Therapies

The Director of Therapies co-ordinates and leads a department that includes Speech and Language therapy, Occupational therapy, Art therapy, Music therapy and Dramatherapy. Additional therapeutic interventions include: Rebound therapy and Aromatherapy hand and foot massage. A PAT dog and Read to dog are also regular visitors to St Joseph’s.

St Joseph’s has a Sensory Room and Soft Play Area which are timetabled for use by all ages of students on a regular basis. In addition to these experiences, some students will use the facilities at specific times as the need arises to help them develop their senses and explore their immediate environment. It is also a useful facility to enable some students to regulate in order to be ready to access specific areas of the curriculum.

At St Joseph’s an embedded therapy model is used, whereby Speech and Language therapists and Occupational therapists are allocated within classes to work alongside the Education team delivering therapy throughout the day in a variety of ways. This approach enables specific areas to be targeted and generalised in a functional meaningful manner.

Speech and Language therapists and Occupational therapists also support students in residential time by spending an evening a week in group homes working alongside care staff to support independence and life skills as well as communication and social skills.