48 Date updated: 25.08.2023 next review: 24.09.2024 Appendix II - Introduction to Therapies and Interventions offered at Overley Hall Speech and Language Therapy Rachel Hawley (BSc, Med) is a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist with over twelve years’ experience working with children and young people on the autism spectrum. Rachel is supported by an experienced Therapy Assistant at Overley Hall. The Speech and Language Therapy Team supports learners to develop independent and spontaneous functional communication; communication that has a meaningful impact on their quality of life, access to education and relationships. Speech and Language Therapy addresses challenges with attention and listening skills, the understanding and use of Alternative and Augmentative language (including the implementation of AAC), social communication skills and speech sound production. Learners are provided with both direct support (individual and group sessions) and indirect support (programmes, advice and guidance) whilst at Overley Hall. The team uses social stories, comic strip conversations and talking mats to support our learners’ social and emotional development. Training and support is also provided to parents, education and care staff. Therapy Play Therapy Play group sessions are supported by the speech and language therapist, therapy assistant, learning coordinator and/or the occupational therapist. The session involves multi-sensory explorative play incorporating a range of equipment, sensory media and strategies to promote sensory awareness, arousal and registration. Therapy play is set up to allow learners to explore new experiences for all the senses to help identify activities that they enjoy, these can then be fed into regulation strategies. Zones of Regulation The Zones of Regulation (Kuypers, 2011) is a cognitive behaviour approach designed to support children on the autism spectrum. It aims to help learners develop their skills in recognising emotions, regulating their actions, increasing their self-control and their ability to solve problems. There are four zones that are represented by different colours and each zone represents a different state. Within the zones, there are tools that either support the student to stay in ‘the zone’ or move from ‘one zone to another’ Supportive
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