Child Development Costa del Sol

THERAPY Assessments

SHINE Child Development team assessments are centred on the identified needs of the individual based on the referral information provided. These will be given in the initial background information document completed by parents and teachers.

Following initial contact with a member of the team, a specialist SHINE assessment will be conducted by a therapist with expertise within that clinical area. The assessment tools used are evidence-based and may use formal and/or informal assessment methods, observations and discussion with parents and teachers.

A SHINE assessment session will typically last 60-90 minutes, which will include a case history, the assessment itself and a brief outcome discussion. Following all assessments, a report will be provided to the individual and the referrer.

Options available:

1.      Multidisciplinary assessment by all the SHINE therapists.

2.      Standardized assessment in one of the disciplines

3.      Observation assessment in schools

THERAPY SERVICES

Online Services:

Throughout our Covid 19 journey we are happy to adjust to online therapeutic support upon request.  You and your child can engage in a personalized online session with a SHINE Clinical Therapist to ensure we continue supporting growth and development.

Options available:

• Parent consultation meeting to discuss concerns and if online support is a positive strategy.

• Client-centred one to one therapy session.  Child and a parent will meet with the therapist for a child-centred therapy session engaging in fun exercises and games, supporting ongoing therapy goals.

Clinic Services:

Kids can enjoy our homely therapy space and engage in one to one or group therapy.  Our centre provides outdoor space and indoor equipment to challenge and strengthen your child’s development.

Options available:

• One to one therapy sessions with a Clinical Therapist and/or Therapy Assistant

• Therapeutic groups led by Clinical Therapy team 

Home Services:

Home sessions can be accommodated where your child will engage in a home-based therapy session with a Clinical Therapist or Therapy Assistant.  Equipment will be brought to the home to support therapy goals.

• One to one home therapy sessions with a Clinical Therapist and/or Therapy Assistant.

SCHOOL Support

All children need environments which support their development; this can make a difference for typically developing children as well as those with specific special needs. We would form a key partnership with schools, education centres or early years settings where we can work in the following ways:

• In school student therapeutic support via one-to-one therapy or group therapy sessions

• Professional Development Workshops for Teaching Staff around the nature and referral of specific SEN students

• Contributing therapeutic goals to a student's Individualised Education Plan

• Consultation and Implementation of SEN Department

Social circus: After school club and Therapeutic Groups

Social Circus runs weekly after school club and therapeutic groups using a variety of circus equipment including : juggling scarves, balls and clubs, spinning plates, diabolos, peacock feathers, stilts, unicycles, poi and ribbons.

As well as learning physical skills the after school club and therapeutic groups also offer a safe space for creative expression, social interaction and setting and reaching goals.

• Provides a fun, motivating and intrinsically reinforcing experience.

• Collaborative not competitive.

• Increases positive risk taking both physically and emotionally, in a safe and supported environment.

• Promotes physical health and body awareness through actions.

• Enables participants to acquire a skill base relating to circus as well as wider life skills.

• Increases self-confidence.

• Improves social connectedness, teamwork, and leadership skills within the group.

• Learn the skill of learning. The skills and thought processes needed for learning to juggle are applicable in all other learning situations.

• Provides opportunities for calming rhythmic activities, increased sensory feedback, a focus on balance, and coordination.

• Creates a space in which participants feel a sense of belonging. Circus provides a challenge for every level through constantly evolving attainable goals.

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Warm-up games: Opportunities for team work, collaboration, verbal and non-verbal communication.

Acrobalance: Teamwork, problem solving, trust, safe and positive physical interaction, core, strength and flexibility, body awareness, trust, positive risk-taking, giving and receiving physical support.

Manipulation (juggling, spinning plates, poi): Great for improving coordination, fine and gross motor skills, crossing the midline. Promotion of rapid thinking, reactions, persistence and practice. Opportunities for student to student education, collaboration and combining skills learned.

Balance-based activities (pedal-goes, stilts, unicycle, rope walking): Spotters are required so teamwork and communication essential. Strengthen vestibular system Reduced fear of heights and physical limits through positive risk taking. Student to student support and trust of self and others. Taking responsibility for safety of self and others. Awareness of self in relation to others and the physical environment is continually addressed.

Performance: promotes creativity combining skills into sequences, collaboration, exploration of themes and feelings, giving and receiving social support, experience of taking on different roles, problem-solving, and various forms of communication.

SHINE THERAPY CARE SERVICES

Our SHINE Therapy Care services offer your child a safe, interactive space to develop and learn. Each child will be paired one to one with a trained SHINE Therapy Assistant, under the supervision and mentorship of the SHINE Clinical therapists.

A SHINE Therapy Care block of support involves a minimum of 2 children and 2 Shine Therapy Assistants per 3 hour block of time. This allows your child to receive the one to one therapy support needed to achieve individual developmental goals in a socially interactive environment.

Your child will engage in a specialized therapeutic curriculum involving social connection through games, outdoor activities and snack time, individualized therapy input tailored to your child’s physical and language needs and exploration through sensory rich play.

Key areas of Development our Shine Therapy Care will support

Occupational Therapy:

• Sensory Integration activities to support focus and attention endurance auditory processing and executive functioning skills

• Gross Motor Exercises to target improvements in motor coordination, motor planning and sequencing, visual-motor development, body awareness and strength building.

• Fine Motor Development to support skills involved in visual perception, pencil control, printing/handwriting development, cutting skills, precision and accuracy and endurance abilities

• Social Interaction working to strengthen communication skills, relationship building and team dynamics

Speech and Language Therapy:

• Listening and Attention: To lengthen attention span and ability to listen to speakers and surroundings.

• Social Skills: Exercises to target improvements in turn taking, eye contact, sharing, body language, conversational cues and accessing social situations.

• Receptive: Development of children’s ability to understand vocabulary, concepts and instructions.

• Expressive: Activities to enhance communication and ability to use language Speech: Sound exercises to increase the intelligibility of speech and articulation