Sensations Learning Support

At the end of June, psychology in Northern Ireland mourned the loss of an esteemed colleague and wonderful man. Joe Duffy was an educational psychologist who was passionate about helping complex children and young people. He was the champion of children who were severe in their level of need, or who were "hard to reach".
Joe was a mentor to the psychologists at SENsations, and to countless others who have gone through the training course to become an ed psych. He encouraged ...me to think outside the box, to continue to step up for those little ones who have no voice, and to strive for better. Without Joe's influence I would not have set up SENsations, and in fact I may very well have given up psychology.
Joe became ill and sadly he was taken long before his time. Upon hearing the news I knew that I had to do something to honour his name.
I have decided to give one preschool place per year at The Nest free of charge, to a needy pupil who could not otherwise afford to avail of it. This will be offered under what will be known as "The Joe Duffy Scholarship".
I have spoken to Joe's lovely wife Jacinta (also an amazing psychologist!), and she is delighted that a child will benefit in Joe's name.
Given that September is round the corner, and it is important that we know we can help the child and they will be an appropriate candidate for The Nest; this year we have awarded the scholarship to a pupil we already knew well. This child could not have otherwise accessed the support, and was not able to access specialist placement elsewhere.
In 2019, however, we will take applications for prospective preschool pupils to avail of The Joe Duffy Scholarship. There will be criteria and an application process which will advertised at around Easter 2019.
We hope you will all join us in paying tribute to a great man, who brought help to so many, and who inspired all who he taught.
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LOVE this 💕
Our ethos at Sensations Nest is that we need to nurture children’s happiness first and foremost. Once they are calm, happy and relaxed, THEN they are ready to learn and meet their potential.
We are taking expressions of interest from parents about preschool and primary aged pupils for September, and those interested parties will be invited in for an information coffee morning.
... If you’d like more details or an expression of interest form, give us a call on 02890 797771.
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Last few places available on our transition to post primary school summer scheme, starting next Monday!
We have delivered this highly successful summer scheme for the last three years, and it has proved a real hit with young people and parents alike! Designed for youngsters about to start post primary school in September, our Transitions Scheme focuses on those practical life skills necessary for negotiating the big leap! Staffed by Behaviour Therapists and specialist classr...oom asssistants, this scheme works on preparing your young person for life in "big school". We complete a programme which develops: - Organisational skills (how to pack a bag, how to read a timetable, how to tie a tie or shoelaces!) - Social skills (rehearsing how to strike up conversations with new peers, finding common ground, and developing new relationships with teachers and pupils) - Resilience (focussing on practical relaxation and problem solving skills for when things go wrong). Open to any young person transferring to post primary, particularly those with any form of additional need (Autism, ADHD, social/emotional/behavioural difficulties, anxiety, low self-esteem, learning difficulties). The scheme runs each day from 1.30-4pm and the fee includes all materials necessary for the activities.
Monday 30th July to Friday 3rd August, 1.30-4pm daily
www.transitionscheme.eventbrite.co.uk for booking
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Do you have a child getting ready for "Big School" in September?
We have a few slots left on our Transitions summer scheme!
We have delivered this highly successful summer scheme for the last three years, and it has proved a real hit with young people and parents alike!... Designed for youngsters about to start post primary school in September, our Transitions Scheme focuses on those practical life skills necessary for negotiating the big leap! Staffed by Behaviour Therapists and specialist classroom asssistants, this scheme works on preparing your young person for life in "big school". We complete a programme which develops: - Organisational skills (how to pack a bag, how to read a timetable, how to tie a tie or shoelaces!) - Social skills (rehearsing how to strike up conversations with new peers, finding common ground, and developing new relationships with teachers and pupils) - Resilience (focussing on practical relaxation and problem solving skills for when things go wrong). Open to any young person transferring to post primary, particularly those with any form of additional need (Autism, ADHD, social/emotional/behavioural difficulties, anxiety, low self-esteem, learning difficulties). The scheme runs each day from 1.30-4pm and the fee includes all materials necessary for the activities.
Monday 30th July to Friday 3rd August, 1.30-4pm daily
www.transitionscheme.eventbrite.co.uk for booking
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Take a look at this wee video about the power of equine therapy! This is one of the strategies we will be employing at The NEST. Our super psych Nicci Hall is completing training in the south of Ireland on equine therapy, and she’s kindly letting our pupils befriend one of her hairy babies (hobo the therapy pony) We can’t wait to see what impact can be made by employing equine therapy alongside all of our other therapies and strategies for our new pupils 🤩🐴
For all enquiries about The NEST email admin@sensationsni.co.uk

Well.....Today has been an emotional rollercoaster 😂😍😪
We've had our first pupil sign up for the NEST 🎉 , but we also had to say goodbye to our little playgroup chums. Many of these wee people have been with us for almost 2 years, so it's a tough farewell 😥
We had a fab graduation for both our morning and afternoon playgroup children and their families; and it was a chance for us to celebrate all the amazing little wins these guys have had over the last year or so, and the pr...ogress we've been proud to watch and be a part of!
Take a look at our wee graduation movies for the two groups! Big huge thank you to Helen, Jodie, Trevor, Paula and Emma who work their socks off every week with these guys. xxx
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Morning Playgroup celebration 2018!

