Recently, Freedom Foundation has been thriving in its provision of children in SEND settings.

The Freedom Factory SEND programme is a 90-minute session designed for children and young people with special educational needs, as we understand the needs of young people with neurodiverse minds, and recognise the challenges faced by many schools when trying to engage students in academic education.

Freedom Foundation has supported young people’s physical and mental well-being through music and dance programmes for the past five years. Our programme aimed towards young people with special educational needs and disabilities has been running successfully for over a year, forging partnerships with Nethergate Academy, Smoothstone Care and Education, St. Giles school, Birkett House, and many more.

Josh Jones, SEND Leader at Freedom Foundation, emphasises the importance of our work in this area, as part of our mission to better the lives of young people.

‘’Our vision is to connect through music, dance and creative activities to help the students improve their emotional release and social well-being.

‘’If that’s building on confidence issues, stopping their everyday battles with anxieties, self-doubt and self-worth we here at Freedom Foundation are here to fix this.’’

The SEND programme is ‘’12 weeks of pure enjoyment’’ in term time, with new topics being covered every week, allowing children to sing, dance and get creative, before putting on a show at the end of it, and it has been well received by students and teachers alike.

The Headteacher of Smoothstone Care and Education is just one of many headteachers to share their appreciation for the programme, stating ‘’thank you again for all of your hard work and energy and for making a hugely positive difference to the lives of many of the young people that we serve.’’

Teachers have also emphasised that the impact on individual children has been paramount on a case-study basis.

‘’One student came to the factory programme very nervous, suffering from lots of anxiety and struggling to cope with large groups. Over the course of the programme, they contributed to our group discussions on all the subjects we covered, and I saw a massive growth in their ability to actively get involved in singing and dancing. They also developed their passion for art. In the last session of the factory programme, the student asked if they could stand up when addressing the group. This was a huge improvement to witness, and they absolutely smashed it!’’

The SEND programme is set to become even bigger, as it has now become a key part of our HAF (Holiday Activity and Food) Release holiday clubs, which provide free holiday provision to children across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.

We are excited to see what the future holds for our SEND provision!

Freedom Foundation is currently recruiting more SEND facilitators and teachers. For more information on the programme and how to apply, or to get your children involved, please email josh.jones@freedomfoundationuk.org.