NT&AS Case Studies

We will be adding a number of Case Studies to this page, which over the coming weeks will build into a portfolio of common, and sometimes not so common, casework examples. The first involves "Wayne".

Background to Wayne
The Foster Carer's View
Wayne's Words

Please note: the name in this case has been changed to protect the identity of the child concerned.

Background to Wayne

Wayne is a sixteen-year-old boy of mixed race heritage. He comes from a family destroyed by drug misuse, where he was also using prohibited substances at an early age.

Wayne was placed in a rehabilitation facility prior to being fostered when NT&AS became involved with his support package.

Firstly an education background report was researched and written to inform Social Services and Wayne's prospective school about his educational history to ensure he received the appropriate level of support in school planned in conjunction with and monitored by NT&AS.

Secondly, a school had to be identified working with the LEA. Upon being offered a place in year 9, Wayne had to be reintegrated back into school life, as he had not attended school regularly from year five.

The programme of reintegration started in November 2000 with full support. This was followed by a reduction in support, as the school and I felt that he could sustain his place in school. All the support was planned through interdisciplinary planning meetings.

Unfortunately, the foster placement broke down and he was moved to a second placement and another school. This school set higher academic expectations, to which he (to his credit) has risen.

Wayne's progression is documented through the twice-yearly education reports. Wayne has also moved from the certificate of achievement class in English to study for GCSE English.

Wayne has applied for a place in Further Education College. Following an interview at the college, he has been offered a place and will commence attendance in September 2003.

The Foster Carer:

The following is a letter from a Safehouses Foster Carer

Dear Mr. Walker,

As a foster carer for Safehouses, we are very much involved with NT&AS. We have a young person living with us at present who has been here nearly two years. He wasn't very confident with school when he first came, so from NT&AS, Wayne (the young person) and myself visited local schools to see which would best meet Wayne's needs. Wayne chose the local Church school and with the help of the vicar from my church we got him in.

Wayne came on in leaps and bounds. helped Wayne in school a couple of times a week and kept us informed of Wayne's progress.

attends all school reviews, planning meetings and LAC reviews.

has been a very valuable part of Wayne's educational needs, helping him revise GCSEs and even helping us find the right college for Wayne.

has also been there for my family, for my husband and myself, helping us help Wayne.

In our opinion, NT&AS do a great job. They help looked after kids achieve where perhaps they may not have.

I feel has also been a friend and confidant for Wayne as well as a teacher.

Many thanks , we couldn't have done it without you.

Wayne's Words

When I first started with NT&AS I got told about the work they did for young people with school problems. I didn't expect anything great to happen when I had a review at my carers home in West Yorkshire. I didn't quite understand why I had these people working with me. When I got told that was working with me I felt I was 'thick', but I got good information from him. After working with him a few weeks I got told that I would be going back to school and that will be there with me. When I started school I didn't know what to do because I was quite scared of being in school and learning something new. For a few weeks I started half-days at school and came in and helped me through things and discussed things with me. would tell me how to do the work and how books can help you.

Sometimes kids got a bit bad for me, then I got a temper out because someone had called me names, but told me how I could handle my temper. I started to make friends in school, and when left me to be at school on my own I started to behave bad and smoking. After a while being there thought I had got used to school and could leave me there to carry on by myself, which was better because at the time I couldn't be bothered with him and I just wanted to mess about.

I didn't think what had brought me through and that I was throwing away things that I had learnt with him. After a while I didn't want at all because he was always telling me what would happen if I carried on behaving like this, but I still carried on. After a year at this school at home things started to go wrong. The placement broke down and I came to live in Lancashire. I liked my new parents better.

and my carers took me to have a look at some schools. I saw the first one but I didn't like it but after seeing the other schools I decided that the first school was best which was the school that they ( and my foster parents wanted) had chosen, so I started there. I settled down quickly, there were a few bad incidents but I used the information gave me to handle my temper. After a few weeks started to come in to talk to me about how I am doing, he would say that this school is best (I thought school is school) but I didn't believe him. This school had lots of rules and it was very hard, so I just got on with my work with no messing about. After a few weeks would tell me that I had progressed since I came to this school.

By the time I was in Year 11 I felt that I was doing really well, thanks to , he also helped me revise and gave me tips and how to get through my GCSEs. I now have a place in college. took me for the interview, and I am now looking forward to starting in September. Keep up the work , and many thanks for helping me this far. I didn't think I could have got this far.

Although anonymity has been preserved for all involved in this case study, all relevant documentation is held at the NT&AS Head Office and is fully verifiable.

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