We first met in 2006 working together for 10 years in a large mainstream school, where we found our professional ethos and values to be strongly aligned. As our careers evolved and after a short period in different educational settings, we came together again to work for a local authority service. Here we provided education in a centre for children and young people who have significant barriers to attendance.
We have both always enjoyed working with children who find education a challenge for a variety of reasons. We passionately believe that for some children the mainstream environment can be a hostile one. In some cases this can create a pattern of trauma and this then impacts on their ability to learn.
The barriers to accessing education can be very complex and hugely challenging for the young person and their families. During our time in a Local Authority service we saw evidence of how, having the right approach, the right staff and the right environment, students can overcome these barriers. We saw young people transform into happy, sociable individuals that reengaged with their learning.