JTD Arts
Offering a safe space and sensory activities for SEND children
Working within the Thurrock community for over 20 years, JTD Arts understood the need for a safe space that offered young people and families respite in an understanding and non-judgemental environment.
Joining the Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) programme has enabled JTD Arts to provide mainstream and SEND clubs for local families and children, offering sensory sensitive sessions, music activities and nutritious meals that meet SEND children’s needs, helping to relieve pressure of costs for Thurrock families.
JTD Arts have worked with outdoor and indoor leisure companies that have provided support and visits to children, offering engaging activities to enhance their wellbeing. They also work with local Thurrock authorities such as children’s services and local school referrals, to reach and support as many SEND children and families as possible.
JTD Arts mainstream and SEND HAF sessions are in high demand each holiday period, with club spaces filling almost instantly, showing the need within the local community. Clubs offer SEND level 1-4 support, including 1:2:1 support and personal care, visual impaired, hearing impaired and limitation to mobility.
Mainstream and SEND sessions are integrated, allowing no stigma within the community and prevents a divide. Young people also create new friendships within the community, to be able to know they have the space desired within the club and their needs meet.
This has positively impacted families’ levels of trust, knowing there is a local club that can provide respite to parents and children, due to highly trained staff understanding the care that is needed for SEND specific young people.
It has helped integrate a community that now often meet outside of the sessions, no matter their backgrounds, needs or deprivation. JTD Arts welcome all ages to their clubs, which has increased confidence in secondary children who are now role models, giving them a focus. The primary children now strive to increase their leadership and confidence skills, enabling aspiration, determination and a sense of belonging, striving to become the best of who they are within themselves, again no matter the need.
