Music Therapy for Schools

At the Little Musical Caravan, we partner with schools, early childhood centres, and government agencies across Porirua, Kāpiti, and Greater Wellington. We know that ākonga thrive when their support teams work in harmony. Our music therapy services integrate seamlessly into educational settings, early learning spaces, and multi-agency care plans. Whether we work inside our mobile caravan or on-site in classrooms, we provide strengths-based, neuroaffirming, and trauma-informed support to help young people regulate, connect, and participate.

Mobile music therapy for schools and agencies parked on-site at a local school in Porirua

How We Collaborate with Your School Team

We work directly alongside SENCOs, Learning Support Coordinators, classroom teachers, social workers, and caseworkers to ensure our work supports everyday classroom engagement, curriculum learning strands, and individual support plans:

  • Targeted 1:1 Music Therapy: Focused individual sessions for tamariki with sensory, emotional, or communication needs. We align our sessions with your ākonga’s strengths, existing Individual Education Plans (IEPs), and multi-agency support strategies.

  • Small Group Therapy and Peer Inclusion: Structured, low-pressure groups for small cohorts. These sessions foster peer connection, collaborative focus, emotional regulation, and social confidence. Peer inclusion acts as a bridge between the therapy room and the classroom, helping social confidence carry over into everyday school life.

  • Open Play-Based Groups: Flexible, play-based music sessions for classrooms or early childhood settings. Through shared musical play, students naturally build joint attention, non-verbal communication, and group cohesion.

Applied Practice in Early Childhood: Te Whāriki & Maraeroa Kindy

Our child-led approach aligns directly with the learning strands of Te Whāriki, Aotearoa’s Early Childhood curriculum. In this learning story we focus primarily on Mana Whenua (Belonging) and Mana Reo (Communication).

Music therapy for schools in action at a kindy. Children explore instruments to guitar accompaniment

Learning Story: “I Want to Play Guitar!” (November 2024)

At Maraeroa Kindergarten in Cannons Creek, Eastern Porirua, the Little Musical Caravan offered music therapy support within an open group setting to enrich musical play. Our November 2024 Learning Story captures a real snapshot of Registered Music Therapist Liz Langham scaffolding communication as tamariki navigated turn-taking and authentic social connection around a single guitar.

Evidence-Based Practice & Research

Our work with schools and early learning centres is grounded in published, peer-reviewed research and practical case studies in Aotearoa. Here are examples of our published literature:

Selective Mutism & Peer Inclusion (2020 Case Study)

Published in the New Zealand Journal of Music Therapy (2020), this case study explores how peer inclusion supported Isobel,* a student with Selective Mutism. Including peers as a bridge to classroom participation helped Isobel develop a deeper sense of belonging, reduce anxiety, and build lasting social confidence.

*For confidentiality, Isobel is a pseudonym.

Musical Play in Inclusive Education (2018 Exegesis)

Completed through Victoria University of Wellington, this Master’s research investigated strategies for promoting child-led cooperative play in inclusive primary and preschool settings. It outlines five key levels of social participation – from onlooker play to cooperative play – and shows how musical play fosters pro-inclusive social connections across mainstream learning environments.

Flexible On-Site Delivery Options

To make service delivery smooth and minimal fuss for school leadership, we offer versatile settings:

  • The Little Musical Caravan: Our mobile therapy unit brings a fully equipped, cozy, and secure therapy room directly onto school grounds. (Note: Minimum of 3 x 1:1 sessions applies.)

  • In-School Spaces: When we cannot bring the caravan, we adapt to familiar quiet rooms within the school setting.

  • Classroom sessions: We love working within existing play-based environments, and can adapt our support to suit your classrooms.

  • Mana Therapy Hub and Kāpiti Studio: Dedicated, peaceful spaces in Porirua and the Kāpiti Coast for focused individual or whānau-centred work.

Professional Services for Educators and Agencies

To complement our direct student therapy, we offer specialist consultation, professional development, and custom training resources for education and care professionals:

  • Specialist Staff Consultations: One-on-one or team consultations to help educators understand sensory regulation, non-verbal communication cues, and music-based regulation tools for the classroom.

  • Staff Workshops & Professional Development (PD): Interactive workshops for teaching teams, learning support assistants, and agency staff covering trauma-informed musical grounding, sensory-friendly environments, and neuroaffirming interaction strategies.

  • Professional Educator Resource Library: We are developing specialised resources, video guides, and audio toolkits for school teams. These modules will equip teachers and support staff to run music-led regulation routines independently. [Coming soon.]

Multi-Agency Partnerships

Our Registered Music Therapists are Police vetted and hold current Children’s Worker Safety Checks. We regularly collaborate with key agencies and cross-sector funding bodies to deliver wrap-around support for tamariki with complex needs:

  • Te Pikau o Te Rangi: We partner with this whānau-centred, iwi-led early intervention service. Together, we provide culturally grounded, coordinated music therapy support for young children and their whānau across our local region.

  • Ministry of Education (MoE) Learning Support: Music therapy is recognised as a specialised wellbeing service by the Ministry of Education. We collaborate closely with specialist teachers, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, and allied health teams.

  • Oranga Tamariki & High and Complex Needs (HCN): We are approved service providers for Oranga Tamariki and the inter-agency organisation High and Complex Needs (HCN), delivering trauma-informed 1:1 and family-centred music therapy within specialised care plans.

  • Disability Services: We partner across health and community pathways to support long-term wellbeing, autonomy, and participation.

  • School & Board of Trustees Grants: We deliver contracted, term-by-term sessions on-site. Schools fund these through operating budgets, ORS allocations, surplus funds, or local community grants.

Partner with Us

Whether you are looking to contract 1:1 student support, book a staff workshop, or discuss play-based group support, our team is ready to collaborate with you.

Have questions about booking or funding?

Read our Frequently Asked Questions or reach out directly to discuss your school or agency needs.

Contact our team

Ready to refer or register a student?

Submit an agency referral or student enquiry through our online intake form.

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