Chloe's story

Chloe was referred to Response’s Wellbeing Hub in Thatcham for support around school-based anxiety. She has dyslexia and was experiencing difficulty accessing her education and the support school was trying to offer her. She was also struggling with feeling judged by her peers if she couldn’t participate fully in lessons, which impacted her mental health and confidence at school.

She began to meet with our Wellbeing Youth Worker, Ainsley, who provided support for Chloe to explore why she was finding school so challenging and a safe space to discuss alternative strategies to support her learning needs.

Chloe was encouraged to advocate for herself, including asking to sit at the back of the classroom when she needed more time and space to focus. Over time, she found she was more able to communicate with her teachers and return to handwritten work, which she’d previously been struggling with.

At the conclusion of her work with Ainsley, Chloe reported feeling happier both at school and at home and felt more able to voice her concerns and advocate for herself. 

She expressed that the importance of her sessions she shared with Ainsley, “I am really going to miss seeing you every week”.

On ending the sessions Ainsley said, “I really saw a change with Chloe throughout our time working together. We worked on her confidence, and I saw a noticeable difference in her drive to support herself and do well at school. I feel the work we are doing in the Thatcham Wellbeing Hub is so impactful and would love to be able to do more and support the growing waiting list we have.” 

Learn more about how Response supports young people

The Thatcham Wellbeing Hub delivered by Response is a direct response to the rising need for early access support for young people’s mental health. We know that 48% of young people referred to NHS mental health services are turned away and need to seek support elsewhere. Locally to the Hub, we know that referrals in Berkshire are at a five-year high. 

Through the Wellbeing Hub we provide an environment where children and young people can express their emotions, get support and feel safe to be themselves.

The role of Wellbeing Youth Workers

The role of Ainsley, our Wellbeing Youth Worker at the Hub, is to support young people who are referred to Response by people like their teachers, other professionals or their families. She works with young people who need someone to talk to and help them explore their worries and concerns.