Play Therapy at Language of the Heart

This project provides a sensory and communication rich play environment that allows children with disabilities and their families to learn and practice strategies and skills to improve behaviour, play, daily living and communication skills through support by intervention staff that will be trained through the project.

It provides access to longer term interventions and a support community for families that is not currently available and it enables them to interact with other families in a similar situation for increased support.

There are three key elements to provide better learning and social outcomes:

1. Establishing a safe space for learning and play for children with disabilities
2. Training and supporting parents and families of children with disabilities
3. Training staff members to work with these children and their families

Long-term speech pathology input is not yet available in Siem Reap. In fact, there is only one organisation offering therapy to children with disabilities in the region. Rachel, with over 20 years’ experience in the paediatric therapy sector, in full partnership with that organisation, sees the need and is stepping into that space to address the need.

Through this project, Khmer children with disabilities, and their families, will be professionally supported to participate more fully in their communities.

The way this will be done is by assisting the children to develop functional skills through access to long-term therapy input.