Abstract
The Support Programme for Abuse Reactive Children, was initiated by the Teddy Bear Clinic (an NPO established to protect abused children) in South Africa in response to the increase of child-on-child offenders in this country. This short-term programme aims to offer holistic rehabilitation to first time young sex offenders and incorporates conventional diversion approaches alongside creative programmes, including group music therapy. Based on a review of my session notes, this paper considers challenges and positive developments I experienced over time as the programme’s music therapist from 2006 to 2016. Although I often experienced this work as chaotic, findings suggest that through co-creating a context-specific music therapy programme alongside group members, clinic staff and the broader community, music therapy has offered an increasingly relevant and valuable complement to the diversion programme. Continuing challenges within this work are also highlighted.
Highlights
In over 10 years of music therapy work experience in a diversion programme for young sex offenders, the first word that still comes to mind after almost every session is: chaos! I am repeatedly baffled by sudden outbursts of loud, dissonant music-making, a lack of consistency in participation, and sometimes blatantly destructive interactions within the group
Session notes that document my experiences of music therapy groups that I facilitated within the Support Programme for Abuse Reactive Children (SPARC) programme, offer me the opportunity of reflexively considering my current practice, but the development of patterns that may have evolved within this work over time
In order to explore how my experiences of music therapy groups reflected the development of the SPARC programme from 2006 to 2016, I engaged in the following process: 1. I chronologically reviewed my own recorded session notes from 17 music therapy groups that I facilitated between 2006 and 2016
Summary
In over 10 years of music therapy work experience in a diversion programme for young sex offenders, the first word that still comes to mind after almost every session is: chaos! I am repeatedly baffled by sudden outbursts of loud, dissonant music-making (or surprising non-responsiveness), a lack of consistency in participation, and sometimes blatantly destructive interactions within the group. Session notes that document my experiences of music therapy groups that I facilitated within the SPARC programme (the Support Programme for Abuse Reactive Children), offer me the opportunity of reflexively considering my current practice, but the development of patterns that may have evolved within this work over time. Goals of the SPARC music therapy programme are directed to complement those of the CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) component of the programme These emphasise supporting young people to deal with difficult past life experiences, exploring healthy ways of building social relationships, expressing emotions, taking responsibility, and fostering hope for the future. Drawing from my session notes, this article considers my experiences of the challenges and development of music therapy groups for young offenders as part of SPARC This might offer insights to music therapists facilitating similar programmes
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