When we first met Kyle*

We first met Kyle when he was 17 years old and he had no educational placement or stability in his life. Left largely to fend for himself, he had become unreliable and disruptive. He was often verbally abusive towards staff and didn't get along with peers from his previous placement. Kyle had been diagnosed with SEMH and before his previous placement he had been a member of a teenage gang and had been involved with incidents of shoplifting and had been in trouble with the police.

When Kyle came to us

Following a psychological assessment, staff worked with Kyle to develop trust and to manage his behaviour and emotions. He is now able to take a step-back and to think about his mood swings and control his anger, understanding his actions and their consequences. Staff made arrangements for him to continue his education as he had aspirations in construction and architecture, a surprising discovery that he had kept quiet for a long time. We also introduced budgeting and cooking programmes so that Kyle could become more independent.

Kyle's care

With further guidance on friendship and healthy relationships, he is now able to recognise who he can trust and how petty crime can spiral into a life of crime and eventually prison. As part of this, it was arranged for him to attend The National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (NACRO). It was difficult for him at first and staff had to wake him each morning but it didn't take him long to get himself up and ready as he was willing to change his life for the better.

Today

Kyle has settled in and had developed a good working relationship with all his peers and staff. He has managed to maintain his educational placement, which is a great achievement for him. As a result, Kyle has progressed to take his Level 1 in Numeracy and Literacy. He always talked about his interest and curiosity as to how buildings and homes are built and with encouragement from staff and his own desire to build, he passed his exam for his CSCS card, which allows him access to work on construction sites.

He is managing his emotions well, and has made progress since attending NACRO and reassures staff and everyone involved in his care that he would never commit a crime again. He feels fulfilled and is now looking forward to taking an apprenticeship with a construction company so that not only will he start building new homes, but his own life.

*Name has been changed to protect identity