Author: Lauren Taylor

At Seashell, we are truly blessed to have the support of some amazing volunteers who give their time, talent and energy to make a difference to our students, residents, staff and community.

One of our individual volunteers – Sue – has been volunteering on a regular basis for 6 years and during that time, has impacted many children and young adults experiences in our school, college and inclusive sport and activity programme, CADS.

“My name is Sue Gaffney and I have volunteered at Seashell for the past 6 years. Currently, I volunteer every Tuesday, helping Jean who teaches Outdoor Learning at the Royal School. In these lessons students learn how to plant seeds and bulbs and cultivate them to grow fruit, vegetables and flowers. With Jean’s help, they plant up the flowers into planters and hanging baskets, which they sell in the school and externally in “pop up shops”. This funds the purchase of all the growing materials and equipment for the next season. I get involved with preparing materials for lessons and help with watering, weeding, tidying up and all the garden maintenance jobs that are required throughout the year.

I decided to get involved in volunteering when my youngest child left for university, and I had some spare time. When I looked at volunteering in my local area, I came across the Seashell website, which had a number of opportunities working with children and young adults – something that particularly interested me.

My first volunteering experience at Seashell was at a Summer CADS Camp, where young people come together to enjoy a huge range of activities. This was great fun, exhausting, with never a dull moment!

I met lots of people and got to try out all sorts of things including baseball, wheelchair rugby and drumming.

When the new school year started, I came once a week to help with the set up and clearing away of ingredients and utensils for cookery lessons in the morning and preparation of materials for art classes in the afternoon. Over time I became a familiar presence to the students and one of them gave me the title of “Cookery Sue”!

I have found each volunteering experience to be very satisfying. They have all been quite varied and provided different challenges. I often find that it’s the small things that make you proud, for example the realisation that setting up ingredients and utensils for a cookery lesson took pressure off the teaching staff and made the lesson run more smoothly.

There have been many memorable moments over the years, when students overcome big challenges to finally succeed in a task they have found difficult. I have been invited to Christmas assemblies that are full of joy and excitement and Leavers assemblies which are always very moving.

When giant bees started appearing all over Manchester, I was part of a team led by art teacher Lauren who created ShellBee, the only multi-sensory bee in the hive. Along with the rest of the team, I was invited to the launch of the bees in Manchester, which was a great experience.

A fun fact about me is for the past 20 years, every Friday night I have slipped on my dancing shoes and tap danced through a couple of lessons. I started lessons too late in life to be very good, but I love it and I don’t intend to hang up my dancing shoes any time soon!

Some advice I would give to someone considering volunteering at Seashell would simply be – be willing to try new things and get stuck in!”

Do something good and feel great doing it!

It’s human nature to feel good after helping someone out. Volunteering can also help you gain valuable new skills and experiences, and boost your confidence. Interested in giving it a go and want to find out more?

Read more about volunteering at Seashell here.

Today – Monday 1 May – marks the start of Deaf Awareness Week, and this year the theme is Deaf inclusion, highlighting how hearing loss impacts daily life and how others can help better support Deaf people. Being Deaf brings unique challenges that not everyone will experience, so it’s important to be mindful of this in order to be more inclusive in our work and lives.

Top tips for being more Deaf inclusive:

Learn to sign.
Used to learning few words and key phrases ahead of a holiday abroad? Why not add some BSL greetings to your repertoire? A simple ‘good morning’, ‘please’ or ‘thank you’ can really make a difference. You could also learn the BSL Alphabet, which would help you describe even more!

Caption this…
Sharing a video on your stories or reels on social media? Be sure to include captions so that those who are unable to listen can still be included in what you are talking about.

Be creative!
There’s no hard and fast rules when it comes to inclusive communication and don’t worry if you aren’t fluent in BSL or Makaton. Using visual cue’s, writing your point down or pointing to something are all effective ways to help you get your point across.

Have compassion
Deaf people can face adversity every day, so bare this in mind, and if you are struggling to communicate…please take time and don’t say ‘oh, it doesn’t matter!’. This can understandably be extremely upsetting and make a person feel excluded.

