Investigating music therapy assessment and evaluation procedures in UK schools

Join Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research (CIMTR) for a public lecture from Dr Veronica Austin on determining the progress of pupils receiving music therapy in school.

Music therapy assessment and evaluation is a major part of music therapy practice. However, there are no standardised or agreed systematic procedures for determining client process of progress for young people with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities in special schools in the UK.

This presentation gives an overview of research undertaken to address that gap. Main findings included a framework of prioritised routine procedures integral to the music therapy treatment process and recommendations for developing and refining procedures including a model of Best Practice.

Although the research was conducted with young people with intellectual disabilities in mind in UK schools, findings may have wider applicability.

About the speaker

Veronica’s career as a Music Therapist has encompassed various roles. She has been a Music Therapist working with children and young people in UK special schools in Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire, and for a time also worked in a London hospital.

She has also been a Lecturer of Music Therapy at Roehampton University, Surrey, a Clinical Supervisor of music therapists, a member of Key Changes music therapy service, and most recently a researcher with CIMTR, carrying out a PhD supervised by Professor Helen Odell-Miller.

In all these roles, a recurrent thread for Veronica has been her keen interest in music therapy assessment and evaluation procedures and how to shape these to be more transparent and robust.

For more information, email [email protected]