for the family to receive a funded fridge-freezer. To help tackle Karl’s tiredness, Zoe supported Ladka to book GP and Optician appointments, and Karl is now wearing glasses, which have eased his headaches. Zoe also explained good sleep hygiene practices to Ladka, and Karl is now sleeping better and is ready to engage in class. When schools returned, Zoe worked with Karl to support him through his anxiety about returning to lessons.
Family testimony
“I was worried at first what School-Home Support was as they do not have things like this in my country but once Zoe explained she was there to support us I felt a lot better. Thank you for all your support you have given me and Karl. It has made a huge difference to our lives.”