Why We Exist
Too many children, young people and families are still being failed by systems that were never designed with them in mind.
Needs are misunderstood. Support comes too late. Or not at all.
Family Pathway exists to change that — by making sure individuals are understood properly and systems are held to a higher standard.
What We Do
Understanding complex needs, barriers and risk
Rebuilding engagement with education, EOTAS and life pathways
Developing independence, regulation and confidence over time
Creating meaningful, accessible pathways into learning, work and community participation
Embedding inclusive, equitable ALN-informed practice to reduce exclusion, absence and disengagement
Building workforce capability through training, coaching and supervision
Strengthening decision-making in complex, high-risk and multi-agency contexts
Developing stronger partnerships between education, families and services
Everything we do is practical, evidence-informed, and grounded in real-life complexity — not theory alone.
Our Approach
We start where others often don’t – with deep understanding.
Our approach is person-centred, relational, and grounded in executive functioning, neurodiversity and real-world participation.
We don’t just recommend support: we help make it work in practice.
And we don’t just support individuals – we build the capability of the systems around them.
Our Impact
We measure what matters — participation, independence and long-term outcomes.
5800+
Children and young people supported
89%
Increase in engagement / attendance
910
Families supported through advocacy and planning
1620
Professionals trained across Wales
Because impact isn’t about activity — it’s about change.
Where We Work
Supporting children, young people, families, schools and local authorities and services across Wales.
Aligned with national legislation and inclusive practice frameworks, we work across:
Education settings
Local authorities
Community and youth provision
Employment and training pathways
Education Otherwise Than at School (EOTAS) and bespoke provision
Our Expertise
Our team brings together expertise across:
Inclusion, equity and additional learning needs
Neurodiversity and executive functioning skills
Inclusive practice and Universal Design for Learning
Education, youth work and system leadership
Our work is shaped by:
Evidence-informed practice that translates into real-world change
Lived experience of teaching, families and young people
Welsh policy and statutory frameworks
Relational, person-centred practice
Founder
Meet the Founder
Elsa Torres
Founder and CEO, Family Pathway
Elsa Torres is an educational consultant, researcher, lecturer and system leader with more than 30 years’ experience working across education, communities and public services.
Her work focuses on inclusion, equity, neurodiversity and person-centred practice, supporting children, young people, families, schools, colleges, community organisations and employers to create environments where people can thrive.
A former secondary Deputy Headteacher and Local Authority Consultant, Elsa has worked at strategic, operational and community levels throughout her career. This breadth of experience provides a unique understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing schools, families, local authorities and wider services.
Alongside her consultancy work, Elsa teaches on postgraduate programmes in Additional Learning Needs (ALN), Inclusion and Educational Leadership, supporting current and aspiring practitioners to develop evidence-informed approaches to inclusive practice and systems change.
As a Winston Churchill Fellow, Elsa undertook international research in Germany and Brazil exploring how vocational education systems can create meaningful progression pathways for vulnerable and disadvantaged young people. Her research examined how education, employers and communities can work together to build aspiration, strengthen participation and improve long-term social and economic outcomes. Many of the principles underpinning Family Pathway’s work today—including person-centred planning, community partnerships, learner voice and pathways into employment—have their roots in this research.
Elsa is currently undertaking doctoral research in Initial Teacher Education and Inclusive Systems Design. Her research explores how communities, services and educational settings can work together to create preventative, relationship-based approaches that recognise learner diversity, strengthen belonging and improve outcomes across the lifespan.
Through Family Pathway, Elsa works across education, health, social care, community organisations and employers, helping to build capacity, strengthen participation and create compassionate, responsive systems that enable individuals and communities to flourish.
Areas of Expertise
Inclusion, Equity and Diversity
Person-Centred Planning and Participation
Leadership Development and Systems Change
Alternative Provision and Learner Engagement
Additional Learning Needs and Neurodiversity
Community Capacity Building
Workforce Development and Professional Learning
Meaningful Pathways into Employment and Adulthood
Our Team
Governance
Family Pathway is supported by a non-executive board providing strategic oversight, accountability and governance..
Sam Knox
Dr Susan Haywood
Simon English
Emma Chivers
Work With us
If you’re trying to support someone but feel the system isn’t working — you’re not alone. We work alongside families, schools and organisations to make things move forward.