Hassan* came to Step by Step’s New Forest Foyer in February 2023, having arrived in the UK from Iran just a few weeks earlier. He was a very polite young man despite feeling lost, overwhelmed and apprehensive in this new country and situation.

When Hassan arrived, he told us that he was very keen to be moved further along the coast nearer to one of his brothers. Unfortunately, social worker teams had promised him that this would be possible when sadly it simply was not.

Hassan’s support team at Step by Step quickly built a great relationship with him, based on truth and trust, and were able to help him understand why the move was not possible. Step by Step advocated for him to be able to rebuild and maintain relationships, and eventually he was granted permission from children’s services to stay overnight with his brothers.

Hassan was also eager to start his education, but again this proved hard to arrange due to local colleges being oversubscribed. The Step by Step team did what they could to provide Hassan with basic learning, until a successful application to Eastleigh College saw him start full-time education in September. He has remained committed to his learning, has perfect attendance and is attaining high grades.

As he approaches 18, and having recently had asylum status granted, Hassan has discovered how much the local area has to offer in the way of further education, job opportunities, and places to live. He has also built an incredibly supportive community around himself, becoming a valued member of the local church he regularly attends.

Hassan also greatly appreciates that he can easily visit his brothers from where he is, so has decided to continue his education locally and to build on the settled life he is carving for himself in the New Forest.

His support team are confident that Hassan will have no problem transitioning to a lower support service soon. Since he came to Step by Step, Hassan has shown resilience and perseverance in everything he does.

*Name changed to respect privacy