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How can Danny feel good at school?

Danny is a student in 4th grade. He lives with his father and his father’s parents. Danny’s mother has a new family and rarely meets him. He does not speak about her and avoids contact. He knows that she has abandoned him.

At school Danny is aggressive, impulsive and has difficulties to integrate. At the beginning of the school year he is moved to a new school ‘for a fresh start’. But he has hard time adapting to the new environment as well. His feelings of insecurity and not fitting in are increasing. On several occasions he has been aggressive towards younger children at school and the head teacher has referred him to the child protection department.

A family group conference was organised for Danny with the question ‘How can we help him to feel good at school?’. His father, grandmother, grandfather, schoolmate, teacher and psychologist are involved. They make a plan which was reviewed after a few months. This time the maternal grandmother is also involved. Danny plays football with his classmates, supported by the grandfather. He has apologized to the child he had molested. He attends counselling with a psychologist together with his grandmother. The parents had a conversation at the father’s initiative and discussed Danny’s regular visits to his mother. They also decide to make him a joint Christmas present. The boy is now looking forward to spending the holidays with his mother.

(the names in this story are fictional)

 

A story from Bulgaria

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