Seashell has a rich history relating to Deaf culture. Back in the 1800s when our charity was established, we started life as a school for Deaf children. The name Seashell was chosen in 2008 as it represents the shell-like shape of the cochlea, the inner part of the ear.

Deaf awareness week is celebrated widely at Seashell and this week a wide range of activities will be taking place across campus for students and staff alike. From an awareness raising poster or sensory tactile switch competition, to BSL sign drop-in sessions, to top communication tips from our team of experts. Not to mention ‘sound bingo’, music activities, free Otoscopies (ear health check) with Therapy Assistant, Alivia, a staff quiz and a Deaf club café, hosted by our college intern students.

“Due to the complexity of our learners, we embrace all styles of communication. Creating communication-rich environments inclusive to all comprises of many different approaches: intensive interaction, switch work, speech, gesture, eye gaze technology, voice output devises, PECS to name but a few. Deaf identity is important to us and understanding how to operate and maintain personal equipment such as: hearing aids, Baha’s or cochlear implants is essential for optimal listening skills. Most learners use a combination of communication strategies, bespoke to their needs, which is why we feel we operate in a total inclusive communication environment. We are proud to embrace and support the development of signing skills across all departments.”

Christine Milner, Royal College Manchester Teacher of the Deaf

Learning to swim is a rite of passage for many children; it is a fun and healthy activity, as well as a valuable life skill. Sadly, for many children and adults with disabilities, accessing swimming lessons with appropriate pools, equipment and instructors, is no mean feat.

Here at Seashell, we are proud to be able to offer fully inclusive swimming opportunities for both our students and members of the community – and have done so for many years. However, now is an especially exciting time to make a splash in our brand new, state-of-the-art swimming pool (The Bertie Broome Swimming Pool) complete with moveable floor and self-depositing steps. These new and inclusive features make for a highly dignified swimming experience for people with physical disabilities.

As swimming is a safe and low impact physical activity for people with mobility issues due to a disability, medical condition, or an injury – this is a much-needed facility within our community, and was designed and installed by aquatic specialists, FT Leisure.

Lead Internal Swim Instructor, Clair Ravenscroft explains: “I’ve been a member of the Active Team for almost 10 years, and over that time I have seen the amazing impact that swimming can have on individual’s physical and mental wellbeing. So few organisations are able to provide the inclusive swimming opportunities that we can here at Seashell, so it is a crucial facility for both our students and members of the community.

Swimming is an integral part of the Seashell curriculum and the skills students learn poolside can help with their overall coordination, rehabilitation, confidence, social skills, plus much more…not to mention how fun it is!

We work with our colleagues and families to create individual goals, and it is just remarkable seeing our swimmers develop valuable new skills, or simply gain the courage to take part. Seeing a learner swim for the first time without float aids, or have the bravery to jump in for the first time after having years of fear and anxiety is something so special.

As well as our learner pool, we also have a Hydrotherapy pool with sensory equipment and a bespoke hydraulic platform for trolley beds – this means that everyone can access these facilities.

Working at Seashell is so inspiring and I am proud to be part of the team. My amazing colleagues put their heart and soul into the education and support of our students…I’m excited to see what the future holds.

In my spare time I like getting out for a kick about and find football a good way to wind down after a busy day – I’m not Lucy Bronze, but I’ve scored a few!”

Find out more about swimming at Seashell here.

Seashell supports families by providing short breaks and respite care in our fully adapted, home-from-home residential housing. We offer breaks from one or two nights per week or for longer periods, depending on the specific care needs of each individual.

We are delighted to share the news that following its most recent Ofsted inspection, Seashell Children’s Short Breaks has been rated as an outstanding care service!

