SJ's Story

SJ is a child involved with social care, he is a looked after child and currently resides within foster care and is a residential pupil at a local school Monday – Friday.

SJ has a social worker, receives input from the (YOS) Youth Offending Services and also has input from lifeline (drug counselling service).

SJ has on several occasions absented from school and gone missing from home for prolonged periods of time. He can become challenging and verbally aggressive towards staff and his peers if provoked.

SJ was referred through the youth offending team and school. He had expressed a keen interest in motorbikes and mechanics over a number of years. It was felt that the course would give him a motivation to engage more in education when studying at Bumpy.

SJ was very unsure when he first started his placement at Bumpy, with the involvement of mentoring and with the Police presence.

SJ was involved in taking a motor vehicle without consent of the owner and going on the run to avoid police prosecution.

When he returned to Bumpy following this incident, we found he was able to discuss the situation with Police on site and building a good relationship with them over the following months.

His attendance has improved, and enough progress has been made that he no longer is involved with criminal activity.

SJ has secured a placement to study motorcycle maintenance at the local college near his home.