What we do
At the Together Trust, we deliver individual care, support and education services across the North West.
For some young people, dealing with everyday challenges can be a struggle. They may have experienced trauma early in their lives, or have difficulty forming new relationships.
The Nurture Group at Ashcroft supports young people to tackle these challenges and work towards a more positive, connected future. Every day we see children grow in confidence and self-worth. This is Ben’s story.
Our student Ben has autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). After some traumatic early life experiences and difficult family circumstances, Ben could sometimes find it difficult to stay calm. When he first joined us at Ashcroft, he was behaving violently and had little interest in education. At the time, his poor social skills and obsessive controlling behaviours were also creating barriers to his learning. We felt that our Nurture Group would be a good fit for Ben, giving him wrap-around care and a high level of staff interaction to help him thrive.
Over the last few years, the Nurture Group has been working with Ben to understand the challenges he faces. Every day the team provides consistent boundaries and regular two-to-one support so that Ben can develop positive new routines. They’ve also helped him to understand what an adequate level of behaviour is, using clear sanctions and rewards to encourage positive behaviour. A big part of supporting Ben has been to help him learn to process and regulate his emotions. We do this through daily focussed personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education. As well as Emotional Literacy sessions where Ben is able to discuss his feelings and focus on his emotional well-being. All this enables Ben to remain calm when dealing with change or setbacks. Due to his early childhood experiences, the Nurture Group also give Ben daily opportunities to learn and practise his social skills. This allows him to build positive relationships in a small group with intensive adult support.
Since joining Ashcroft, Ben has been able to tackle his barriers to learning. Now that he’s able to stay focused and calm, he’s moved up key stages in English, Maths, comprehension and reading. And by developing positive new relationships and social skills, he’s been able to have meaningful experiences in the community.
At Ashcroft, Ben has been able to see what he’s truly capable of. He’s worked on a music project with unfamiliar staff, taken part in a drama project and attended successful outdoor education sessions. He’s even taken part in lots of activities in the wider community, including helping our fundraising team pack Christmas hampers for vulnerable families. We know he will leave feeling hope for the future and ready to take on any challenge.
Ben’s name has been changed to protect his identity.
We’re here to help vulnerable young people overcome their individual barriers to learning. With our support, every student has a chance to thrive.
