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FASD Case Study: From Trauma & School Exclusions to Transformation Through Personalised Learning.

FASD case study – teenager with trauma and anxiety showing progress through personalised entrepreneurial learning with EM Tuition tutor Ross

Through a trauma-informed and interest-led approach, this learner was able to re-engage with education, develop emotional regulation, and begin building a future with confidence and direction.

The Challenge

When Ross first began working with this learner, he met a 14-year-old boy navigating significant trauma, instability, and loss.

The pupil had experienced seven school exclusions and was living in foster care following a turbulent upbringing. His foster mother, his most consistent source of support, had passed away from cancer.

He had been diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and experienced severe anxiety, emotional dysregulation, and anger.

At this stage, engagement with education was minimal, and the learner struggled to connect with both learning and support.

Ross’s Approach: Building Trust Through Connection

Ross understood that connection had to come before curriculum. He took a trauma-informed, relational approach, recognising that the learner’s behaviour was rooted in his experiences rather than defiance.

Through time, patience, and consistency, Ross focused on building trust, knowing when to offer space and when to gently re-engage.

In the early stages, the learner rarely engaged and often retreated into gaming. However, Ross remained consistent, allowing the relationship to develop at the learner’s pace.

Support Through Personalised Learning

A turning point came when Ross discovered the learner had set up an online sweet shop from his bedroom, managing stock, taking orders, and welcoming customers into his home.

Recognising this entrepreneurial interest, Ross used it as a foundation to build a personalised learning programme.

Over the next three years, learning was shaped around real-world business projects, including:

  • Renting out gazebos for events and parties
  • Selling outdoor pools and reselling items via eBay, eventually requiring a shipping container to manage stock
  • Creating a themed Halloween attraction at home, raising over £800 for charity and attracting hundreds of local visitors

These experiences created meaningful opportunities for learning:

  • Maths through budgeting, pricing, and sales
  • English through marketing and customer communication
  • PSHE through personal development, emotional regulation, and community engagement

This approach provided structure, purpose, and a reason to re-engage with education.

The Outcome

The impact of this approach was significant and sustained.

Over time, the learner:

  • Reduced aggression and anxiety
  • Developed improved emotional regulation
  • Began initiating social interactions and reconnecting with peers
  • Increased academic engagement from 15 hours per week to full-time learning
  • Received local recognition, including a feature on radio for his charity event

A New Beginning

With growing confidence and independence, the learner is now:

  • Taking driving lessons
  • Exploring part-time employment
  • Demonstrating belief in his own future

Why This Matters

This case highlights the importance of a trauma-informed, personalised approach to education.

By building learning around the learner’s interests and experiences, education became meaningful, accessible, and engaging.

At EM Tuition, we focus on meeting learners where they are, using consistency, creativity, and trust to support long-term progress.

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