Sarah’s Story

Sarah’s support through MYA Navigators.

Where did they start?

13-year-old Sarah lives at home with her mum and older brother, and engages positively with a range of extracurricular activities including the Northern Star programme.

Diagnosed with Autism, and EHCP through CAMHS, Sarah was the victim of a double assault at school. After arriving at Alder Hey A&E with multiple bruises to her head, face, and arms, she was referred by A&E staff to the Navigator service, which supports victims of violent abuse.

What did we do?

During Sarah’s initial meeting with Navigators it came to light that Sarah’s school had not put appropriate support in place for her Autism diagnosis, just leaving her to cope in class. As a result, she really struggled to understand social cues and interact with other students.

As Sarah was already receiving CAMHS support and attending extra-curricular groups, the main support required from Navigators was around school. Navigator Miles worked with Sarah and her mum to identify what support was required and helped them discuss the EHCP with Sarah’s school. Navigator also referred the case on to the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Information Advice and Support Services (SENDIASS), so they could undertake any further interventions necessary with the school SEN department.

Where are they now?

Following the four-week engagement with the Navigator service, Sarah now feels a lot safer in school. With guidance from the Navigator team, the school has now implemented appropriate EHCP requirements and ongoing support. This fresh start means that Sarah’s confidence and attendance are both improving.

Sarah says…

Since working with Navigators… “I feel safe in school and am not worried about people in class that used to scare me. I feel happier at home now too and can see that my mum is much happier as well, because I am safe.“