Integrating Therapy using a Transdisciplinary Approach Lois M Addy Senior Lecturer

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Integrating Therapy using a Transdisciplinary
ApproachLois M AddySenior Lecturer
Integrated Children's Services in Higher
Education (ICS-HE) Preparing tomorrow's
professionals
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The Integrated Childrens System
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Successful Inclusion

• Successful inclusion would allow children with
  SEN and disabilities to benefit from equality of
  opportunity increase their involvement in
  society and ultimately become more productive
  individuals.

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Successful inclusion will also

• reduce social inequality, and allow communities
  to benefit from the contribution that children
  with SEN and their families could make,
  harnessing their talent and fostering tolerance
  and understanding of diversity (DfES, 2007 p5).

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Aiming high for disabled childrenBetter support
for families (DfES 2007) Barriers to inclusion

• Training and preparation of staff appear to be
  lacking
• Expertise in behavioural management especially
  regarding children with ADHD and ASD.
• Moving and handling
• Attitudes

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• Health Provision
• Long waiting lists and strict eligibility
  criteria for therapy services
• Limited resources
• Sporadic intervention
• Poor communication exchange
• Inconsistent support
• Poor communication between services

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The Integrated Childrens System
Provide integrated, consistent support for
parents of children with SEN
Address individual needs within the school using
integrated therapy
Contextualise therapy and reduce need for
appointments at CDC or clinic.
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• Therapeutic intervention can only be achieved if
  effectively if professionals move away from a
  multidisciplinary approach (where each one acts
  independently) beyond interdisciplinary methods
  where there is partial collaboration between
  professionals) to a transdisciplinary model where
  the different disciplines are integrated to
  provide a unified approach
• This requires professionals to become learners
  as well as specialists (Mackey and McQueen, 1998)

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Integrated therapy is

• An approach where not only are the therapies
  delivered in an integrated way, but are also
  integrated into the daily functional life of the
  family, including school where children spend a
  significant part of their lives.
• Ref Mackey and McQueen (1998)

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• An integrated approach ensures that therapeutic
  intervention is delivered in a holistic manner
  and blended with a functional activity for the
  child rather than leading to compartmentalising
  parts of the childs body or daily life according
  to which professional discipline is involved at
  one time.
• Ref Mackey and McQueen, 1998, p 22

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• If routine therapy were to be cross-referenced
  with the national curriculum it has the potential
  to reduce the pressure on pupil time, curriculum
  content and therapy resources.
• (Mackey and McLellan, 1994)

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Consultation or CollaborationWhere does the
power lie?
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Integrated Therapy

• This approach requires the therapists to
  understand the educational curriculum and to
  cross-reference therapy goals with educational
  objectives.
• This supports current evidence that intervention
  delivered in the appropriate context increases
  generalisation and maintenance of skills.

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Bespoke/INSET days

• Study days are provided to schools. These inform
  teachers of the specific functional needs of
  children with a range of childhood conditions.
  The emphasis is on providing practical strategies
  for fully including the child in all aspects of
  the curriculum.

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Child Development/SEN Study Day Programme

• An annual programme of approximately 8 study
  days is provided for qualified teachers,
  therapists, educational psychologists, and
  learning support workers.
• The subject areas are requested by delegates and
  include the following examples
• Addressing the needs of children with EBD from a
  sensory modulation perspective.
• Addressing handwriting concerns using a
  perceptual-motor and kinaesthetic approach.
• Using social stories with children with ASD
• Inclusive physical education
• Identifying the sensory and perceptual
  requirements of children with ASD

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Integrated Therapy and Inclusion Module

• A Masters Level 12 week module was developed for
  health care practitioners to challenge therapists
  to critique their practice in relation to current
  social and educational policy.
• This module has the following learning outcomes
• Critically evaluate the philosophy, values and
  principles of inclusion.
• Use clinical reasoning to evaluate how
  evidence-based practice can be translated
  effectively to support the inclusion philosophy.
• Critically review their professional role in
  order to further collaboration between health
  care and education professionals.

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These programmes aim to

• Improving the psychological health and well being
  of children with SEN by promoting inclusion and
  reducing social exclusion and/or neglect.
• Empower children with a range of physical and/or
  learning difficulties to make a positive
  contribution to their education, family, and
  community, by having a positive educational
  experience whereby individual potential is
  maximized.

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• Address the Every Child Matters Change for
  Children agenda by focusing on integrating
  services that support early identification within
  the childs own context and effective support for
  children with additional needs.
• Remove Barriers to Achievement by promoting
  collaboration between health and educational
  professionals, and in doing so reducing the
  reliance on SEN statements.

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• Readdress powerful professional barriers by
  providing better specialist advice and support to
  schools and information to parents.
• Providing partnerships to share ideas and plan
  support, in the context of the SEN national
  framework.

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Segregation takes care of itself, collaboration
takes work

• (OBrien, 1996)