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Hi PT xxYes, actually it DID work very well.They are able to take instruction and support from people who are not close to them.If a teacher or House Manager says you need to shower, then they go and do it without question.They go shopping with teachers for evening meals etc without any fuss.Oh yes, for some it's much better than being at home with us.

Hi, Pear Tree -I think that it's similar to children who cope much better with foster care than in a family: where they can't cope with the "intensity" of the parent child relationship (sorry: It's difficult to express what I mean).So I expect that it would work on some levels for some kids. I would expect that, for others, it would be a disaster.Love,Corkwing

Hi PTThe girl we do respite fostering for went to boarding school for the whole of her secondary education. She wasn't able to live in her extended birth family and had numerous failed foster placements. She has significant early trauma, neglect and attachment issues and really doesn't connect well with anyone. She manages well in our family and has a great bond with my birth daughter, but that's because she's only with us when she chooses and we don't demand anything from her. Anyhow, boarding school worked very well for her. She managed the relationships with staff and other children well although now she has left she has no contact with any of them. She did go to university but didn't stick it. No routine, didn't build relationships... Her lifestyle now is less than satisfactory, but her years of boarding school I believe gave her a structure, boundaries and a security she wouldn't have had elsewhere. She did push all the boundaries though!!!!Ceci

swings and roundabouts.If the school thinks they are going to 'fix their problems then on the balance no.but for those children who can have survive without the family network and love a rigid structure.then maybe it is a solution. I suppose it depends on their level of trauma and how they as a person have the ability to deal with it. Would love to see how a school responds to constant extreme behaviour.

Our AS came to us when he was 8 yrs old. Due to so many learning gaps school was a real struggle for him. Because he didn’t have any ‘actual’ learning difficulties we couldn’t get additional support for him in the classroom. It got to a stage where he was constantly in trouble because he could not keep up. This affected his behaviour both at school and at home and our relationship was on a downward turn. When he was 12 we gave him the option of boarding school ( We are a forces family and the Army pay 90% of the fees). We chose a school near our home to give him the opportunity to come home each evening. He never once got on the bus to come home during the week. Within 3 months he was a happy and less stressed. His entire outlook on life had changed from eating habits, manners and respect for others. It’s now been two years, his’s confidence has grown dramatically, he is now average in all of his academic subject and plays rugby and county level. The school structure and closeness of his peers have been the making of him. Our relationship at home is healthy and happy. We are very proud of him. We looked and the pros and cons before considering this approach, have never looked back. Now only time will tell as he begins his GCSEs this year.