Jenny Ritchie, Registered Manager of Children’s Short Breaks said: “We are over the moon to have achieved an outstanding grading for our second short break inspection. We were able to evidence to our inspectors that we are outstanding in terms of progress and outcomes for the children, safeguarding and leadership and management. The team work very hard and have built strong relationships with the children and their families and this is evident in the day to day  interactions. We have taken great pride in advocating for the children and families and aspire to retain this level of judgement. Short breaks is a vital service to many families and we remain committed to delivering high standards of care in addition to fun and diverse activities showcasing our short break ethos.”

Excerpts from the report…

Children benefit from receiving highly individualised care and support during their short break, which meets their identified and emerging needs. Planning and introduction to the home is exceptionally well carried out. This is through discussion with parents and professionals and, wherever possible, by gaining the views of the children involved.

Children experience a wide range of opportunities which enable them to take part in activities they enjoy, both in the home and the community. For example, children not only have access to the on-site swimming pool and leisure facilities, but they also use local leisure facilities, which helps them gain additional confidence and skills.

The manager makes sure there is open communication with parents, social workers and other professionals. One parent said, “Staff are excellent at keeping me informed of how my child is when she is at the home. They ring and email every time she stays, and this provides me with reassurance and an overview of what she has been doing during her stay. They really go above and beyond with their care and support to her and their reassurance to me.”

Children benefit from consistent care from a dedicated staff team who provide continuity of care and support.

Read the full report here

Find out more about our Short Breaks here

Over the last week we have been celebrating The National Autistic Society’s Autism Acceptance Week, a week where the world comes together to increase acceptance and create a society that works for autistic people.

The National Autistic Society explains the change from their use of ‘Autism Awareness’ to ‘Autism Acceptance’: “We’ve come a long way in the past 60 years and today almost everyone has heard of autism. But far too few people understand what it’s actually like to be autistic – it is more important than ever to focus on the understanding and inclusion of diverse individuals within our communities.

Many of our students here at Seashell are autistic, and we believe ourselves to be leaders in creating inclusive environments and delivering the best support possible. This knowledge and expertise is shared with colleagues across the Trust, as well as individuals and organisations externally through our training and development programmes.

Meet Joe Booker, our Autism Practitioner at Seashell…

“Hello, I’m Joe Booker and I work at Seashell as an Autism Practitioner. My role is very varied and I work between our Health and Wellbeing, Learning and Development, and Sensory services.

I joined Seashell in 2014 as a teacher on the autism course in college. My passion has always been for working with autistic children and young adults and their families to help improve lives day-to-day. I also love being able to share my knowledge of autism with other practitioners, with a focus on the ‘difference not deficit’ model of understanding autism. That is that autistic people have strengths and difficulties, just as neurotypical people do. No state of being is the best; just different. We all benefit from the existence of neurodiversity and the fact should be embraced and celebrated.

I primarily work directly with families and practitioners to deliver training and consultancy. Currently I offer support to help improve sleep and am looking forward to working on a similar project concerning children who have sensory issues around eating.

It is my hope that the more people that we can reach and explain autism to, the better the experience for the autistic community. We focus on how we (as neurotypical people) can change, rather than always expecting the autistic person to adapt to neurotypical ways of being.

During our sleep support a family or, indeed, the young person themselves will set a goal to work towards. Typically this might be something like self-settling at night or going back to sleep after a night-wakening. We see some amazing improvements in sleep which impact positively on every other area of life.

Before Seashell, I studied art at university and ran a project with autistic adults. I loved working together and felt real human connections, different to any I had felt before. Upon completing my degree, I worked at the local specialist education college as a Learning Supporter before moving to Manchester and beginning my teaching qualification. I studied an MEd in autism in adults at Birmingham University and am now in my perfect role!

What I love about my job is the variability and freedom to work on projects that I believe in and that are dear to me.

In my spare time, I like to write and record music, make artworks, and be terrorised by my children!”

Seashell has been Autism Accredited with the National Autistic Society for a number of years and has received ’Advanced Status’ across the Trust. This means that our services are deemed to provide highly creative and very personalised support to enable each autistic person to achieve positive outcomes.

Read our news and find out what’s been happening at Seashell Trust this year.

