Darrell feeds himself with budget microwave meals and gathers any loose change he can find in the house for his bus fare. If he can’t find enough, he doesn’t go to school. He lives with his mum who struggles with addiction and has little contact with dad.
A home visit revealed he had 2 boxes in his room, one for clean clothes and one for dirty clothes, but he mainly used the floor. He had no desk or clear space to work.
Mum doesn’t mind if he attends school or not, she has too many other things to cope with. She was guarded and didn’t engage well with agencies who might support her.
At the start, Darrell’s attendance was 87%. Whole Family Support did the trick – he has sustained better attendance even without ongoing support. Darrell is now in year 11 and since he’s been back, he’s been late twice and absent for just 1 day.