For some young people, returning to education is not as simple as finding the right school or provision.

When a young person has experienced emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA), prolonged absence, isolation or disrupted education, even the first step towards something new can feel overwhelming.

Leaving home. Meeting someone unfamiliar. Travelling somewhere new. Walking into a different environment.

These might seem like everyday experiences, but for a young person who has become disconnected from education and their wider community, they can be significant hurdles.

That is where Connect comes in.

A trusted relationship. A manageable first step. A pathway into learning.

Connect is Sherlock Pathways’ outreach therapeutic mentoring offer, created for young people who are not yet ready to access Sherlock Pathways on site.

It provides personalised, one-to-one support in the young person’s home or an agreed community setting, giving them the time and consistency they need to begin building trust, confidence and engagement.

Rather than expecting a young person to fit immediately into a new environment, Connect starts by understanding them.

Their experiences. Their strengths and interests. How they communicate. What feels difficult. And, importantly, what might help them take that next step.

A consistent mentor works alongside the young person and the people around them to develop an individual engagement and transition plan. Support is relationship-based and trauma-informed, with activities shaped around the young person’s interests and readiness.

Progress starts where the young person is

At Sherlock, we know progress does not always begin in a classroom.

For one young person, it might be establishing a routine and feeling comfortable meeting their mentor at home.

For another, it could be leaving the house for an activity, travelling somewhere new or spending time in a community setting.

Someone else might be ready to gently reconnect with purposeful learning or make their first supported visit to The Hub.

Connect recognises these steps for what they are: meaningful progress.

Support can gradually introduce everyday experiences, emotional regulation strategies, practical activities, learning and visits to Sherlock Pathways, without pushing the young person faster than they are ready to go.

Building a pathway forward

Connect is not about getting a young person through the door as quickly as possible.

It is about understanding what has made that door difficult to walk through in the first place.

As confidence and engagement grow, the young person can begin exploring the Sherlock Pathways programme that best reflects their needs, interests and readiness. This could be Regulate, Elevate, Sustain, Advance, Create, Aspire or a blended programme.

Wherever possible, their outreach mentor can support that initial transition too, helping maintain the relationship and familiarity they have already built.

Because when education has felt impossible for a while, the answer is not always a bigger first step.

Sometimes, it is a smaller one, taken with someone they trust.

Could Connect be the right next step?

Connect is designed for young people who may be experiencing EBSA, prolonged absence or disrupted education, who find unfamiliar environments overwhelming, or who need to build a trusted relationship before they can engage with a new setting.

It can also support young people living in children’s homes or supported accommodation who need additional help reconnecting with education, training and their community.

If you are supporting a young person who is not yet ready to access provision on site, Connect could provide the first step towards a pathway that works for them.

Make a referral to Sherlock Pathways