All the children and young people who come to us have been traumatized and had damage coursed to them by life experiences which have led to insecure attachments.
A came to us following an adoption breakdown at the age of 11. Three years later he is in the process of being supported by his long term carers, who having excepted and understood they are helping him to rebuild his relationship with his adoptive family. He has, through his carers encouragement and trauma informed input, increased his self esteem and, although excluded from school on occasions he, has managed to maintain his place in main stream schooling and will be entered for GCSE's.
Z came to us aged 13, at major risk of sexual exploitation. She was a regular runaway and frequently placing herself at risk. Her parents encouraged her negative behaviour patterns and she needed relocating away from her home area in an environment which could help her to reshape her values and increase herself worth and esteem. Now aged 15, she is in a long term trauma informed therapeutic foster home, and whilst she still has 'blips' she is maintaining a vocational course in college and is managing her relationships with her birth family in a much more assertive manner.
W came to NEWFOCAS aged 5 years, the youngest of 9 children who had been exposed to physical, sexual and emotional abuse and domestic violence. His behaviour in school and within his foster home was volatile and frequently overtly aggressive, as he showed signs of trauma flight reactions, and very insecure attachment. Our work on accepting and understanding him, and providing a safe and secure base has helped him feel contented. He still struggles with his emotions, but, through the skilled and trauma informed care given by his carers, he is maintaining a fulltime, mainstream educational place which has improved his self esteem. He is now able to manage birth family contact, and is not re-traumatised by the experience as he was previously.
Y came to us, aged 14 years, with little self esteem and poor social skills, following electronic sexual activity which resulted in her being ostracised in her school and community and rejected by birth family. Understanding the traumatic impact of this on all, we worked alongside her Mother& Father, individually, to rebuild relationships. We, alongside other therapeutic staff, and carers, assessed and sought to understand her so that she could rebuild her self esteem and build positive social networks. We supported her back into full time mainstream education and sit GCSE exams and fulfil her educational potential.
X came to us aged 14 years, having been rejected by birth family, and he had been remanded for serious offences. His carer helped him feel safe and accepted and his behaviour improved enough to avoid a custodial sentence. A planned sideways move within NEWFOCAS saw him enter education, improve his social skills and eventually enter the armed forces as a career. He is now a serving soldier regularly maintains his links with his foster family and achieving friends with whom he has positive on going relationships.