Evan's story

Our journey with Evan and his family began a few years ago. At the time, Evan was struggling to thrive in mainstream school and his anxiety rippled through the whole family. The future looked challenging and uncertain.

From the moment he joined us at Inscape, we worked with Evan and his family to restore their hope for the future. We worked tirelessly to understand and support Evan’s needs, so he could breakdown any barriers and enjoy learning again. Here, Evan’s mum, Caroline, shares their family’s story.

Evan’s story

“We aren’t overstating it to say that Inscape has changed all our lives. Our son Evan was diagnosed with autism aged five, and he’d been on a rollercoaster ride throughout primary school. The mainstream schools struggled to support his needs and manage his difficulties. This led to Evan becoming very anxious which, at times, meant that he could be quite aggressive. We were constantly on high alert.

Evan would often run off to avoid situations he couldn’t cope with, putting himself in danger or at risk of getting lost. This meant we felt restricted in what we could do as a family. If we did go anywhere, it was very hard to enjoy ourselves. We never knew when something was going to go wrong. This put a massive strain on not only us but also his brother. We all became very anxious and quite depressed because of what we were having to cope with. We worried about our future as a family.

Joining Inscape

Evan joined Inscape three years ago and it has transformed him. He is much more like the happy, relaxed and funny child he was before he went to primary school. His teachers, support staff and therapists are well-trained, patient and tolerant. They understand how to manage his complex needs in an education setting. This has helped him to understand and manage his autism. 

Evan’s timetable includes life skills such as cooking and supported shopping trips. This has helped him cope in a variety of environments and given us all a better understanding of his sensory issues. Thanks to these activities he is able to help out around the house and live more independently. It’s very different to what we experienced with other schools – we’re never made to feel guilty about Evan’s difficulties at Inscape. Conversations with the staff are always open and honest. The team is focused on finding positive solutions to any issues or difficulties we might have. They value Evan and want him to achieve his full potential at school and out in the wider community. This has made a huge difference to us.

The future looks bright

Obviously Evan still has times when he struggles with his autism. But if it does happen, Evan can recognise that he is struggling and knows what he needs to do in a calm manner to help himself. Goals for Evan – such as employment and living independently as an adult – actually seem achievable now. We can be happy and positive about our future now. As a family, we are feeling much more relaxed.”

With thanks to Evan’s mum, Caroline, for sharing their story with us.