What is Massage Therapy and how is it delivered in Reading settings?

Massage Therapy is a unique and valued service offered to Reading Schools and Settings, providing one to one session's to children and young people, training for staff and support to parents and carers.
Massage Therapy offers a specialist service by a trained massage therapist for children and young people with a wide variety of needs such as; Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC), Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Physical Disabilities, CLA (Child Looked After) Learning Difficulties, Social Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH), Low Self-Esteem, and Anxiety and Anger. It is also used to improve fine motor and cross body.

Please note that a pupil referred to massage therapy does not need an official diagnosis or EHC Plan.

What is Sensory Integration?

Sensory Integration, or Sensory Processing, is the ability and process to register, discriminate, adapt, and respond appropriately, both physically and emotionally to sensory input from our bodies and the environment. Sensory Processing Disorder is a term used to describe people who struggle to correctly perceive the sensory world around them. The massage therapist’s role is to offer advice and training to parents and professionals to help support pupils’ sensory needs within their school, classroom, and home environment.

What does a Massage Therapy session consist of?

Massage therapy aims to provide a relaxing experience for children and young people in settings across Reading. Sessions are tailored to each child’s individual needs and all therapy sessions are delivered on a one to on basis.

Sessions usually start with an exercise which may help the child with their spatial awareness, fine motor skills, sequence and crossing the midline and they may help to improve hand-eye co-ordination and bilateral skills. The therapist may also assist the pupil in completing recommendations from other professional reports i.e. Occupational Therapy. The Therapist and pupil may spend time talking about concerns or worries the pupil may be experiencing and the therapist may be able to offer support and advice.

Hand massage follows, which is a calming technique and reduces stress and anxiety.  Hand massage can also support handwriting skills.  Finally, there is an opportunity for a back and head massage, whilst lying on a massage table. Parental and child consent is required, and it is carried out through clothing, using hands and massage tools.

As well as delivering massage therapy, the therapist will complete an independent sensory assessment and offer support and advise to school staff, parents/carers and other professionals around pupil’s sensory differences.

What does the MSIT Service offer?

1:1 session outline:

• Individual sessions with children incorporating fine motor work; bilateral and cross body exercises, calming techniques, an opportunity to talk about feelings/worries; hand, back and head deep pressure massage.
• Room set up and clear down.
• Reports on the pupil’s progress, which are shared with parents and can be used in EHCP’s or annual reviews.
• Parent/Carers and Support staff are welcome to observe a 1:1 session with their child or a child they support.

Additional Services

• Pupil observations
• Advice and support to professionals and parents/carers around sensory professing differences
• Assistance with setting up Sensory Circuits.
• Whole class Sensory Story Massage sessions.
• Parent groups: - talking about the service offered, what we do, ideas and strategies to support their child in school or at home. The parents/carers can learn about sensory differences, fine motor, bilateral and cross body activities with hand massage training and other strategies.
• Staff training – sensory circuits, hand massage, massage techniques or sensory processing workshops.

Training

Training is offered as 1-hour minimum sessions = £70 per hour.

Training sessions are flexible to meet the needs of the school. Staff sessions can be delivered at a suitable time for the setting.

Bespoke and individual training sessions for specific pupils can be delivered within school hours, with a key member of staff or parent/carers.

• Sensory Processing Training: This aims to deepen your knowledge and understanding of Sensory Processing Differences and to learn some useful techniques and strategies to support pupils in the school environment.
• Hand Massage and Massage Techniques Training: This will aim to develop an understanding of the benefits of hand massage and how to deliver a basic hand massage routine to deliver to pupils in the settings. It will also allow staff to explore a variety of massage ideas to support pupils in settings.
• Sensory Circuits Workshop: This aims to provide an understanding of a Sensory Circuits, the benefits and how to run a Sensory Circuit in your setting. 
• Sensory Story Massage Workshop: A workshop, which is aimed at children and young people, giving time for pupils to practice massage therapy techniques on each other as a group, in a safe and structured way. The aim of these routines is to provide an aid to respect one another, social interaction, emotional literacy, anti- bullying and to reduce fight and flight. The workshop is also aimed for staff to use the routine and techniques on a one-to-one basis with pupils.