The Mulberry Bush School and UK therapeutic community practice for children and young people

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to inform readers and researchers about the use of a “lived experience” of therapeutic community work as an effective intervention for severely emotionally troubled children.

Design/methodology/approach

An explanation of the main developmental influences and how the Mulberry Bush School is continuing to incorporate new theories and approaches.

Findings

How the Mulberry Bush as a specialist therapeutic residential provision can bring about excellent outcomes for severely emotionally troubled children.

Research limitations/implications

The paper explores the work and legacy of the school's founder Barbara Dockar-Drysdale and of her collaboration with Donald Winnicott to create a lived experience of community as an agent of therapeutic change. The paper also provides descriptions and a case study of the current multi-disciplinary work of the school, including how neuroscientific research is influencing the evolution of the therapeutic task with traumatised children.

Practical implications

The paper shows how a highly evolved model of integrated provision can support excellent outcomes for traumatised children and young people.

Originality/value

To broaden and deepen knowledge about the use of therapeutic community principles in the treatment of severely emotionally trouble children and young people.

Citation

Diamond, J. (2013), "The Mulberry Bush School and UK therapeutic community practice for children and young people", Therapeutic Communities: The International Journal of Therapeutic Communities, Vol. 34 No. 4, pp. 132-140. https://doi.org/10.1108/TC-06-2013-0014