When Connor arrived at MacIntyre School and Children’s Homes, he hadn’t attended education for more than four years.
The pandemic had left him isolated, anxious and spending most of his time alone in his bedroom. Even everyday experiences that many people take for granted, such as visiting the park, felt completely out of reach.
Today, Connor attends school full time, enjoys after-school clubs, has formed strong friendships and recently completed a Duke of Edinburgh residential trip. He is now exploring work experience opportunities and thinking positively about his future.
His story reflects the therapeutic approach embedded across MacIntyre School and Children’s Homes, where education, care and specialist therapy work together to help young people “Achieve Above and Beyond”.
At the heart of this approach is a multidisciplinary therapy team including Occupational Therapy (OT), Speech and Language Therapy (SALT), Positive Behaviour Support (PBS), nursing, music therapy and Intensive Interaction practitioners, all working closely alongside education staff, residential teams and families.
Rather than happening separately behind closed doors, therapy is woven into everyday life: in classrooms, homes, community activities and daily interactions.
Supporting the whole young person
Many of the children and young people supported by MacIntyre are autistic and/or have severe learning disabilities. For some, anxiety, sensory processing differences or communication challenges can make everyday situations overwhelming.
Occupational Therapy plays a key role in helping young people feel safe, calm and able to participate.
Matthew’s story is one example of this. Before joining MacIntyre, he struggled with significant distress, aggression and reduced engagement in education. Following detailed assessment, the OT team created a personalised sensory integration programme involving calming routines, movement activities, sensory strategies and environmental adaptations used consistently across school and residential settings.
The impact was significant. Matthew became calmer, more settled and increasingly able to engage in learning, relationships and everyday life, developing greater independence and emotional wellbeing.
Building communication and connection
Communication support is another cornerstone of MacIntyre’s therapeutic approach.
The school uses a total communication model, embracing everything from Makaton signing and visuals to communication aids, social stories and Intensive Interaction.
For young people like Brian, this has been transformative.
Brian is a gestalt language processor, meaning he learns language in chunks and can lose access to speech when anxious or overwhelmed. Through tailored Speech and Language Therapy, staff learned how to follow his lead, validate his emotions and model useful language he could use in real situations.
Over time, Brian became more confident in expressing himself and increasingly used speech to ask for help, seek reassurance and share enjoyment with others. He can now engage in activities and therapy sessions that once felt impossible, including swimming, cooking and gardening.
Working alongside families
Partnership with families is central to the school’s approach.
One powerful example involved Chris, a young person who found sudden changes in routine extremely difficult. When his family prepared to move house, therapists worked with them to create a personalised social story explaining what would happen, what Chris could expect and how he could stay regulated during the process.
The story also gave Chris choices and a sense of control, helping him manage a potentially overwhelming transition successfully.
Another young person, Sadie, used social stories and sensory strategies to prepare for family trips away, opening up experiences that previously felt too difficult for her family to attempt.
Therapy embedded into everyday life
Over the past academic year, the therapy team delivered more than 1,000 hours each of Occupational Therapy and Speech and Language Therapy, alongside 94 staff training sessions attended more than 1,100 times by colleagues across the school and children’s homes.
This investment in training means therapeutic approaches are consistently embedded into daily practice, helping staff feel confident supporting communication, emotional regulation, sensory needs and wellbeing throughout the day.
The school has also continued to expand its specialist facilities, including immersive sensory rooms and dedicated therapy spaces designed to support personalised therapeutic programmes.
Looking ahead
MacIntyre School and Children’s Homes continues to grow its therapeutic provision as part of its commitment to helping every young person thrive.
From supporting communication and emotional wellbeing to building confidence, independence and meaningful relationships, therapy is not viewed as an “add on”, it is central to creating environments where young people can feel understood, safe and able to flourish.
As Connor’s family reflected after seeing the progress he had made:
You’ve changed his life completely.
Click here to find out more about our School and Childrens Homes, or here for career opportunities with MacIntyre.
