Before therapy starts

Before therapy starts, the team at Arts Therapies For Children undertakes a robust and through process to establish the relationship between the child, their parents/guardians/caregivers, the therapist and the school. We will then allocate you a therapist, establish a suitable location within the school for therapy and provide the school with references, background checks and necessary professional qualifications. Thereafter, the therapist will meet with the SENDCo and the child’s parents/caregivers to discuss the referral. Contracts will be signed before therapy starts.

Therapy: An Introduction and Initial Sessions

The first session is an introductory session. Here the therapist starts to get to know the child. The therapist will explain that whatever the child speaks about or creates in therapy will remain confidential; any notes or artwork will be kept in a safe space during therapy. The therapist will also explain about our safeguarding policy. Once the parameters of the child/therapist relationship have been established, the therapist will complete a baseline form outlining how a child feels at the beginning of therapy and what they want to achieve or address together.

Therapeutic Support in School

A regular time will be set for therapy each week. During sessions, the therapist will develop a therapeutic relationship in which the child begins to trust and becomes comfortable enough to create artworks or talk about things that are important to them. The therapist will encourage the child to reflect upon what they make or say and help them to reflect and articulate about what they are thinking and feeling.

Progress Meetings

The therapist will also meet with parents/caregivers to provide an update on how the therapy is progressing. The child’s voice and consent will be sought first. These meetings also give parents/caregivers, and where appropriate other healthcare professionals or teaching staff, an opportunity to ask questions and to reflect upon how therapy is impacting the child.

Concluding Therapy

The therapist will ensure that they work towards an ending, so that the child knows when the final session will be. During the final session, the therapist will provide the child with everything they have created. The child then decides what they want to do with their work. The therapist will meet with the child’s parents/caregivers to discuss therapy and to make any recommendations. The therapist will ask the child and the child’s parents/caregivers to complete an ending baseline form, which allows us to evaluate our intervention.