Jessie's Fund



Music Therapy in Children's Hospices

In 1994, when Jessie died, there was no music therapy in children's hospices: it was a gap in the care of life-limited children which seemed to us to be crying out to be filled. We developed a pattern of three year funding for part-time posts for music therapists. By the end of the three years the hospices have had time to integrate the cost into their own budgets. We have now helped 25 hospices this way. The network of children's hospice music therapists meets twice a year in order to share experiences and learn from each other, promoting best practice in this field.

We cannot thank you enough for the generosity of Jessie's Fund in aiding us in bringing a valued service to the children at Acorns. Without your support and funding none of these developments over the last few years would have been possible.

What is music therapy? Music therapy uses music to encourage communication and expression by playing an instrument, singing or listening, usually in improvised music. It isn't about learning to play an instrument; the instruments offered can all be played intuitively. Within the therapeutic relationship there is a safe setting in which difficult or repressed feelings can be expressed and contained. Where words are inadequate (or even impossible), music can often make sense. In the restricted world of a seriously ill child, music therapy focuses on what she/he can do, gives choices and control, and raises self-esteem.

A small child had spent the morning distressed and crying, very tense and jerky physically. At first I held his hands or feet and sang back to him, responding to his rather chaotic sounds and movements and then introducing more order and rhythm. Leaving silences led to his increased awareness of his contact with me, and the realisation that he could initiate the music and movement. This led to a vocal interaction, many times over, and he also played a hand-held wind chime positioned just where he could play it. He began to smile and became calm, relaxed and communicative by the end of the session.
Jessie's Fund Registered Charity No. 1045731 ©Jessie's Fund Design by Glyn Hill