A new initiative from Warehouse Circus aims to empower early development in children who have been born premature and may be experiencing developmental delays. Already using the craft to help Canberrans manage complex disabilities, improve mental health and increase social interaction, Warehouse Circus saw another gap in the market.
“On average, about eight per cent of babies in Canberra are born pre-term, and from data, we’ve found are likely to experience some form of developmental delay as a result,” says Tom Davis, artistic director.
Believing a circus skill class that focuses on improving coordination, strength and balance could help aid in the development challenges faced by this group, the organisation set about learning how to help.
“These challenges can stem from various factors, including motor impairments, prolonged hospitalisation during infancy and toddlerhood, respiratory and other medical conditions, and behavioural complexities,” Mr Davis says.
Research conducted at the University of Melbourne explored whether circus skills could be used as an early invention tool in premature toddlers. Using circus as physical therapy, researchers wanted to see if the children could catch up to their peers in their developmental milestones, and found positive results.
“Children born pre-term, and especially born extremely pre-term – prior to 28 weeks of gestation – often encounter obstacles in participating in physical activities compared to their peers,” he says. “As these children approach preschool age, there is, of course, a need to engage in community activities. However, many parents and children face uncertainty and barriers when seeking to participate in such programs.”
Involved in the research was Warehouse’s head of social circus, Isaac Fletcher. Due to his contributions, members of the Warehouse team were invited to undertake the new learning modules that had been developed.
“How inclusion works, what they might experience with developmental delays, looking at class structure and how we can support them – a lot of was what we believe in already, but it was good to have that confirmed by research,” Mr Davis says.
With funding from the Healthy Canberra Grants program to help raise awareness of the project, Warehouse has incorporated their findings into the new Tiny Tribes classes. These classes see parents and children aged up to five years learn a range of physical skills.
“We are starting things off by folding these new learning modules that our staff have completed training in into existing classes to foster inclusive spaces,” he says.
At this stage, children with and without delays are welcome to join. Depending on the level of interest, they hope to host specific classes for those with developmental delays. Mr Davis says the research revealed mixed responses, with some parents wanting exclusive classes while others preferred inclusive classes with children of all abilities learning together.
According to Mr Davis, the nature of circus as a non-competitive and creative outlet that encourages active engagement is a great option for physical therapy. As all types of bodies are needed to make a circus run from small to burly, it is a safe environment for learning.
At its heart, Warehouse Circus aims to provide positive programs for families and individuals to engage in physical activities in a safe and inclusive space.
“Warehouse Circus has used circus as therapy for people managing complex disabilities, as well as an early intervention and engagement tool for young people facing significant barriers to participation,” Mr Davis says.
“We’ve worked with every special school in Canberra and many of the Learning Support Units, and teacher and participant feedback has been really positive.”
To find out more about Tiny Tribes and other classes offered by Warehouse Circus, visit warehousecircus.org.au
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