Mya’s Sensory Room – working with local people and ensuring they focus on the outcomes that really mater

"Working in collaboration with local people is the most viable way of ensuring that we are focusing on the outcomes that really matter."

Mya’s Sensory Room is a free, community based sensory facility for children with additional support needs, located in Kilmarnock. The local Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) were aware of growing numbers of children with Additional Support Needs (ASN) in East Ayrshire and a key priority for them was to reach as many families as possible, with the right support. They were approached by a local parent group, Ayrshire Am-ASN Warriors, who were passionate about developing resources for children and young people with ASN in the local area. They wanted to have places where families could go together to relax and play in a safe environment and identified that there was no community based sensory room in the authority. They wanted to work in partnership to make this happen and so, for over two years, this has been a key priority for the local HSCP.

A new partnership was formed between the Health and Social Care Partnership, a local independent charity – Centre Stage – and a local community group. Paula from the local HSCP shared, “we have worked closely with Ayrshire Am-ASN Warriors who have been central to the working group from the start. The entire process, from concept and design to completion has been community-driven which has been a pleasure to support. The HSCP has provided the equipment, Centre stage is where it is housed and the parent group continue to fundraise to ensure that there are plenty of toys. They are learning with us through monitoring the feedback about what works and the experience of families.”

The sensory room offers a welcoming environment where families can relax and unwind together. It provides a valuable change of scene and supports children of different ages and abilities to engage in shared play, listen to music, or enjoy the calming lights and colours. The space is also open to families whose children do not yet have a formal diagnosis, which is particularly important given the current long waiting times for assessment through Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

While the creation and use of the sensory room represents a significant achievement, it forms only one part of a wider story. Equally important is the ongoing partnership between the HSCP, Centre Stage, and the Ayrshire Am‑ASN Warriors. This group comprises highly committed local community members who are deeply connected to families in the area. Their insight, energy and advocacy have become an invaluable resource, and they now serve as a key point of contact and collaboration for the work. Paula noted that “The Warrior Mums feel their contribution to this work has been genuinely valued. They take great pride in seeing the positive impact the sensory room is having and are energised by the encouraging feedback they receive from other families.”

An unexpected benefit for families accessing the sensory room has been the increased awareness of other local resources and support available for children with Additional Support Needs. Through their visits, families are discovering new activities, services and opportunities, helping them broaden the range of connections and experiences available to their children.

Having looked at research on the impact of poverty on families with disabled children, Paula says that it is a founding principle that this support should be free of charge to families and says that has to remain a priority. As a former practitioner, she has valued the relationship building part of this piece of work. “I’ve learned so much about the challenges faced by the ASN community, and the extraordinary lengths they go to every day to overcome these. The resilience these families have to develop is humbling. We do try to take a community involvement approach to commissioning in East Ayrshire. Working in collaboration with local people is the most viable way of ensuring that we are focusing on the outcomes that really matter, and that gives me hope.”

You can read all Connected Communities case studies here: https://www.alliance-scotland.org.uk/blog/case_studies/?projects=connected-communities.