Masie’s Journey with MyST

Masie had not long come into my care prior to MyST starting their work with her, however I had known Masie for a while as I had been doing some respite for her.

I was really keen for the work to start with Masie so that she could get the emotional support she needed to be able to understand her emotions and how to be able to regulate.

I was also happy to be receiving the additional support and advice from MYST as well as knowing there would be regular network meetings facilitated by MyST involving all adults linked with Masie.

I am very grateful for all of the support that MyST provided both myself and Masie. Acting Lead Therapeutic Practitioner and Young Person Practitioner were both amazing at checking up on myself and Masie, offering support and being there to just listen at times.  

I know that Masie is really sad to not be working with the Young Person Practitioner now as she built an amazing relationship and looked forward to their weekly sessions. However, Masie also understands that the work has ended because of how well she is doing now, and that MyST helped her to get to this stage. 

As I was already aware of the role that MyST play in supporting vulnerable children, I knew the support would be positive. Initially I thought the service would just be there to support Masie.  I was not aware of how much support I would receive and all the work they do with the families as well as the child

The service that MyST provide for vulnerable pupils and their families is fantastic.

The work that the young person practitioner did with Masie was brilliant. Took the time to really get to know Masie, her likes and dislikes, her moods and she really understood what Masie needed and what approach needed to help her calm and regulate.

As mentioned above, the work put in to support the carers/parents as well is brilliant and something I found really helpful, knowing that there is someone there you can talk to when things become challenging was really helpful and definitely supported my wellbeing. 

Masie would swear, hit, spit, kick and throw things at people. She would often greet new people by kicking them. Masie has very poor social communication skills, she would scowl, pull faces or poke her tongue out at them at people when they greeted her or spoke to her, her responses would be very abrupt and ‘stand offish’

Masie was often very angry and did not like to engage in conversations with new people

She would initiate conversations with her peers by insulting them as this is all that she knew

Masie would not take responsibility for her actions in the past and it was everyone else’s fault, and she did not want to hear when she has made bad choices and would argue with people and say they were lying, it was if she has blocked those memories from her mind

Masie is now polite; she smiles and laughs so much more. A lot of people have commented on how happy she is now, and it is a genuine happy not put on because she knows she should smile but because she wants to and does it naturally.

Masie engages appropriately in conversations and social situations; she compliments people to start new conversations and or introduces herself and asks how people are. She smiles at people when they say hello to her and no longer scowls, pulls faces or pokes her tongue out at them. She will happily talk to them.

Masie very rarely, swears anymore. There have been a few occasions where she has been silly however the words, she has used are immature e.g., bum hole and not as ‘severe’ as previously.

 Masie is able to talk about her emotions and understand them so much better. She is able to deal with consequences and discipline. She will still say ‘but why?’ if she is told she cannot do something or have something, but this is a normal response from 8-year-old, previously she would have reacted by swearing or hitting out.

Masie is able to take responsibility for her action and with adult support she is able to reflect on these times and talk about them.

 Masie is also reflecting on her past and accepts the behaviours she had in the past. She talks about them whereas behaviour she would deny she ever made bad choices and would not want to talk about them

Thank you so much for all the support, everyone at MyST was supportive even though it was mainly acting LTP & YPP that worked directly with us, the whole team were brilliant.