Therapy Services
All pupils have access to the appropriate strategies and resources requires to meet their individual needs. If a child requires additional support/programmes e.g. from speech and language, OT, physio etc. then a referral would be made to the appropriate service and the class staff would work with those professionals to design a programme of intervention. Brookfields School has very close links with a very wide range of professionals and will work with multiagency staff and parents to ensure that each child has their individual needs met to the best of our ability.
In addition to the services we can access we also commission additional Speech and Language, Specialist Sensory OT, Music Therapy and Art Therapy. Our Family Support Worker is certified in therapeutic play.
Jane Mullen Speech Therapy Ltd. provides Brookfields School a range of services to assist pupils Speech, Language and Therapy needs. This is commissioned directly by the school.
Our Therapy Practitioner Jude Inman is in School every Wednesday to support pupils.
Training and parent support is available as requested and our team are happy to deal with requests via email jude@chatterjacks.co.uk or by speaking to Jude on a Wednesday in school. Please visit our website where you will be able to find more information and a range of resources for you to print, including some ready to use visual supports.
Lego®-based Therapy has been developed in America with great success. The groups have been proven to help those with autism or related social communication difficulties.
Lego®-based Therapy is run weekly in Brookfields and is run by Jody and supported by Speech and Language Therapy Practitioner Jude. There is a lot more to the sessions than playing with bricks, as groups follow a structure that helps to develop children's communication and social skills. This is done by encouraging turn taking and working together to build models and by modelling from the adult leading the group. We run a Lego club weekly.
The members of the Lego groups are having a great deal of fun working together each week, whilst developing social skills and building great models.
“Music therapy is the use of sounds and music within an evolving relationship between client and therapist to support and encourage physical, mental, social, spiritual and emotional wellbeing.” - Leslie Bunt
Music therapy is based on the belief that in some way everyone responds to sound and music. There are musical elements such as a rhythm to our heartbeat, breathing and movement, and there is melody to our voices: in our laughter, crying or song. We are innately receptive to music and it can affect us on many levels – physical, emotional, cognitive, social and cultural. For people who find verbal communication difficult, music therapy offers the opportunity for an alternative means of self-expression.
In sessions a music therapist aims to build a relationship with a child through using music and sounds rather than words. Both child and therapist usually take an active part by playing, singing and listening. The therapist encourages the child to use a variety of instruments and their own voice to explore the world of sound. During the process of creating music together a relationship between the therapist and child develops, which enables emotional and developmental themes to be explored and hopefully the child can experience and explore new ways of relating which may lead to development and change.
Hans Christian Anderson said “Where words fail, music speaks.”
How can music therapy help?
- Communication: the non-verbal medium of music can offer an alternative mode of communication.
- Social interaction: music making involves skills such as listening to others, sharing, working together and being able to lead and follow.
- Confidence: in creating their own music and bring their own ideas to sessions, in leading music-making and through developing relationships self esteem can be boosted and a child can feel personal satisfaction and achievement.
- Enjoyment: music-making can encourage play and may encourage participation and engagement.
- Self expression: music can convey feelings without the need for words. Music therapy can provide a medium through which children can express and recognise their feelings in a safe environment.
- Listening skills
- Relaxation: A child can vent frustration using instruments which may result in decreased tension, anxiety and challenging behaviour.
- Fine motor skills: music can motivate a child and encourage physical awareness and movement as well as helping to develop attention, concentration and memory.
- Sense of autonomy & Sense of self and others: Children can become aware of their own music and their own ability to create music.
We commission Catherine Glynn, children and young people's occupational therapist to provide a range of services to support pupils gross and fine motor and sensory needs. Sensory processing difficulties can have a huge impact on daily life. Catherine provides sensory assessments and advice to help staff understand pupils sensory needs, and give strategies to support them.
Catherine also provides sensory training to staff and parents. She is in school on Fridays.