We are delighted to share with you the latest addition of Jean Barratt’s blog, Tales from the Greenhouse. Jean, a teacher at Seashell Royal School Manchester, runs a programme that looks to develop our students’ skills through horticulture. The programme evolves with the seasons, and provides an opportunity for students to experience change and regular routine: from sowing seeds in May to harvesting in June and planting in autumn.

In this blog, Jean provides an insight into the activities of the horticulture programme and the positive impact sessions have on individuals at Seashell, as well as some top tips for getting your own young ones interested in crafting.

It has been a funny old start to the year; OFSTED behind us and a brand new school to look forward to. Any of you reading this who have SEN youngsters to care for will appreciate that whilst this is exciting, it is also a challenge to make such a huge transition run smoothly.  It would be hard to quantify how much time and effort all the contact staff have put into this: we have had regular visits during construction; virtual tours; social stories and much, much more to put everyone at ease.  Without this preparatory groundwork many of our students would have been thrown off balance by such a move, but from my vantage point of the greenhouse, I can see how ready they are to accept this change.

For the present, my area remains unchanged, and I will still be updating you from the old school gardens where we have not stood still either. Over the winter months there have been some new directions taken in our mini-enterprise and we have been selling our plants and crafts both on and, for the first time, off-site too.  This has been something I have aspired to since before Covid struck, and in November it finally happened. Our good friends at the Time Out Group allowed us to set up shop at their centre in Handforth and some of my brilliant crafters came along – not only to man the tills, but also to set up crafting stations and show everyone how to make the beautiful wreaths they create so expertly. Given it was a big ask to have the students work in a new environment and with unfamiliar people dropping in, they worked at their tasks like old pros. The students at Seashell always amaze me with what they can do and this was no exception.

Over the winter we have diversified into making pom-pom flowers and framing them. These have evolved over the last few weeks as we have adapted and refined the process to accommodate even the most subtle of learners by wrapping wool around a strip of card and tying off with wire and cutting through the strands. A twist of florist tape around the stem and ‘Hey Presto! A lovely flower. For some students we used the activity as a sensory experience – feeling the wool between their fingers- for others we exaggerated the wrapping movement, extending and stretching their arms to incorporate some Occupational Therapy into the session too.  If you want to have a go at home there are videos on Youtube and Pinterest which will show you the basics and you can take it from there.  I’m sure you will agree that once framed and ready to sell the flowers are beautiful.  

Our next exciting project is a Schools’ Garden exhibit at the Tatton Show in July.  Given this is our Bicentenary year, it feels like a fitting double celebration of both the natural world and the skills we are developing here at Seashell.  It will be a challenge as this is something very new for us to attempt alongside our usual growing activities, but I have every confidence in the students and the brilliant staff who have stepped up to be part of the event.   Once we get started putting our display together – the theme is bio-diversity – look out for our updates on the website and in the newsletters.   We all hope you will find the time to come and see our creation at the show and say hello to us.

Happy gardening!

Jean Barratt,
Outdoor Learning Teacher,  Royal School Manchester

Art therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses art media as its main mode of expression and communication. This form of therapy is not about creating a fantastic piece of art, simply enjoying the creative process is key to feeling the benefits.

At Seashell, Art Therapy is a core component in our Health and Wellbeing team’s toolkit, and it is used to help students address emotional issues, which may be confusing and difficult to process. Usinga person-centred approach, our mental health practitioners support students through the highs and lows any child or young adult may experience as they grow and develop as individuals.

Jodie Luk, has been part of Team Seashell alongside completing her professional development at University and has recently joined our Health and Wellbeing team. She has taken time to share a little more about her new role as Art Psychotherapist…

My role at Seashell is to use art alongside traditional therapy approaches to support our students with their everyday wellbeing, emotions and sensory needs.

The one to one sessions can help students through, trauma, attachment issues, self-harm, bereavement, emotional and sensory regulation and communication challenges, amongst many other things.

