Julie-ann Gillitt, resident osteopath at Lambeth Walk centre for adults with special needs, is now offering low cost osteopathy for children and adults with special needs at the King's practice on Kings Avenue in Clapham.

Cranial osteopathy is a gentle but extremely effective form of osteopathy that works with the Involuntary Motion or Cranial Rhythm. This is a subtle rhythmical shape-change that is thought to occur throughout the body.

Current research suggests that cranial osteopathy can assist with mobility issues, sleep problems, bowel dysfunction, mood swings and poor behaviour (Gillitt, 2010; Barton et al, 2004; Andrews et el, 2004).

Julie-ann has a Masters degree in osteopathy and is currently studying paediatric osteopathy at postgraduate level.  She is also a qualified sports and pregnancy masseur and has been the resident osteopath/masseur at the Lambeth Walk day care centre for adults with special needs for the last fifteen years.

To book a low cost treatment call Julie-ann on 07929 595 685 or visit www.theclaphamosteopath.co.uk

Treatments take place at the Kings' Practice, Number 14, 84 Kings Avenue, Clapham, SW4 8BW.

Nearest tube: Clapham North, northern line. Buses: 137, 417, 37, 35.

Times: Monday 10 am-5pm; Tuesday 1.30 pm -5.30 pm.

Price: £25/treatment

The personalisation of public services has been a consistent direction of policy over the last few years. This has been maintained by the UK Coalition Government, with the recent Green Paper including a clear expectation of increased choice and control for young people and families.

A series of pilots were commissioned to test whether the Individual Budgets (IB) concept and approach worked in practice, and to what extent the approach was cost-effective. This evidence in turn would help to inform any decision on rolling out of IBs.

This report seeks to present a detailed assessment of the process related progress made by the pilot sites over the original two-year pilot programme. As such, the report focuses on the means by which the pilots were set-up and delivered, and the resource and infrastructure requirements associated with the IB approach, where progress is measured against the ten elements of the Common Delivery Model.

To see then report, click here.

Between 74% and 83% of children receiving play therapy, delivered to PTUK/PTI standards, show a positive change

The simple answer to the question; 'How Effective is Play Therapy?' is that between 74% and 83% of children receiving play therapy, delivered to PTUK/PTI standards, show a positive change.

The extent of the improvement depends upon the severity of the presenting issues – the more severe the problems the greater the percentage of children showing a positive change. 74% for those with slight/moderate problems, 83% for those with severe problems.

Age also has an effect on improvement: Generally speaking the younger the child the greater the percentage of children showing a positive change: 80% at age 6, 71% at age 12. Girls show a higher improvement rate than boys - 79% compared to 73%.

The average cost of using play and creative arts therapies is estimated at £693 per child. This estimate is based upon an overall average of 15.4 sessions, applying a cost per session of £45. For every £1 invested annually in targeted services designed to catch problems early and prevent problems from reoccurring, society benefits by between £7.60 and £9.20. (National Economic Foundation 2011).

Play and creative therapies should therefore give a notional return to society of at least £5267 in the long term. However this does not give the full picture because there are many short term benefits specific to the setting, for example: better academic results and less stress for teachers; more successful fostering placements; faster response to medical treatment.

The statistics in this report are based on analyses of data selected from a total database of 8026 cases, with 10,744 pre and post-therapy observations by referrers and parents received from 507 PTUK/PTI registered practitioners.

See the full paper here.