Steps Conductive Education Centre

Steps is a registered National Charity supporting families with children who have special educational needs. We offer a free and unique service following the principles of Conductive Education for children with conditions that cause motor impairments or motor development delays. Steps caters for young children with Cerebral Palsy, chromosome disorders including Down Syndrome or other conditions which affect the acquisition of motor skills.

Our goal is to develop the skills the children need to progress and maximize their potential. At the same time, we provide parents with the knowledge, confidence, and resilience they need to understand how they can enhance the development of their child.

Steps sessions are based on the principles of Conductive Education and follow the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum. This Early Intervention is carefully planned for small groups of children and their parents. Our professional team encourages and motivates the parent and child groups through a structured programme, designed to help each child achieve individualised developmental steps. Within each group session, children work through a series of stimulating and challenging tasks addressing every aspect of a young child's development; physical, social, cognitive, communicative and emotional, focusing on the whole personality. The children are encouraged to take an active part in their learning, planning and solving problems for themselves.

Importantly, parents work with their children ensuring that the skills learnt at Steps can be transferred to their everyday home life. Achievable individual goals are set and updated regularly for each child.

Our older and advanced groups work without the parents being present to promote maximum independence and to boost physical and problem-solving skills in preparation for full or part time integration into mainstream or other schools. The Centre runs 'Gym Club' groups once a week for children who have reached statutory school age. The Gym Club aims to provide ongoing support by further improving skills that can be used and applied elsewhere thus complimenting education in other settings.

The Steps team offers vital support to hundreds of families, working with children to help them learn and grow by offering consistent kindness, guidance and support to parents and extended families. The team's help during the difficult early years of a child's diagnosis is a lifeline for countless families who access services at Steps.

Our groups

Steps offers different groups during the week which are organised to suit the specific needs of a particular age and ability. In addition to working as part of a group, each child has an individual programme designed to address their personal needs. We also offer Gym Club one afternoon a week for children who are in mainstream education. 

Our Team

• Trish Mabbott - Fundraising and Operations Manager
• Indila Simandi - Team Leader, Lead Conductor
• Fiona Holroyd - Conductor
• Mariann Taylor - Conductor
• Reka Simandi- Trainee Conductor and Media Assistant
• Janet Russell  - Centre and Volunteer Manager
• Katy Widdowson - Marketing and Communications Manager
• Sally Belton - Administrative Assistant
• Angie Higgins - Finance Officer