Therapy and Counselling

 

At Hardwick House School, we believe that children will thrive when they are happy, relaxed and feel supported. We have a team of professionals who work collaboratively with the teaching staff, other professionals and families to support our children in every aspect of their development. Each of our learners’ needs are assessed on an individual basis.  Once assessed, a learner may be referred for additional support from one of our therapists or counsellors. 

 

Speech and Language Therapy (SaLT)

We believe that communication is at the heart of everything we do and is a vital skill for all of our learners to constantly work at. As a result of this, every student has a weekly group Social Communication lesson. Hardwick House has a Speech and Language Therapist who visits on a weekly basis to oversee the delivery of our social communication sessions. The SaLT assists in fostering the home/school link to ensure that skills learned in one setting are being transferred to the other and also runs communication sessions for staff on their use of language and questioning.  The SaLT also delivers 1:1 intervention programmes where a need is identified. 

 

Occupational Therapy (OT)

Learners who are deemed to have additional sensory or movement needs can be referred to our Occupational Therapist. They will then undergo a series of assessments, including observations, from several people including parents, school staff and our visiting therapist.  A programme of support will then be put in place to assist the learner in the areas that have been identified. Occupational Therapy is also supported through a daily scheduled well-being time for all children that focuses on aspects of sensory regulation.  The school also has an Occupational Therapy Assistant who works closely with the OT to deliver 1:1 interventions where a need is identified. 

 

Counselling

The school has a counsellor who sees learners, selected by need, on a 1:1 basis by appointment. If a member of staff, or a parent feels that a learner would benefit from seeing the counsellor then the school leadership team should be informed and a referral form completed.  The counsellor will work on a large number of issues that each individual may need support with. 

 

 

ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant)

Where learners are identified by staff or parents as needing some extra support with their wellbeing or mental health, they can be referred to our qualified ELSA. The ELSA develops and delivers and individual support programme that recognises that children learn better and are happier in school if their emotional needs are addressed. The ELSA intervention has been developed by educational psychologists, and our ELSA has been trained via Leicestershire County Council. 

 

 

Psychology

Hardwick House School has both an Educational Psychologist and a Clinical Psychologist.