Tori* had experienced significant trauma in her early life including emotional and domestic abuse as well as neglect.

This trauma meant she struggled to regulate her emotions and express how she is feeling. At times she would entirely disengage or become ‘absent’.

She stopped attending school and, while she was cared for by a foster family, the placement broke down as she became a teenager and a residential solution was sought.

Tori came to Wings Cumbria and for a while, things remained challenging for her and for those seeking to support her. She would not follow rules or do as she was asked and her effort levels dropped. The team stuck with Tori and found her activities and a curriculum she wanted to engage with, including animals wherever possible.

This helped reignite her love of learning as well as help her understand that the team would not simply give up on her – they wanted her to succeed and wanted to help her meet her potential.

Now back in school with excellent attendance and engagement, the aim is for Tori to sit a number of GCSEs when the time comes. In time, having the strong foundation of Wings behind her may make a move back to foster care, and for that to be a positive move, may be a possibility.