Fragile state of mind

Before we met Patrick*, he lived in a secure ward as his local authority couldn’t find a suitable placement to meet his needs. Patrick suffered from poor mental health and was considered at high risk for suicide with intent. 

His relationship with his mum and dad had deteriorated due to the impact of his behaviour on the rest of the family, and he’d been absent from school for two years. Patrick’s state of mind was so fragile that he struggled to go more than six days without needing hospitalisation for a self-harm or attempted suicide episode.

Finding his feet

When we first started working with Patrick, we carefully managed his transition to an Esland home. We collaborated with him, his family, and the local authority to ensure he was comfortable at every stage of the move, and we made sure he had the appropriate therapeutic support in place for his needs.

At first, Patrick struggled to settle into his new environment and often pushed the boundaries with his home team as a reaction to the changes he was experiencing. Over the first few months, he had several episodes of self-harm and attempts on his life.

The turning point

The team worked hard to build a relationship with Patrick to earn his trust. As a result, he started to feel safe in their company and began to open up about his thoughts and feelings. This led to several stable periods where Patrick felt less inclined to harm himself.

To help Patrick re-engage with education, we brought in a tutor and set in place some structure and solid routines. Patrick responded positively and went from not engaging with education at all to completing his functional skills with 100% attendance.

Looking to the future

The progress Patrick has made has been incredible. He’s had many 4-week periods without any self-harm or attempted suicide episodes, and he often talks about his future plans now, which he’s never done before.

He’s joined a Morris Dancing group and has won several awards, which he proudly displays around the home. And we’ve also tried to recreate experiences he missed over the years, such as sleepovers and prom nights.

However, his most significant achievement to date is his progress with education, as he now attends a performing arts course at college unsupervised. Not only that, but he’s recently been accepted to London University, which is a fantastic outcome for Patrick and one he never thought possible just a few years ago.

“It’s so refreshing to witness such an inspirational young boy turn into a man who I believe will make a huge difference and impact on society.”

Quote from Patrick’s tutor

*We have changed the name to protect the young person’s identity. 

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