Sensory Review

Bristol Playbus Project

March 2014 – March 2015

The Bristol Playbus Mobile Sensory Truck is currently

the only one of its kind in England. Designed

specifically for disabled children with additional needs,

social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.

This unique multi-sensory mobile space gives children

the opportunity to control their environment, making

choices that allow them to choose the colours, sounds

and tactile experiences they want.

A hands-on and exploratory approach to a sensory

space allows children to choose the experiences that

meet their needs and to discover the sensory inputs

that work best for them.

“I witnessed daily extraordinary

moments that made me feel

honoured to be a part of these

children’s lives”

“The Sensory Truck was particularly beneficial for children with complex needs.”

111

253

FEMALE MALE

36

19514

111

Number of individual children

Bush /Belbrook

Special schools

One to one

Children's Centres

114 Total number of

sessions

356 Individual children

attended

1235 Total number of visits

10

69

14

21

Number of sessions

Bush /Belbrook

Special schools

One to one

Children's Centres

108

886

14

227

Number of attendances

Bush /Belbrook

Special schools

One to one

Children's Centres

Case notes – Child ‘A’ (Visited at Special School,

Residential Centre and own home)

Session 1 'A' spent half an hour in the ball pool and didn't want to come out. Her worker fed back that 'A' did not harm herself the whole time she was on the Truck, which she would usually do 10-15 times a minute.

Session 2 'A' took time to adjust to the Truck being outside her house. Once settled, she played ball catch in ball pool, sang songs, rhythm work. Ended session relaxed, left when ‘A’ was ready after 45 minutes.

Session 3 'A' in the ball pool, listening to Peter and the Wolf music, very relaxed having her feet tickled with fibre optics.

Session 4 'A' - got straight in ball pool, listening to Frère Jaques twice!

Session 5 'A' arrived very distressed but quickly calmed in the ball pool and was soon laughing and singing.

Session 6 Very chilled session. 'A' lay in ball pool. Relaxing music playing. Used massager on her feet.

Quote from SENCO: "I've never seen 'A' so still and calm, I can't believe it"

Our workers have developed their own unique brand of ‘Sensory play’ - combining Playwork and Sensory methodologies in a playful approach to goal setting and individual outcomes.

Sensory Truck Outcomes

Relaxation

Visualisation

Gripping & grasping

Communication skills

Improved concentration

Fine & gross motor skills

Colour recognition

Fixation & tracking

Switching skills

Case notes - Child ‘B’

Sensory Truck at Children's Centre ‘B’ is 4 yrs old – an anxious child, very withdrawn, does not like confined spaces.

Session 1 'B' responds to play cues.

Session 2 'B' looks at herself in two different mirrors and acting out, with no vocabulary, a scenario in each.

Session 3 'B' - has a complex history, initially nervous, sat by the door, likes green things, playing with squidgies, has issues with texture, touched spinning sparks, looked in kaleidoscope, sometimes 'not in the room', didn't like duck noise, light balls, liked puppets, babbling and echoing language, liked looking in the mirror, watching as a third person. We gave her a play cue throwing her a ball, she threw it back, Tom started juggling.

Session 4 'B' got very excited and involved in the game, talking into the mirrors, took two steps away from SENCO, handed things to Tom and Sam - amazing progress!

Case notes - Child ‘C’

Session 1 'C' - had very short attention span, SENCO was surprised at how long he stayed on the Truck. No eye contact, avoidant behaviour, kept returning to the spinning balls, liked turning the Hurricane Tube on and off, really engaged.

Session 2 Amazing progress - 'C' able to stay focused for the whole session.

Case notes - Child ‘D’ ‘D' is 2 yrs old - fostered and dependent on an oxygen tube, she has only recently left hospital diagnosed with CHARGE. 'D' referred by Portage service at Eastgate Occupational Therapy Group. Drs and OTs looked around the Truck. Lots of work with the Hurricane Tube on switching skills, changing the colours and signing the colours.

Session 1 'D' is a very resilient child, who initially was very busy with early years equipment but showing little concentration and focus, trying to put things in her mouth. As the session went on ‘D’ became more relaxed and calm, striking the Hurricane Tube paddle with her hand. Foster parent commented on how still and calm she was in the ball pool.

Session 2 By the end of the next session 'D' was relaxed, focused and considered, and was not trying to put things in her mouth. 'D' is deaf, but definitely heard the spinning balls and turned and hugged her foster carer. The foster carer also really benefited from the session with time to talk, relax and observe ‘D’.

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Lessons learnt from the pilot

Of the adults we surveyed:

1. 100% indicated that they would like to visit again. 2. 88% rated the knowledge of the staff team as 'Excellent'. 3. 100% of respondents rated the equipment on offer to be

either 'Good' or 'Excellent'. 4. The children:

a. Were more engaged; b. Were relaxed; c. Showed improved communication skills; d. Showed improved confidence.

Project outcomes

1. The team identified children and families that had previously not been receiving any services outside of school.

2. We were able to identify successful and beneficial Sensory ways of working with disabled children.

3. Some children were supported to move on and attend other services, such as the short breaks service - providing weekend sessions at Adventure playgrounds.

4. One child in particular, aged 15, had never been left by his parents. After a series of 1-to-1 sessions on the Sensory Truck a trusting relationship was built, and he is now a regular attendee at the weekend sessions - an outcome for the whole family.

Case notes - Child ‘E’

'E' is 5 yrs old – very limited movement and dependent on an oxygen tube.

Session 1 Looked at the Hurricane Tubing lights, fibre optics and did sensory touching. Responded to the colour yellow using the paddle switch. Her PA said: “She is so nice and chilled”.

Session 2 'E' really focused on the sound panel, watching the lights to the music, making the sounds with her mouth, closed her eyes. The OT said: “What a lovely time”.

14%

4%

12%

26%8%

13%

9%

6%

8%

Disability

ASD (Autism spectrum disorder) Life limiting illness

BESD Behav/emoti/soc Disability -Unknown/other

Global Dev Delay PMLD (Profound/multiple)

Physical SI Sensory impairment

SLCN (Speech/Lang/Com)

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Conclusions

When we started the project we were unsure of the methodology and what would be successful. We tried a number of different approaches before settling on the model of group work with special schools which we used to identify children that were in need of additional 1-to-1 support outside their homes and in their communities.

Our original aims were to:

Reduce isolation;

Increase learning opportunities for disabled children;

Deliver sessions in the areas of the city that had been identified as having the highest levels of disability;

Deliver 3 sessions a week for 7 months.

We met and surpassed all of our original aims and expectations.

Through a system of careful observations we were able to work with the children and their teaching assistants, or P.A.s, to identify individual goals/outcomes for them to work towards.

Head Teacher’s quote

“It’s a very flexible resource, which can be used in different ways for each individual child, so staff are able to really target that child’s particular needs and interests. I saw children experience really special reactions to the Sensory Truck, and I really valued the opportunity to be a part of the pilot.”

Next Steps

Moving forward, we will use the Sensory Truck to support other settings, working with Disabled children, building confidence and skills in workers to work with 'Sensory Play' in an easy and affordable way.

We are currently exploring the possibility of Sensory Training using the Truck as a venue. We identified a gap in the skills and confidence of Play workers, P.A.s and Children's Centres. Many settings had either sensory rooms or equipment that they were not trained in the effective use of. With a little bit of additional support and confidence those skills could be developed.

Bristol Playbus Project 24 Bright Street Barton Hill Bristol BS5 9PR 0117 955 1561 www.bristolplaybus.org Reg. charity No. 288551