Louise was one of them.
Her son Kian had struggled in mainstream school since primary school. He didn’t fit in, found the size and pace overwhelming, and lived with additional needs that weren’t being properly supported.
By the time he reached his teens, his mental health had deteriorated so badly that Louise made the difficult decision to pull him out of school altogether.
Louise homeschooled Kian for a time, doing everything she could to support him. But she also knew it wasn’t the long-term solution their family needed.
Then, near the end of Year 10, Kian started at Youth Futures.
It’s a comment we hear often, and one that challenges a common misconception about schools like ours. Some people assume CaRE Schools are for “troubled teens” or young people who simply don’t fit in. But time and again, parents tell us it wasn’t their child who let the system down. It was the system that let their child down.
The bullying, the noise, the one-size-fits-all structure of mainstream schooling can be exactly what a young person with additional needs or anxiety cannot cope with.
For Kian, the difference came down to something simple but powerful: smaller groups, patience, and a team who stuck with him. “You’ve got your psychologist. You’ve got a caring team aruond them” Louise says.
Before, mornings were a battle. “He hated going to school to the point… anxiety was through the roof. I had to pick him up every minute: ‘come down and get him, he’s not doing great.’”
At Youth Futures, that changed. “You know he’s safe. They just got him. And that’s all it takes, is that one person to just get your kid, and then they thrive.”
As a mum watching her son come back to himself, Louise’s words say it all: “Yes! There he is!”
For Louise, it wasn’t just about Kian’s experience in the classroom. It was about being kept in the loop as a parent, too.
“They’re always telling you what he’s up to. They always check in and tell me how he’s doing. They sit with him, take him out, ‘is everything okay?’ They just check in on him and he’s great. Brilliant. They’re absolutely brilliant.”
Kian formed strong relationships with staff along the way, including his teachers Kim and Puti, along with the wider team.
Louise recalls one moment in particular, when Puti sat with Kian through a difficult incident and worked through it with him step by step. “Puti was amazing, and I am actually going to be lost without her because I think she’s been really good with him.”
When it came time for Kian to finish school, Youth Futures didn’t stop at graduation. Kian has now completed Year 12, along with his Certificate I and Certificate II, qualifications that opened the door to a place at TAFE studying music.
“They didn’t want to just say that’s it, they actually supported him getting his transition into TAFE,” Louise explains. “I didn’t have to do anything. They just did it… creating a really nice clear pathway, that made the transition easy.”
The impact hasn’t stayed at the school gate. Louise says home life has improved as well, not perfectly, she’s quick to add, but genuinely. Kian is more settled with his dad, and he’s started helping around the house, a world away from the boy who used to retreat to his room and shut the door on everyone.
Asked what she’d want other families to know, particularly those with teenagers struggling at school, or considering an alternative path, Louise didn’t mince words:
“If your kid is struggling at school and they’ve really got bad mental health and anxiety and bullying, and the school don’t get him, definitely try and get into Youth Futures. It is epic. You won’t regret it, honest to God you won’t.”
“I just wish I found you guys before.”
Want to hear more?
Watch Louise share Kian’s journey in her own words, from the challenges they faced in mainstream education to the difference Youth Futures made for their family.
If your teenager is struggling in mainstream school, you don’t have to keep wondering whether there’s another way. We’d love to have a conversation about whether Youth Futures could be the right fit for your family. Contact our team
Seeing a school in person is often the best way to know if it’s the right fit.
Come and meet our team, explore one of our campuses, and learn more about how Youth Futures supports young people to re-engage with education. You’ll have the opportunity to ask questions, see our learning environments, and talk through your child’s individual needs.
Complete the form and a member of our team will be in touch to arrange a tour at a time that suits you.
