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Meet Henry

Henry has been supported by ABP Cares since March 2026. This is how his support has developed, and what he has been getting up to.

Lives: Enfield, at home with his mum Sarah
Support: Domiciliary care
Supported since: March 2026
Support worker: Elvis

Henry giving two thumbs up at the trampoline park

Henry at the end of an afternoon at AirHop.

Getting to know Henry

Henry is a young adult who lives in Enfield with his mum, Sarah. He has been supported by ABP Cares since March 2026, following a referral from Enfield Council. His regular support worker is Elvis.

Henry is very open to trying new things. When Elvis suggests an activity, he will usually say yes, and he gives it his full attention once he is there. He enjoys a bit of competition, and he is just as pleased when someone else does well as when he does.

In the first few weeks, our focus was simply on getting to know him and building a routine he could rely on. Once that was settled, we began looking at what he might enjoy doing outside the house.

Henry on the main court at AirHop Enfield.

Building confidence at AirHop

One of the first places Henry tried was AirHop Adventure and Trampoline Park on Lumina Way, about ten minutes from his home. He took to it straight away.

His first visit was spent in the dodgeball arena. He returned the following week for the main court and the reaction wall. A trampoline park is a busy and noisy environment, and managing that comfortably is an achievement in itself. Henry now moves around it with confidence.

The physical benefits are clear as well. A session gives him a full hour of exercise, improves his balance and coordination, and helps him sleep better afterwards.

Henry wearing a virtual reality headset and holding controllers

Henry trying virtual reality for the first time.

Trying something completely new

Virtual reality was new to Henry. Elvis explained how the controllers worked and where the safety boundary was, and within a few minutes Henry was standing in the middle of the room, playing confidently.

This was one of the more significant moments of the summer. Being handed unfamiliar equipment in front of other people takes confidence. Henry tried it, enjoyed it, and found that he was good at it. That kind of experience makes the next new activity much easier to say yes to.

Henry taking his putt on hole seven of the adventure golf course

Henry lining up a putt on hole seven.

A different kind of afternoon

Not every activity needs to be high energy. In August, Henry played a round of adventure golf on a warm afternoon. He has also been go-karting this summer, which he thoroughly enjoyed.

Mini golf calls for patience and concentration rather than speed. Henry crouched down to look at the line of each putt before he played it, took his time, and stayed focused for the whole round.

It was a useful reminder that Henry enjoys a wide range of activities, and that his support should reflect that rather than settling into one pattern.

How Henry’s support has progressed

Henry has been with us for around six months. In that time we have seen steady, genuine progress in several areas.

A consistent routine. Henry sees the same support worker each time. Elvis knows how Henry communicates, what he enjoys and when to step back. That consistency has made a considerable difference to how settled Henry is.
More confidence in public. Busy places, queues, staff and background noise were all harder for Henry in the spring than they are now. Each successful outing has made the next one easier.
More say in his own support. Henry increasingly tells us what he would like to do, rather than waiting to be asked. Choosing his own activities is an important part of the support, not an afterthought.
A noticeable increase in activity. Henry is considerably more physically active than he was six months ago, and he is doing it through activities he actually enjoys rather than as a set exercise routine.
A great deal of enjoyment. Henry has shown real happiness and enthusiasm throughout. That matters as much as any of the measurable outcomes.

Sarah has told us that she is very pleased with how the support is going, and she has passed on her compliments to Enfield Council. We are grateful to her for taking the time to do that.

It is also encouraging that the difference is visible at home, and not only on the days out. Henry comes back from his sessions in good spirits, with plenty to talk about.

What happens next

We will keep building on what is working. Henry has said he wants to go go-karting again, and we are looking at a few new activities for the autumn alongside the places he already knows and likes.

As his confidence continues to grow, we expect to widen the range of places he visits and the length of time he spends out. We will keep doing that at his pace, and in discussion with Henry, Sarah and Enfield Council.

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