"As the Director of EAL at Fortis Academy, I have had the pleasure of providing care for our EAL learners for over 6 years. EAL students are an extremely diverse and unique group of students, their range of cultures, languages, communities and educational backgrounds means that each and everyone of them need to be supported as individuals. Although they all suffer from the same barrier to learning initially, as time moves on you can see that some are able to embrace their new circumstances and thrive, whilst others find the transition to the UK extremely difficult if not completely traumatic.

It became clear to me almost immediately that in order to support the academic progress of these learners one must first address the psychological trauma and emotional upheaval that each and everyone of them were suffering. Mental Health conditions such as PTSD, Anxiety, Depression and Bereavement to name but a few.It was then that I began working with a kind and compassionate Art Therapist, Kayleigh, who provided these children with a safe space to express themselves and their feelings in a comfortable, controlled and most importantly non verbal way. Art therapy has allowed our students to come to terms with the trauma of their past, to explore their identities and how that may have changed since their relocation. Explore feelings about their families and friends.

I have seen first hand the positive impact that Art therapy can have on the lives of children who despite suffering from extremely overwhelming emotions, are unable to express themselves verbally, this then leads to further frustration and dysregulation. Art therapy has supported the well being of my learners as well as playing an invaluable role in our safe guarding procedures.

Of course many learners can struggle with their verbal communication (including those with SEND) or much younger children who perhaps have not developed the necessary vocabulary to explore "big feelings" therefore I would recommend Art Therapy & Kayleigh to any parent or educational setting who is concerned about the mental health and well being of a child within their care. It can quite literally save a child's life."

- Hollie O'Sullivan 

Kayleigh is a passionate and creative soul who takes great pride in her work. She is a supportive and reflective colleague who has continued to grow and develop as an art therapist over the 6 years that I have known her. I enjoy working with Kayleigh; her motivation is infectious. She demonstrates a zealous attitude towards promoting inclusive access to art therapy.

 - Colleague and Peer