Therapy

Arts Therapies

Arts Therapists are part of a multi-disciplinary team which provides professional care for the students. Arts Therapists support the mental wellbeing of students at our school and uphold the safeguarding policies. We currently offer weekly individual sessions and drop-in sessions. We input into personalised learning and behaviour programmes.

Our Arts Therapists work closely with parents/carers, the Student and Family Support Team, teaching staff, SaLT and OT. We also maintain effective, working relationships with relevant external agencies, including CAMHS to provide clinical interventions that address the individual mental health needs of the students.

Arts Therapists are registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and engage in regular clinical supervision.

Reasons for referrals to arts therapies include:

Emotional, behavioural and social needs

Autistic Spectrum

Learning difficulties

Developing confidence and resilience

Re-integration following exclusion from school

Looked After children/Children in Care

Children in need or at risk

Loss and Bereavement

Withdrawn or isolated children

Access to Arts Therapies

Parental/Carers written consent is required prior to any therapy assessment or longer term intervention taking place.

The therapy referral form is attached. Parents/Carers and Cambridge teaching staff and the SLT can refer a student to the Arts Therapies team.

Dramatherapy is the use of drama and play for therapeutic intervention. It is a creative way of working using role-play, improvisation, story-making, movement, objects and drama games.

Dramatherapy can be used to help people express their thoughts and feelings about their experiences and their relationships with other people. It can be an opportunity to try out and practice different ways of thinking and behaving in everyday life.

Dramatherapy encourages children to engage creatively and focuses on communication skills, both verbal and non-verbal.

Art Therapy uses visual art (drawing, painting, modelling, as well as already made objects and sand tray) as a medium of expression. Art Therapy focuses primarily on the creative process of art in order to increase awareness of self and others in order to promote personal development. It is applicable to the whole range of emotional, psychological and/or behavioural problems. The artwork produced in an Art Therapy sessions is valued as an expression of the person and seen as an integral part of the therapy.

By: Lana Selby (HCPC Registered Arts Therapist)