Introduction to BUSS® Model Webinar

Trainer

Sarah Lloyd, is a specialist Occupational Therapist and Play Therapist. Working in CAMHS teams in England and in Scotland. While working in Fife CAMHS (2005-2013), Sarah developed a specialist CAMHS / Social Work team working with children who were looked after and this became the Springfield Project. It was during this time that Sarah developed the BUSS Model. She headed up the ADHD assessment service and worked in the Leeds Eating Disorders Team, while continuing the development of BUSS, and Leeds CAMHS service. In 2018 she was seconded by the Children’s Commissioner, to the Therapeutic Social Work Team and One Adoption West Yorkshire to continue to develop the BUSS clinical work as well as training staff in this way of working.

Sarah has completed her MA in Psychoanalytic Studies in 1991 before going on to complete a number of clinical trainings. She currently works part time in Leeds CAMHS, seconded to fostering and adoption services and part time heading up the BUSS team in partnership with the Oakdale Centre.

Sarah Lloyd is a Specialist Occupational Therapist and Author of the BUSS® Model. Sarah has published 2 books: Improving Sensory Processing in Traumatised Children (2016) and Building Sensorimotor Systems in Children with Developmental Trauma (2020).

Description of course

The BUSS® model was developed by Sarah Lloyd to be helpful when children have experienced developmental trauma. It’s based on the understanding that for children to thrive they need consistent, attuned caregiving and it’s through these relationships that babies and young children develop good bodily and emotional regulation. Having a good sense of their body is crucial for children to manage games, friendships and school, all of which are such an important part of childhood.

BUSS® is concerned with what are called foundation sensorimotor systems, the systems that grow through lots of nurture, touch and movement in their early months and years. These systems give us a sense of ourselves on a bodily level – so things like having good balance and co-ordination as well as understanding information from inside our bodies (e.g. when we feel hungry or cold, and managing the sounds and feel of the outside world without being overwhelmed by them). Within nurturing relationships, babies progress through critical patterns of movement that allow the brain and central nervous system to develop so that we can manage to do all of this without using much conscious attention. Where children have had a difficult start in life, these processes have been disrupted.

However, by bringing together sensory integration theory and attachment theory alongside an understanding of the impact of trauma on the developing brain, it’s possible to use games and activities, working with parents / carers and their children to rebuild these systems and help children to thrive.

The three most important tenets of the BUSS® model are movement, playfulness and relationships, and we’re keen to make sure this is reflected in our day together. As well as introducing you to BUSS®, we’d like you to have the chance to discuss what we’re talking about, hear from families and practitioners who are using the model and also have the chance to try out some of the games and activities that we might use as part of our work with families. We’ll use breakout rooms in Zoom to make sure that there are lots of opportunities to think and do, as well as hopefully giving you lots of information and ideas!

Over the day we’ll think about BUSS® as an intervention with children, young people and their families as well as how BUSS® can be applied in other settings, e.g. Early Years and education.

Objectives and Outcomes from the course

Become familiar with sensory integration theory, how babies and young children grow into themselves on a bodily level, and how this forms the bottom of the pyramid of development

Learn about the vestibular, proprioceptive and tactile systems, the role they play in bodily regulation and movement and why the relational context is key to their development

Receive ideas about how to begin to notice movement and the clues this gives about the functioning of these systems

Gain an understanding of the BUSS® model, how this model is different from sensory integration therapy and the ways in which an underdeveloped system differs from a sensory processing disorder

Hear about research and evaluation to date of BUSS®

Who should attend

This day is aimed at professionals from health, education and social care, as well as adoptive parents, foster carers and special guardians. Following this day, participants may choose to progress to Level One training.

Pre-requisite

This day is open to anyone wishing to attend who is working with children and young people.