Our phone is feeling a bit out of sorts this morning! There’s an engineer working at it. If you’ve tried to call this morning, or if you left a message on Friday, please try again this afternoon! We have lost any messages left from Friday onwards 😭

BIG NEWS!!!
I'm sure lots of you have been wondering about what our big project is which will be happening in September.
The big news is that we are opening NI's first independent special school- The Nest!
... Anyone who knows us will know that everything we do is in an effort to help children and families. We are passionate about our work and the team are so dedicated and hard-working. We love what we do, and we genuinely believe we have the ability to positively impact children's lives.
It has always been the dream to provide education with psychology at it's heart, and the Nest will have educational psychology on-site, as well as access to behaviour therapy, Speech therapy and Occupational Therapy.
We have a beautiful building (in the process of renovation!) just outside Carryduff, and this will be very much a therapeutic environment, with stables, lots of land and outdoor play areas. We have a therapy pony, and intend to get the wee ones growing veggies and caring for animals and plants to help develop empathy.
The Nest will be somewhere where children can work on the basics of becoming happy, settled and calm so that they are "ready to learn". Where possible we will be aiming for early intervention to help children become ready to transition back to statutory/mainstream schooling.
Given that this is an independent service, there will be no financial provision from the Education Authority. As a result this will be a fee paying service in order that we can fund staff costs and overheads (though we always continue to seek out avenues of funding through grants etc). In reality parent fees will not even cover our staff costs (as having specialist staff teams is costly), and therefore all of our normal assessment work will carry on as normal in order to subsidise running costs of the Nest.
As always, SENsations is not-for-profit in nature (our staff wages and overhead costs are our only outgoings, no profit is generated, there are no shareholders; and staff are paid the same wage as they would be in the NHS or Education Authority).
Have a look at our ad, and if you want to ring for a chat feel free to do so on: 02890 797771.
We will be hosting a number of information sessions over the summer for interested parties.
We are all very excited (and nervous!) about this new project, but we know that any of the families who have worked with us over the years will know that everything we do is borne out of a drive to do the best we possibly can for our wee people and their families.
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Last chance to book your place on our Hanen "More Than Words" free information session this Friday 15th June @ 10am.
Learn more about the content, delivery and cost of this 12 week Speech and Language Therapy programme for parents of children aged 5 and under with Autism or Social Communication Difficulties.
Email: Leigh@sensationsni.co.uk to book your spot.

We have 3 Summer Schemes now open for booking!
Sensory Summertime (age 3-5) www.sensorysummertime.eventbrite.co.uk
... Project Liberty (age 12-19) www.projectliberty.eventbrite.co.uk
Transition to post primary school (year 7's moving to year 8) www.transitionscheme.eventbrite.co.uk
Click on the links for all details including dates, scheme overview and prices, and for booking.
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****New**** Speech and Language Therapy Programme!
Our Hanen® certified Speech and Language Therapist is preparing to run a More Than Words® programme for parents with children, under 5 years old, who are on the Autism Spectrum or have Social Communication Difficulties.
... The programme gives parents practical strategies for addressing their child’s specific needs and for building their child’s communication and social skills during everyday activities and play. The goals of the programme include improved social communication and back and forth interactions, improved play skills and improved imitation skills.
The principals of this parent-child interaction programme encourage intervention in natural contexts on a frequent and ongoing basis, thereby optimizing a child’s ability to develop improved social communication skills.
If you would like to learn more about the Hanen® More Than Words® programme (including programme content, delivery and cost) you are invited to attend one of our, FREE information sessions on Friday 15th June in our East Belfast centre.
Please contact our Speech and Language Therapist Leigh (leigh@sensationsni.co.uk) to book your place on either the morning (10am) or afternoon (2.30pm) session.
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Well would you look at this little superstar 🌟 This is one of our awesome young people who has been working with one our psychologists (Jude). He loves Jurassic World, but was very anxious about the cinema. But after setting himself a target and doing some great work with Jude, Just look at him now!!!!
Thank you so much to our friend’s mum for sending us this update and allowing us to share it with you all!
Sometimes the little things are the big things in life! #notallheroe...swearcapes #autismsuperstar #welldonejude!
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LOTS of people have been asking about our summer schemes!
We love summer at SENsations, and for many years now we’ve thrown ourselves into making the holidays more manageable for our wee people and families.
We have a BIG exciting project coming in September, and all of our sensational staff are going to be hard at work preparing for that.
... As a result our summer programme of activities is going to be a little different from previous years, but there’ll still be something for everyone, and schemes will be advertised on Facebook this weekend.
Next summer we hope to be back with a bang, with lots more schemes to offer, but for this year- watch this space......we’re building a NEST! Xx
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