We take time to explore individual’s  therapeutic objectives, while leaving room for spontaneity and expression. The sessions can involve different materials, images and objects, alongside familiarity through having the session at the same day or time. The ultimate goal is to futureproof the student’s overall wellbeing and mental health.

Growing up, I had a close relationship with my Uncle who had disabilities. He inspired me to work within the disability sector, as he showed me how special a bond can be when other forms of communication are used as opposed to verbal dialogue.

While working at Seashell, I have completed my degree in Art and Art History, as well as my Master’s in Art Psychotherapy – the experiences and skills I’ve learnt during this, have really supported my development as a therapist.

A fun fact about me, is that my first language was originally Chinese…I didn’t know a word of English. However, I am now fluent in English, and not so strong in my Chinese!

The best thing about my job is that every day is different. You can do all the planning and preparation, but you sometimes must think/respond on your feet, which is always interesting!

Jodie Luk, Art Psychotherapist at Seashell

After much anticipation, the time has finally come for students and staff to make the move into The Moulding Foundation Building, the new home to Royal School Manchester. Excitement was in the air, as the last boxes were packed and the school team took a moment to reflect as they closed the doors of their old school, known to many as ‘Dockray’,  for the final time. Careful planning and appropriate measures put in place have ensured the smoothest of transitions for the students, particularly for those who find disruption to routine challenging.

“We are so excited to be welcoming our students back after the February half term break to a brand new school building.  Having carefully introduced them to their new classrooms and a variety of new learning spaces it’s safe to say that the Soft Play room is a clear favourite!  Thanks to the whole staff team and to our students’ families for preparing for this much-anticipated transition.  We are so very grateful to all who have generously supported Seashell in the development of such a fantastic facility that our students and residents need now, and for the future.”

Emma Houldcroft, Head of Royal School Manchester

The completion of The Moulding Foundation building is not just an exciting time for Royal School Manchester, as the building is also home to a variety of shared spaces that students from Royal College Manchester, staff across campus and the community will benefit from too. From state of the art swimming and hydrotherapy pools, to a specialist audiology suite, to the Weston Dining Hall, a shared space for all to enjoy meal times together.

It just so happens that meeting this huge milestone in our Project Transformation co-insides with our Bicentenary year! As we take time to look back on all the amazing contributions that our charity has made over the last 200 years, not to mention the people who have helped make Seashell the place it is today, we can feel sure that we are doing all we can to continue that legacy.

What’s next? Securing the future of Seashell…

We are now diving straight into the next phase of our master plan of developments with the construction of a new Royal College Manchester, Sports and Administration building.

The new building will comprise a single storey College and two storey Reception, Sports and Administration centre and house a new Café, Activity Hall with extended climbing wall, Fitness Suite, Rebound Room, Sensory Integration Room and a suite of flexible multi-purpose rooms at ground floor level with contemporary office space above and associated external landscaping.

The current, temporary car park to the south will be extended to improve access and increase capacity and a new landscaped walkway will provide a safe pedestrian route from the main entrance and car park to the new Reception. The drop-off area will serve School and College and the area between will be landscaped to provide an attractive, multi-purpose environment for leisure, continued learning and performance. 

“Later this year College will decant into Dockray, the former school building, which will be refurbished. This will allow the existing, outdated College buildings to be demolished to make way for this major development. It will be similar in scale and appearance to the new Moulding Foundation Building and a similar palette of materials will help promote a sense of identity, unity and well-being”.

David Walker, Transformation Project Design Lead

Outline planning permission has already been granted for the development which plans to open at the end of summer 2025.

This ambitious site transformation is the largest of its kind in the UK, and is only possible thanks to the generous support from individuals, companies, trusts and foundations, to whom we are incredibly grateful.

As part of our Bicentenary celebrations, we are holding a special, summer event – Seashell Shine – on Saturday 17^th June.

We will be having one big party at our campus. Joining us is the Worker Bee Market as well as an exciting choice of family-friendly activities and events including a funfair, inflatables, music and a very special guest from Cbeebies…stay tuned for more information very soon!