SCENARIO.....Helping Young Robert
Robert is in first year at secondary school. He has been identified as being a pupil who would benefit from taking part in the project by his secondary school teachers. His attendance is below 70% and his punctuality is also poor. He often arrives at school unkempt.
At school he skips certain classes and when he does attend he is mostly disengaged or he can be disruptive on the odd occasion.
However, his computing and his re teacher say that he is fully engaged and interested in their subjects although he does not do any homework and his written work is poor. He is articulate and can speak about his feelings and opinions. His oral work is good. He is good at sport but never brings kit to school which results in further grief for Robert.
Socially, he is quite awkward and does not have many friends. At school he hangs around mostly on his own. Although he qualifies for school meals he does not take up this offer. He never seems to have much money. According to school records he has not yet taken part in a single extracurricular activity.
His teachers report that he is very able but lacks engagement with the curriculum and the additional opportunities the school provides to make the progress he should.
Robert lives with his mum and her boyfriend. He has 3 siblings at home who attend primary school. One of the siblings is his full sister. The other two younger boys are the result of Robert’s mother’s relationship with her current boyfriend. His father is in prison for drugs offences. Robert stays with dad from time to time when his father is at liberty. Robert enjoys good relationships with his father. His younger sister does not see her father at all. Robert’s principal teacher of pupil support suspects, from information received, that robert’s father is dealing drugs from his home. Robert’s mum and his dad do not enjoy good relations since they separated.
Robert’s relationship with his mother has recently become increasingly strained. He has left home on numerous occasions to stay with his father or with his parental grandparents before returning back home. On several occasions he has been returned home by the police after he was found wandering the streets in the early hours of the morning. Robert does not like his mother’s boyfriend. He has little to do with his younger siblings. Neither robert’s mum nor her partner work. They both drink alcohol to harmful levels.
When he is at home Robert spends all of his time in his bedroom. He has a computer and a television in his bedroom. He does not take part in any communal or individual sports or physical activity.
Recently, Robert has returned home on two occasions under the influence of alcohol which has caused further friction at home. His mother has attempted to ground robert but he now simply ignores her and continues to come and go as he pleases.
Although his mother has never attended an information evening either at primary school or at secondary school she recently telephoned Robert’s guidance teacher in response to another letter sent by the school asking her to come in for a meeting to discuss robert’s progress and attendance. His mother failed to attend the meeting.
