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Programme Analysis

The Release Programme has been running successfully since January 2005, working with over 320 children aged 0 - 18, from Down syndrome and Autism, to Stammer and Articulation difficulties.

Parents, Teachers and SNAs have been impressed and excited with the Release Programme, our staff and their children.

Please click on one of the below headings to see what our Release Parents, Teachers and SNAs have said about the programme.

Case Studies

Here are three case studies to show what we can achieve with combined caregiver and Release work. Please note, names have been changed to protect our student's privacy.

Sue
Sue is a 12 year old girl with Down syndrome who presents with a severe mixed expressive/receptive language disorder, and significant oral motor and intelligibility needs. During her assessment, she sat primarily on her mother's lap, directed the evaluation and threw every toy given to her to play with, smiling when she was given what she wanted. She was also observed to spit not only at her parents and the examiner, but into the air. Recommendations made were for Sue to attend Release classes primarily focusing on oral/motor and picture communication therapy.

At the beginning of the therapy sessions, Sue had significant difficulties attending to directives and following routines. She was observed to spit frequently. The Release therapist worked extensively with Sue's mother on behaviour techniques to help increase her compliance and decrease throwing toys as well as spitting. Oral motor techniques were completed every week and Sue was given opportunities to communicate through verbalizations, signs and picture communication. Strict boundaries were placed on the student's expectations and acceptable behaviours.

Progress was noted by Sue's mother who told the class how the past week she had left folded laundry on a table. When Sue walked by she purposefully knocked the clothing on the floor. Her mother watched as Sue stopped, sighed loudly, and began picking up the clothes without any prompting from her mother. During sessions, Sue's throwing dramatically decreased as well as her spitting, which was markedly reduced to times when she did not want to comply and had excess moisture around her lower lip. Finally, Sue's compliance continued to increase throughout each session.

Sue is now communicating through picture communication, signs and words and has successfully begun using a picture schedule. She is able to sit and complete folder games and other tasks at a table for 5+ minutes at a time. This would not have been possible without the tremendous effort of her family paired with intervention.

Eoghan
Eoghan is a six year old boy on the autistic spectrum. His therapy group focused on social skills as well as improving understanding and use of abstract concepts. At the beginning on the sessions, Eoghan was observed to be very attached to his mother and would not participate unless she was next to him in physical contact. Throughout the 9 weeks, Eoghan became more and more independent until he was able to participate fully in a group activity while his mother was in a conversation at the other end of the room. His social abilities of taking turns, verbalizing desires, using appropriate volume, identifying and using emotions words and participating in social games all increased noticeably. Eoghan's mother used techniques learned in class to work with him on an upcoming visit to the dentist, which usually causes him great distress. Eoghan's visit was successful and not stressful, as in the past.

Eoghan has recently begun joking with his sister, something he previously did not realize he could do.

Thomas
Thomas is a six year old boy presenting with a more involved autism spectrum disorder. His group classes focused on increasing use of picture communication while teaching his mother techniques to support his difficult behaviours and language needs in the home. Thomas spent the majority of his first class in the hallway banging his hand against a wall and yelling. He was able to be calmed using sensory toys and slowly made his way into the classroom with the aide. Thomas initially was unable to come and sit in a chair when requested. Throughout the nine weeks, Thomas increased his use of verbalizations to get his wants met and his level of sensory behaviours decreased with the support of a sensory schedule put in place and the effort his mother put into the homework and suggestions given to her by the speech therapist. Halfway through the classes, Thomas demonstrated significant improvement in his ability to sit down wait quietly when requested. His attention when sitting increased to where he was able to participate in activities.

Thomas now enters the speech therapy room readily. He verbalizes his desires and also will say "don't want it" when refusing an item. He follows his picture schedule more readily and completes folder games and other table language tasks with support from his mother and the Release therapist and aides.


Parent, Teacher and SNA Quotes

  1. "Learnt lots of new skills to practice with ***.
    • The handouts were extremely beneficial, constantly refer to them at home
    • The Programme was well organised with tools at hand, during each session, ie the bouncing ball, music, sensory toys, making play dough etc.
    • 9 weeks was right amount of time. Would like a break for a while then do another session later on in the year (have lots to be working on... thanks to you guys.
    • Noticed *** is a lot more vocal and has started to sign words too.
    • Thought the small numbers in the class were ideal
    • Jenny and Jessie were wonderful, very patient and kind."
  2. "I am only starting out and I don't know what she needs, but found the class with Jenny excellent for ideas and information. Just now need times to put them in practice. No point in having all the knowledge and not using it!"
  3. "I found this programme excellent. From the initial assessment of ***, this was an extremely accurate description of where she was, right through the full sessions. The Therapist worked really well with ***, and was extremely capable in dealing with ***'s behavioural difficulties. *** was always treated with respect and as an individual. She bonded very well with Jenny, which is something she finds difficult.
  4. "Thanks for the excellent speech and language support provided. The weekly sessions have been very beneficial to *** and ME. I'm over the moon that Release has been conducted in the school and would love to see it continue."
  5. "I found the Release sessions very enjoyable and beneficial to the children.
    I noticed in group time that when we did the 'ooh', 'ahh' etc exercises, each child was very involved simultaneously which is rare.
    I think it is lovely that the parents are involved and that we all do group activities together."

  6. "I found the whole Release experience so informative and exciting for the children in my class. Each staff member of Class **, both teachers, and in our case job sharing teachers, and SNAs attended sessions. Jenny and her staff were wonderful with the children and adults and guided us brilliantly ever step of the way. The sessions were interactive and fun. We've all learnt such a lot and I do hope Release will continue in Ballyowen Meadows School."

To read the full quotes, download our Parent, Teacher and SNA Quotes PDF here.

Find out about Assessments