During the February half-term break, our Therapies team brought a series of sessions directly into our residential homes at Prior’s Court. These sessions were designed around young person-led play, strengthening communication, and enjoying shared experiences in a familiar environment for the autsitic young people with complex needs at Prior's Court.

By delivering therapy within the residential setting, we create opportunities for learning that feel natural, consistent and embedded into everyday life. This helps autistic young people at Prior's Court build confidence and develop skills in a way that is both supportive and enjoyable.

What goes on in the sessions?

At the heart of each session is young person–led play. Every autistic young person with complex needs at Prior's Court taking part in sessions is supported to make choices, lead activities, and communicate in ways that are meaningful and approriate to them.

The session begins with a sensory story. This allows the Therapies team to model communication and gently encourage interaction while exploring different senses. 

Young people were then offered a colouring activity. This supports:

• Recognition of colours
• Fine motor development
• Making choices and expressing preferences

#The final activity involves building and decorating a duck and a frog. Young people carefully glue the pieces together and create their own facial expressions.

This creative task supports:

• Fine motor control
• Communication
• Young person–led skills growth

These activities are thoughtfully designed to strengthen key developmental skills in a way that feels fun and rewarding.

The role of the Therapies team

Our Therapies team supports in the sessions by modelling, working closely with the young person and their Autism Practitioner (known as Support Workers in other organisations but called APs at Prior's Court due to their level of autism training) to have a fun time within these activities.

The aim is that this modelling will be carried forward and implemented more widely by the residential home teams into other activities.  

Embedding therapies into everyday life at Prior’s Court

Prior's Court has its own on-site Therapies team consisting of Occupational Therapists, a Physiotherapist, Speech and Language Therapists and Therapy Assistants, working to ensure therapies can be embedded into the Extended Day for young people.

Read more about our approach to learning