Leith Occupational Therapy is proud to provide Relax Kids services for children and teens age 2-18 in the Otago area, but our real gem is our in-schools programme; providing Relax Kids sessions to targeted groups or whole classes on a weekly basis to assist children to:

• increase their engagement in learning
• increase their resilience
• reduce bullying

Using play, children learn how their body, mind and emotions work together, and learn techniques and communication strategies to help them navigate everyday situations, including confrontation with peers, challenging learning tasks, being able to sit and listen to the teacher, and managing big emotions. Not only this, but our team of clinicians and educators will work with your team to ensure all children are screened for emotional, behavioural or motor difficulties which may present a barrier to learning or play, and provide support to facilitate referrals to the right services for each child.

Relax Kids is a programme backed by 20 years of clinical and school-based evidence from the UK. Outcomes include:

• Relax Kids has helped reduce aggressive and violence incidents by 75% (3 year pilot).
• In a 3 year Pilot, Relax Kids helped reduce exclusions from 19 to zero.
• Relax Kids is endorsed by education consultants, psychologists, teachers, social workers, therapists,doctors and nurses, foster carers, family workers, learning mentors, SENCOs and Ofsted inspectors.

“Here’s an easy to understand programme that brings to life all the research we talk about for engaging children into learning! Mindfulness is the gateway to learning as it teaches the child how to self-regulate and calm the survival parts of their brain and allows the cognitive areas to come online.
Self regulation leads to self control, and this is the overall number one research based determinate of a person’s success.”

Nathan Wallis, Neurodevelopment educator

Who delivers services?
All classes are delivered by registered health professionals or registered teachers, so you know your children will be in safe hands. Our coaches are all police vetted and undertake Safeguarding training as per the Vulnerable Children’s Act NZ 2014.

How else can your students access Relax Kids services?

• After-school classes - six-week programs in groups of up to 12 children. This is a really cost-effective option for families at $120 a term. We would love if your school could share our fliers with your school community to help parents access this resource!
• Individual programs - tailored, play-based occupational therapy programs providing more intensive support, including working with parents and/or teachers to assist children to independently use the skills they have learned at home and school.

Feel free to get it touch to discuss which options may be most suitable to children in your school. If you would like to find out how we can help your students engage in their school program, or for a copy of our schools information pack, give Karen Keppel a call on 022 6998862 or emailrelaxkidsindunedin@gmail.com.