Lego®-based therapy in a Secondary School context: Exploring Practitioner Perspectives

Abstract

Despite recorded successes of using Lego®-based Therapy (LBT) to support autistic children and young people (CYP) and those with SEMH needs, there is a dearth of research examining the perspectives of secondary school practitioners. Addressing this gap, this paper explores the perspectives of staff (teachers and paraprofessionals) in a secondary setting to elicit their voice and further understand the benefits and challenges of using LBT with adolescents. Informed by the capability approach (Nussbaum, 2011), participants indicated that Lego® -based Therapy (LBT) is a beneficial approach for autistic CYP and those with SEMH needs, yet is constrained by outcomes-driven education policy, mandatory testing regimes, and budgetary constraints. Furthermore, results suggest that LBT can be a valuable approach for schools to implement as part of inclusive practice, it can facilitate sociality and a more connective environment for a range of CYP. However, caution should be exercised when interpreting these results, as the study was limited by its small sample size, and systematised review.