The benefits of music therapy.

Holmes, David

The children's charity Coram recently launched the findings of a three-year study into the impact of its music therapy service on children, their parents and those working with children.

Children referred to the service often have profound communication, emotional and attachment difficulties. The findings of the study revealed that in 92 per cent of cases these children showed signs of increased concentration, attention skills and improved confidence. It is also reported that parents of children receiving music therapy gained greater insight into their child's needs, meaning they were better able to address these and build on their child's strengths, so enhancing the parent-child relationship. Furthermore, in 75 per cent of cases parents reported improvements in their children's relationships with others.

These positive findings are echoed in Together in Time, one of the latest books in BAAF's Our Story series, in which music therapy provides the cornerstone of an adoptive couple's struggle to find the necessary skills and resources needed to parent first one, then two severely traumatised boys.

More information on the Coram study can be found at www.coram.org.uk; Together in Time is available from BAAF Publications, Tel 020 7421 2604, price 7.95 [pounds sterling].