The Loanhead After School Care Club is celebrating £4,000 of funding to help local children. The money is coming from Corra Foundation and will help pay the play therapist who runs lunchtime therapy sessions.
Irene Hogg MBE, Head of Establishment, said: “Many of the children we support come from families facing challenging issues including bereavement or the separation of the parents. As a result, the children are affected by problems such as low self-esteem and this affects their relationships with friends and their ability to engage at school. Play therapy is a great way of supporting these children as it enables them to explore how they feel and look at options for making changes in their lives.”
Three local primary schools in Midlothian will benefit from a lunchtime drop in service run by a qualified play therapist. This service was set up to meet the needs of children supported through the work of the Loanhead After School Care Club which also includes a community nursery, after school clubs and holiday clubs. Over 500 children aged 3 months to 12 years are helped by these services.
Mary Craig OBE, Chief Executive of Corra Foundation, said: “When children are affected by something in one area of their lives it affects everything else they do. Play therapy is an accessible and powerful way to help these children understand what is happening in their lives and build their resilience to deal with it. Having the right support at the right time lets them move on with their lives and hopefully be able to build strong friendships and get the most out of school.”
The next deadline for other charities applying for funding is Monday 17th March.
