Music Therapy (children)
Music has always been a powerful tool for expression. It can touch our emotions deeply and allows for a freedom of communication which needs no words. Music Therapy uses shared music-making to help children cope more effectively with their lives and their difficulties and to allow them to demonstrate their potential more fully.
In sessions the therapist and the child make music together, the music made is shared and spontaneous. Therapist and child establish a musical relationship in which emotions can be expressed, explored and worked through within a safe environment.
Music Therapy has always been based on the understanding that all human beings are able to respond to music irrespective of musical ability or disability. It is well supported by a growing evidence base and theory from child developmental psychology.
What is a Music Therapist?
The title Music Therapist has been protected by law since 1997. All our music therapists have post graduate training and are registered with the Health Professions Council.
Music therapists within the hospital inpatient and outpatient services work mostly with children with more complex needs and difficulties (including those with Autistic Spectrum disorders). However, we also provide a wide range of approaches to using music therapy to help across a range of needs, including early intervention services for babies and using music for health promotion. One group approach for music therapy at Chelsea and Westminster is Shake, Natter and Roll, collaborative joint working with our health visitor colleagues. For more information please see this short video:
What do we offer?
- Outpatient music therapy assessment clinics for those children referred to our service
- Packages of individual and group therapy focusing for a children who have severe and profound developmental, communication, social and emotional needs
- Support for parents and carers while their child is having therapy. We seek to engage parents and carers as fully as possible in any input offered
- Clinical training placements for trainee music therapists
- Training and consultation to professionals and the voluntary sector
- Community outreach services to local children’s centres and schools including mainstream provision
- Early intervention services in children’s centres
- Health promotion work
- Music therapy on the neonatal wards in the main hospital
- Music and health projects
- Skills enhancement training for parents, carers and professionals helping others use music as a vital agent for promoting a child’s development
- Research
What are the benefits of Music therapy?
- Helping a child develop their communication skills
- Promoting concentration and listening skills
- Helping the child to find ways to express feelings creatively and constructively beyond their behaviour
- Facilitating parents understanding of their child’s evolving needs
- Helping relationships within families grow and develop
“Parents often remark that the music therapy sessions are the first time they have seen such a positive social interaction from their child. The time spent during and after music therapy intervention is therapeutic for both the parent and children, and impacts on the work that I do in supporting the families in the very difficult time following a diagnosis. The impact of this often means fewer referrals to other services.”
Sian Wilkinson
Specialist Health Visitor
Cheyne Child Development Service
