Wonder if I made a difference

So at work I've been doing a lot of Learning support work. One lad in particular has got himself into bother, he's been accused of trying to set fire to a closed Childrens Home in our town. He's awaiting a court date at the moment, the charges against him are fire-raising, breach of the peace, resisting arrest and threatening behaviour.

So lately his behaviour when he comes to us has been pretty bad, the police basically told him he's going into a secure unit. So now this is in his head, and he can't see past it. He's been refusing to work, arguing with one of the teachers, and ending up being sent home. Even the teacher he gets on well with has been having trouble getting through to him.

It all came to a head at the start of this week and he had a meeting with one of the main teachers and someone from the High School we are seconded to. There was a plan agreed about what would happen if he refused again, and he adhered to it to a certain extent.

But...there was still a problem with the teacher he doesn't get on with this morning. So I took the lad for a bit, and we did a bit of work and as usual with him he started to talk to me (he is local and we know the same people), I advised him that the reports before he is sentenced will come from a number of sources including us, so suggested that an apology to said teacher and good behaviour from here on in may help him get a report which says that although his behaviour has not been great he is trying to improve...which may help in his sentencing, if he's convicted.

Well, did I not nearly faint when he apologised to the teacher and they shook hands and agreed to start again with a clean slate.

For this laddies sake I really hope he can keep it up till the end of the term. Underneath all the bravado and the hard talk...he's petrified, so I'm hoping that between me, the other LSA and the teacher he likes we can keep him behaving. I like the lad and don't want to see him get into more bother.

I hope.

Well, let's hope so - and it only takes that one person to connect with him and get through to him huh?

I hope he does turn the corner for his sake, well done for trying to help x

Well done Lore.

I feel your pain hun doing the job I do, some children will connect and have that repor with you others will not sadly Our Foster son can listen to me his only thing is when he gets with someone he doesn't like, because Im not there he forgets and then I get a telephone call calling me in. Mine you as soon as he see's me I can see his face change to 'sorry Steph' before he even speaks

Underneath they all just want to be loved

Yes, of course you make a difference. But it`s always a rocky road with troubled kids, and you need to take the long view.
Some of the kids that have passed through our clubs have grown up now and it`s lovely getting news of their progress.

Well today he was just as well behaved according to the new member of staff we have. Even when his cousin, who is also at the centre and has ADD/ADHD was playing up at lunch time, he had just had his medication and it takes time to kick in, where the boy would normally join in winding the cousin up more, today he was actually trying to settle him down and helping with keeping him contained before they left.

Delighted...