Before Lufton College

Before Joshua came to Lufton, his life was extremely limited and often frustrating for him. He has severe learning disabilities, autism, ADHD and is non-verbal, meaning any slight change in his domestic routine would make him highly anxious and his daily behaviours often dangerous. Everyday jobs like wearing clothes, washing, travelling by car and entering school were distressing for him and could often trigger challenging behaviour. His temperament was so severe that, as he grew stronger and taller, his family often feared for their safety. On a number of occasions, Joshua had even been close to being committed to a mental health unit by emergency services.

How Lufton has Supported Joshua

Now aged 18 years old, Joshua has been a student at Lufton College for the past two years and loves nothing more than gardening, cooking, art and technology.

His progress since joining Lufton has been astonishing and he now finds enjoyment in day to day tasks such as his bath time routine as well as readily choosing his own clothes to wear for the day. He has spent days out at the beach, enjoys visiting restaurants and has made great friends with his flatmates. He now shows more love to his family and is dearly fond of many of the Lufton team.

From the outset, the team at Lufton have been exceptional in their understanding and care for Joshua. With their incredible skills and kindness, he has found a way to enjoy a fulfilled life and learnt how to handle everyday strains and stresses with much more flexibility and contentment. Lufton have helped Joshua express his thoughts and feelings more calmly and safely which has in turn brought him so much happiness.

In his formal education at Lufton, Joshua has found new motivation and made remarkable progress in engaging with numeracy, supported writing and communicating using PECS and some Makaton.

What His Family Say

"Like many parents, I had never considered that Joshua would move away from home and it was hard to trust that everything would go well. However, all the staff at Lufton have been so warm and such a support throughout his time there, we’re so grateful and fortunate to be part of the Lufton family.”

* Name had been changed to protect identity