Case studies

H’s father has a serious drug addiction and is not interested in the children. When the marriage ended, the family’s local community disowned her. There is a younger sister from a different relationship. When mother was taken into hospital the children are taken into care.

H is a polite bright boy who would thrive with a boarding opportunity. H was recently assaulted by a teacher at his current school. Both H and his sister are vulnerable children, who have a concerned and loving mother, but she is not able to provide a suitable home for her children due to mental health preventing her from working.

There has been no contact with the father for over 2 years. Mother currently has dropped her hours at work to 3 x 11 hour days and the children are cared for by Grandmother who is 71. In order for everything to happen, the children’s day starts at 5am, causing E to frequently fall asleep at school. The children have been on the social services at risk register. Now the younger brother is being cared for by specially trained carers, but E still has to go to his Grandmothers by 5 30am so his mother can work.

E is just six years old but wants to go to Boarding school. His mother feels he is missing out at the moment both academically and with extracurricular activities. Boarding School would give him a chance to have the childhood he deserves.

She is unable to do anything for herself and is not able to interest herself in anything to do with N. N’s father died of cancer several years ago.

Currently N stays with his grandparents who live next door, grandfather is 78 and suffers with diabetes angina and memory loss, his grandmother is 74 and has pleurisy. Grandmother is happy to look after N at weekends and in the holidays but is too tired to do it permanently.

This young man needs a boarding place to provide stability and support in his very difficult situation.

Her father has obsessive compulsive disorder and is no use to the family, either emotionally or financially. Her mother has been diagnosed with terminal breast cancer. A is 10 years old and is a bright chirpy little girl, and although aware her mother is ill, does not understand the full implications. When she visited a friend at a local boarding school, she expressed an interest in going. The Mother is strong and wants to get everything sorted out for her children for the future and the school have been very supportive and have indicated that they will take both A and her little sister when the time comes, providing funding can be found.

I lived with my mother, who wanted to give us something special and chances which she herself never had. I struggled academically and my behaviour became increasingly challenging, mentally, physically, socially and emotionally – I was a catastrophe waiting to happen.

My mother has a huge Christian faith and recognised that her maternal love and guidance was not going to be enough to keep me out of trouble. Luckily she found out about JET. My self esteem was so low that I had no respect for anything or anyone including my mother.

With JET’s guidance and support, I was offered a place at Boarding School. At the age of 11 I was transported to a different world which had been previously unknown to me.

I wish I could say my time at the beginning was easy and straightforward for everyone - but who am I kidding!! Boarding school worked its magic and I gradually gained control of myself, and discovered talents I never would have expected. Drama is my favourite subject and I hope to gain a place at a Drama School next year, not just to perform but to develop theatre management skills.

I can’t believe that once I was frightened of a rugby ball! I love the young man I have become. There must be a reason for my good luck, and I will go into my adult life