Case Study

John was referred to Restorative (then Inspire SCSs) when he was 16 years old and in hospital after suffering an overdose. It was decided, working with John and his family, that for his safety and recovery, it was best to move him to one of our supported accommodation situations, where our support workers could give him the concentrated help he needed to progress and move back to his family home.

“I was going through a tough time when I was 16. When I went away to hospital, I was put in contact with Inspire and they suggested supported accommodation. I wanted to be at home, but I couldn’t be safe without help and support.”

John had trouble regulating his emotions, and often found himself in crisis.

“I wanted to be well enough to be at home. They helped me to have that goal. They supported me to structure my week and have the independence to make my own choices. Suddenly it was a journey I could go on. There were lots of twists and turns, but I knew they were going to help me and push me through to get where I wanted to be. It wasn’t just one person, there were five or six people helping me. And they were all on the same page – ‘this is John’s goal and we’ll help him achieve it’. I never had a feeling that the goal was for them and their best interests, it was always for mine.”

Working with John and his family, we helped him to be able to eventually move back home to his family. Since being at home, John has gone back to college and done well in his A-levels and is now at university studying psychology.

“I always knew I wanted to go to university but whether I could do it or not, I didn’t know. Now I’m in my second year and flying. I’m looking into clinical psychology so I can help people like I was helped. I know what dark times feel like and they helped me through.”