LIAM’S STORY

The following names have been changed to give privacy to our young people.

When Liam was referred to YPC for support, he was withdrawn and isolated. At home, he would overthink everything and struggle to sleep. He was bullied on the school bus by older students and his behaviour at school was challenging because he didn’t follow or respect rules. He didn’t like accepting responsibility for his actions and would lie to get out of trouble, causing conflict.

Young People Cornwall’s support focused on the problems Liam had at school, identifying key areas of difficulty. Liam understood that his behaviours were disruptive and his response to situations changed depending on the subject, what room he was in or time of day it was.

Working closely with the school’s pastoral team, we made sure all of Liam’s teachers knew that he was really trying to work on improving his behaviours. We created a visual tool for him and his teachers to use. Green ­was doing well, yellow was a warning and red was a final warning. This simple messaging helped because Liam has poor memory and struggles to concentrate, so it made him more aware of how he was doing in each class. It also encouraged staff to communicate with Liam clearly and follow a consistent approach. Liam also worked on challenging his own responses to situations and used Stop- Think-React strategies to rethink his negative thoughts and reactions.

By putting this support in place, Liam’s behaviour improved, he got less detentions and developed better relationships with staff. They observed how he was “listening more and trying to respect boundaries” in and out of school.

These changes helped Liam sleep better because his days were less stressful, so he found it easier to wake up and get to school on time. He felt happier in himself as he wasn’t being treated differently due to his behaviours. So, with encouragement from his tutor, he applied for a peer mentor role in school, getting excited about the opportunity because he “understands how some of the younger ones might feel if they’re struggling.”