Safeguarding & Child protection
At Fresh Pathways, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people is a core responsibility. We are committed to ensuring that all children and young people are protected from harm and supported within a safe, respectful and trauma-informed environment.
All safeguarding practice at Fresh Pathways is informed by statutory duties, local authority procedures and recognised best practice.
Statutory Safeguarding Framework
Fresh Pathways operates in line with national safeguarding legislation and guidance, including:
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Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE)
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Working Together to Safeguard Children
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The Children Act 1989 and 2004
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Local Safeguarding Children Partnership procedures
Safeguarding arrangements are proportionate, transparent and reviewed regularly.
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) for Fresh Pathways is:
Charlotte Nichols
The DSL is responsible for:
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Managing and overseeing safeguarding and child protection concerns
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Maintaining accurate and confidential safeguarding records
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Liaising with schools, local authorities and external agencies
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Making referrals to children’s social care where thresholds are met
All safeguarding concerns are escalated in line with statutory guidance and local authority safeguarding thresholds.
Safeguarding Responsibilities
All staff and associates working with Fresh Pathways:
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Understand their statutory duty to safeguard children and young people
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Receive safeguarding training appropriate to their role
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Follow internal safeguarding and reporting procedures
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Report concerns immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead
Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.
Reporting Safeguarding Concerns
Any safeguarding concern relating to a child or young person will be:
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Taken seriously
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Recorded accurately and securely
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Acted upon without delay
Where there is a risk of immediate harm, concerns will be reported directly to children’s social care or emergency services.
Partnership Working
Fresh Pathways works in partnership with:
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Local authorities
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Schools and education providers
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Parents and carers
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Relevant safeguarding and support agencies
This ensures a coordinated, multi-agency approach that places the welfare of the child at the centre of all decision-making.
Policy Availability
Fresh Pathways maintains clear safeguarding and child protection policies, which are reviewed regularly and are available on request.
Provider Status
Fresh Pathways currently operates as an independent support and mentoring provision. We do not operate as a registered school or full-time education provider. All support is delivered in partnership with families, schools and/or local authorities and in accordance with safeguarding legislation.
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Fresh Pathways supports children and young people through inclusive, trauma-informed, holistic approcahes - understanding behaviour, valuing identity, and focusing on the whole person
We don't fix you, we give the tools to thrive. Its your journey, your growth.
Why Fresh Pathways?
Fresh Pathways was founded from lived experience, empathy, and a deep understanding of how easily children can be misunderstood within education.
As a parent, I supported my own children through both primary and secondary school, where they experienced ongoing challenges with engagement, sensory overwhelm, and remaining in the classroom. For many years, these needs were present without a formal diagnosis. Despite raising concerns from primary school onwards, it was not until adulthood that diagnoses were finally made.
This journey highlighted the significant challenges families face when trying to access support without an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) in place. We understand how difficult it can be to implement appropriate strategies, reasonable adjustments, or specialist support when formal documentation is delayed or unavailable — and how this can leave families feeling unheard and unsupported.
Alongside my own experience, I have spoken with many parents and carers facing the same frustrations: children who want to learn, move, and engage — including through physical and practical activities — but who struggle to access suitable provision due to limited services, long waiting times, or a lack of appropriate pathways.
Through both lived experience and professional knowledge, I have developed a strong understanding of how physical, emotional, sensory, and environmental factors interact to influence behaviour, wellbeing, and learning. These unseen barriers are often mistaken for defiance or disengagement, when in reality they reflect unmet needs.
Fresh Pathways was created to bridge this gap — offering a flexible, holistic approach that supports young people with or without a diagnosis or EHCP, meeting them where they are and adapting support around their individual needs.
At Fresh Pathways, we believe children are not choosing to disengage from education. They are responding to unmet needs. Our role is to recognise those needs early, reduce barriers, and create pathways where young people feel safe, understood, and ready to learn.
About us
Fresh Pathways is dedicated to supporting young people ages 4-25 years facing significant challenges. Our trauma-informed approach prioritizes emotional safety, ensuring all young people feel secure and valued.
We focus on providing unique, tailored learning experiences that foster resilience, personal development, and the advancement of essential life skills. Your child's success is our mission.
Our commitment to continuity means that the same dedicated individuals will be working with our young people, fostering strong relationships and creating safe spaces. By maintaining familiar faces, we to build trust and support that nurtures their growth and development. Together, we can create an where every young person feels valued and empowered.
Our Approach
At Fresh Pathways, we support children and young people whose social, emotional, behavioural, or neurodivergent needs are creating barriers to learning and engagement in education.
Our outcomes align with school and local authority priorities, including:
• improved behaviour and emotional regulation
• increased engagement in learning
• reduced incidents, exclusions, and school avoidance
• supported reintegration into education
What makes our approach different is how we achieve these outcomes.
We work from the bottom up, recognising that behaviour is communication and that learning cannot take place without emotional and sensory regulation. Rather than managing behaviour in isolation, we identify and address the underlying barriers impacting each young person.
These may include:
• SEMH needs, ADHD, autism, and other neurodivergent profiles
• Anxiety, trauma, and attachment-related experiences
• Sensory sensitivities and environmental stressors
• Sleep, nutrition, physical wellbeing, and routine
• Communication differences and processing speed
• Previous negative experiences of education or exclusion
We assess how these factors impact behaviour, engagement, and learning, then adapt environment, expectations, and delivery to support the young person effectively.
Our provision offers:
• Structured one-to-one mentoring and emotional support
• Small group interventions focused on regulation, confidence, and social skills
• Gradual, supported transitions back into school or alternative education
• Flexible delivery within the home, school, or a safe and structured learning environment
We work collaboratively with schools, families, and professionals to ensure consistency, clear communication, and measurable progress. Our approach reduces pressure on schools while supporting young people to re-engage with education in a sustainable way.
At Fresh Pathways, we do not ask “What’s wrong with this child?”
We ask “What barriers are preventing this child from accessing education — and how can we remove them?”
Our activities are chosen to support emotional regulation, social skills, motivation, and readiness for learning — not just to keep young people “busy,” but to meaningfully reduce barriers and support measurable progress.
FAQ's
Do young people need a diagnosis or EHCP?
No. We support young people with or without a diagnosis or EHCP. Support is based on individual need, not paperwork.
What needs do you support?
We support SEMH needs, ADHD, autism, sensory processing differences, anxiety, trauma, school avoidance, and behaviour impacting learning and engagement.
Is Fresh Pathways a school replacement?
No. We are an alternative and supportive provision, designed to complement education and support reintegration where appropriate.
Where do sessions take place?
Sessions can take place in the home, in school, or within a safe, calm, and structured learning environment.
What do sessions involve?
Sessions are personalised and may include mentoring, emotional regulation work, social skills, physical or practical activities, and structured routines to support readiness for learning.
How do you support behaviour change?
We address the underlying barriers affecting behaviour, supporting regulation and engagement rather than using punitive approaches.
Do you work with schools and families?
Yes. We work collaboratively with schools, families, and professionals to ensure consistency and meaningful progress.
Can you support school avoidance or reduced attendance?
Yes. We support young people to re-engage with learning at a pace that feels safe and manageable.
How is progress measured?
Progress is monitored through individual goals, engagement, emotional regulation, confidence, and readiness to learn.
How can a referral be made?
Referrals can be made by schools, local authorities, or families. Please contact us to discuss next steps.