We are incredibly proud of the way Stablemates is transforming the lives of young people — helping them grow in confidence, discover their strengths, and find new pathways for the future.
Messages from Parents and Young People
The voices of our community say it best. Here are some of the heartfelt words shared by parents and young people about their experiences with Stablemates:
“My son’s time at Stablemates has been nothing but positive. He has gone from a child with no extremely low self-esteem, no drive and extreme demand avoidant behaviours to a young man who looks forward to the challenges at school (we call Stablemates school).
He has taken over the responsibility of setting his own alarm for his school mornings and decided to set it earlier so that he would have more time to get himself ready.
I have seen a huge change in him and his confidence. He has been able to rejoin Scouts as a Young Leader, working with 6-8 year olds. He is slowly beginning to see a life of potential ahead of him.
Thank you for showing him what he’s capable of. He needed to hear and see that from someone other than his mother!”
“In the time that my son has been attending Stablemates he has been felt safe enough to spend time there without a parent with him. He has begun to trust adults other than his parents and has also been able to be around other children his age, as well as older and younger. Both of these he struggled with before. He sometimes comes home and queries certain interactions which we discuss. He sometimes askes about things that have been said or what has happened in the day, and I am able then to explain why it may have happened that way. He is learning about interacting with people around him and the more about what is acceptable and or typical socially and when in a learning environment. One aspect I did not expect was such a change at home. He is wanting to set an alarm for the morning and is eager to be ready for the day. So, he is able to, with some help, get up with his alarm and get ready in time, early than is really necessary too. I think this is really positive for him. Thank you.”
“I am so pleased and relieved that we have finally (after a LOT of trial and error!) found the ‘secret sauce’. Stablemates sessions bring her so much happiness, she feels really safe with the staff, and is very much enjoying getting to know other young people. It is lovely for my daughter to have something to tell me about when I collect her, gives me some respite and also gets her out in the fresh air. Hopefully we can build on the duration and even add another visit for a lesson with the resident teacher, which she is talking about at the moment and is a great leap forward for her.”
At Stablemates, we are proud to celebrate the creativity and achievements of our young people. Their words capture the impact of learning in a different environment better than we ever could.
Here is one of their stories — written about Stablemates as an entry for the Cheltenham Performing Arts Festival:
“The Secret Bunny Club
There were once 8 baby bunnies. Their names were Lightning, Galaxy, Comet, Asteroid, Star, Thunder, Zeus and Heart. They lived at a beautiful farm where children always came to play. The bunny’s Mummy was called Magic. No-one suspected she was actually magic but there was one little girl who knew! The magic was a secret, and the baby bunnies used their superpowers every night. They had undercover adventures in the fields and saved the farm from attack. When it was morning, they acted like normal baby bunnies. They hopped about and were the cutest, fluffiest, most adorable bunnies ever.
One night the baby bunnies had a terrible shock, they weren’t able to get out of their hutch as usual. Their powers were lost in the darkness. What could they do? They were so down hearted, so all went to sleep. Except Lightning, who squeezed through a tiny gap to then open the hutch for Comet. They needed their powers back so even though they were frightened they set off to find the powers.
They hopped out of the hutch and through the farm into the creepy forest. They were terrified but had to stay strong for the secret bunny club. Lightning suddenly spotted a glowing light under a prickly bush. He bounded towards it grabbing the glow. He shouted to Comet “what’s this glowing object”, Comet shouted back “it’s your power, it’s back! But where’s mine?” Comet leapt onto Lightning’s back, and they scurried frantically towards another beaming, glowing light! It’s Comet’s power. Suddenly from out of nowhere Magic, Galaxy, Asteroid, Star, Thunder, Zeus and Heart appear. They also have their powers back. Magic and her 8 baby bunnies are invincible again. They may be small, cute and fluffy but their power is stronger than the god Zeus, king of the gods.
Together that night they teleport back to the gates of the farm and find 7 foxes trying to break in. The baby bunnies with Magic watching scare off the foxes who had never seen bunnies with superpowers before. The foxes leave the farm sobbing for their Mums! The secret bunny club have done it, the farm is safe. They get back to their snuggly hutch and fall fast asleep excited for morning to see their favourite little girl.
In the morning the children arrive and can’t wait to see the baby bunnies. There is one little girl with a sneaky smile on her face, she knows they are magic, and she is so proud they saved the farm again. The farm is so precious to this little girl because she can’t go to school. She can’t learn in a classroom with other children because she’s too bouncy just like the bunnies! The farm is her school, and she is safe there. The secret bunny club are helping her uncover her own superpowers.” Daisy – aged 8
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