Case Studies

See how our personalised approach has helped young people overcome barriers to education, rebuild confidence and achieve positive outcomes.

Rebuilding Confidence Through Personalised Support

Student A

Referral Reason: Severe anxiety, educational neglect and support to reintegrate into permanent education.

Support Provided: 1:1 mentoring, personalised learning, Early Help referral, transition support

Outcome: 100% attendance with our provision, successful transition to a new educational setting, increased confidence and social engagement.

When this young person was referred to us, they had become socially isolated and felt unable to leave the house due to severe anxiety. Previous traumatic experiences had significantly affected their emotional wellbeing, confidence and ability to engage with education. Concerns had also been raised regarding educational attendance and their overall wellbeing.

As part of our personalised approach, we carefully matched the young person with one of our qualified counsellors to ensure they received the right support. Together, they developed strategies to manage anxiety through mindfulness, grounding techniques, self-care practices and regular opportunities to safely process difficult experiences. This support was enhanced with psychoeducation around stress and the nervous system, creative therapeutic activities and carefully selected wellbeing resources.

Alongside individual support, we worked closely with the family, school and other professionals to create a coordinated network around the young person. This collaborative approach led to referrals into additional specialist services, and we attended Team Around the Family (TAF) meetings to ensure everyone was working towards shared goals. As their confidence grew, we introduced one of our specialised Learning Mentors to help rebuild engagement with learning and prepare for a successful return to education.

Today, the young person is thriving. They have achieved 100% attendance with our provision, developed greater confidence, built positive friendships through our weekly student activity group and successfully transitioned to their next educational setting.

Reflecting on their journey, they shared:

"The staff, the enrichment and getting out of the house are my favourite things. It's helped my social anxiety, encouraged me to get out in public and helped me to work on my emotions and get back into school. If I hadn't had support from EST, I'd still be struggling emotionally, mentally and educationally."

Supporting a Young Person to Find the Right Educational Path

Student B

Referral Reason: Severe anxiety, not on roll, additional learning needs and support to reintegrate into education.

Support Provided: 1:1 mentoring, personalised learning, transition support, Educational Psychologist referral

Outcome: Arts Award achieved, successful application to a suitable college, improved confidence and readiness for transition.

This young person was referred to us after being out of education and not on roll at any school. They had experienced significant difficulties finding a suitable educational placement due to severe anxiety, additional learning needs and barriers to academic engagement.

We began by building support around the young person's interests, introducing horse riding sessions as a way to develop confidence and encourage engagement. Although these sessions were initially positive, their anxiety became overwhelming, making it difficult for them to continue. Rather than viewing this as a setback, we adapted our approach to better meet their needs.

We shifted our focus to accessible, personalised learning and supported the young person to work towards an Arts Award qualification through Trinity College London. This enabled them to achieve a recognised qualification while learning at a pace and in an environment where they felt safe and supported.

Recognising their anxiety about future education, we referred them to an Educational Psychologist to ensure continuity of support over the summer months. We also accompanied and supported them during visits to a range of colleges, helping to build confidence and identify a setting that matched both their additional needs and personal interests.

By the end of the programme, the young person had achieved an Arts Award qualification, successfully engaged in college transition visits and applied for a college that meets both their additional needs and personal interests. They demonstrated increased confidence in unfamiliar environments and were able to engage positively with planning for their future. Their journey highlights how a flexible, person-centred approach can help young people overcome barriers to education and move confidently towards their next stage of learning.

Every young person is different, which is why every programme we deliver is tailored to individual needs. Whether a young person is experiencing emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA), anxiety, SEND, or other barriers to engagement, we work collaboratively with families, schools and professionals to help them re-engage with learning and achieve positive outcomes.

If you're supporting a young person who could benefit from a personalised, relationship-based approach, we'd be happy to discuss how we can help.