Michael’s Story – Rebuilding trust and confidence at school

“For the first time, I felt safe enough just to be me.”

Michael struggled with his wellbeing, attendance and his relationship with school. Through a trusted relationship with his Link Worker and a tailored programme built around his interests, he gradually rebuilt his confidence, reconnected with learning and began believing in himself again.

Michael was first identified for the AllChild programme in Year 8 after being flagged as high risk in his wellbeing, attendance and engagement with school. These challenges began the year before, when experiences of bullying left him feeling distrustful of the school environment. He began isolating himself from peers and turning down support offered by the school.

When Michael began working with his Link Worker, Nadia, she spent time listening to him and understanding his experiences and interests. Together with Michael, his family, and his teachers, Nadia developed a tailored support plan designed to rebuild his confidence and help him reconnect with school in ways that felt safe and meaningful.

One of the first opportunities Michael engaged with was regular sessions at Oasis Farm. Being outside the classroom environment allowed him to relax and begin rebuilding his confidence. During one session, Michael removed his face mask for the first time in public since the pandemic - a powerful moment that showed he was beginning to feel safe enough to be himself.

Building on this progress, Nadia introduced one-to-one Lego Therapy sessions. These provided a creative outlet and a safe space where Michael could talk about the challenges he was facing, including difficulty at home such as housing instability. Nadia’s trusted relationship with both Michael and his mum provided an important source of stability during this challenging time.

As Michael’s confidence grew, Nadia introduced academic support through one-to-one maths tutoring with Tutors Green. Michael developed a positive relationship with his tutor and attended sessions consistently, making strong progress. His teachers noticed the change too, describing a renewed enthusiasm and greater participation in lessons.

Over time, school became a place Michael wanted to be. His attendance improved by 25% compared to the previous year, and he began reconnecting socially, taking part in group sessions with other AllChild students and even supporting another pupil to improve their attendance.

By the end of the programme, Michael had moved out of risk in emotional wellbeing and made strong improvements in his relationships with peers. In their final session, Michael and Nadia mapped out a support circle of trusted adults he could turn to for advice and encouragement through the rest of secondary school.

Looking back on his journey, Michael could see how far he had come, from feeling isolated and disconnected to becoming a confident and resilient young person ready to take on the future.