Accolades

“Deborah is a music therapist in Treliske Hospital School in Cornwall. I had the privilege to sit in on a session with three young children who had serious illnesses. What I witnessed in that session, through the use of music and words astounded me. Deborah allowed them to touch some sense of wellbeing and she helped them process what was happening to them… singing along to ‘Humpty Dumpty’, where Humpty Dumpty never gets up again.

As I sat there, I thought these children could be mine, that they are our children. And if we thought of them as so and that such engagements through music are precious, would we not realise that such work is vital?

Why are we not having a national conversation about the delivery of such services to the most vulnerable children in our communities, a conversation about the impact of music on children at risk and with special needs? Can you guess how many hospital schools have music therapists?

We must embrace a vision of music education that is child centred and includes disciplines such as music therapy.”