The Mulberry Bush Charity was founded in 1948 as an independent residential

special school Special education (also known as special-needs education, aided education, alternative provision, exceptional student education, special ed., SDC, and SPED) is the practice of educating students in a way that accommodates their individual d ...

in the village of Standlake in

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire ( ; abbreviated ''Oxon'') is a ceremonial county in South East England. The county is bordered by Northamptonshire and Warwickshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the east, Berkshire to the south, and Wiltshire and Glouceste ...

, for children aged 5 to 12 years; nowadays it is a not-for-profit charity. It has now grown to include '
MB3 (The Mulberry Bush Third Space)
'', '
The Mulberry Bush Outreach
service
The Mulberry Bush Research
and '
The Mulberry Bush Consulting

The school

The school was founded in 1948 by psychotherapist Barbara Dockar-Drysdale with the backing of the Ministry of Education and the

Home Office The Home Office (HO), also known (especially in official papers and when referred to in Parliament) as the Home Department, is the United Kingdom's interior ministry. It is responsible for public safety and policing, border security, immigr ...

. She and her husband were co-principals until 1962. Set in 5 acres of rural Oxfordshire the School offers 38-week and 52-week residential care and education to children who have suffered early years trauma and have severe social, emotional and mental health difficulties. The Mulberry Bush School offers individualised integrated therapeutic care, treatment and education overseen by a multidisciplinary team. Their continual focus is to help children learn to manage their emotions and behaviours through the development of safe and trusting relationships within a group setting.

Outreach

The Mulberry Bush Outreach service aims to use the charity's core principles to strengthen the culture and leadership in organisations. This is achieved through the provision of training, consultation and support for those supporting vulnerable children, their families and communities. They also provide all the training for staff across the charity, which is focused around the Level 5 Foundation Degree in Therapeutic Work with Children and Young People and ongoing professional development.

MB3 (The Mulberry Bush Third Space)

This provides a residential and conference/event accommodation complemented by a meadow and woodland located in Toddington,

Gloucestershire Gloucestershire ( , ; abbreviated Glos.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Herefordshire to the north-west, Worcestershire to the north, Warwickshire to the north-east, Oxfordshire ...

. It is also the home of th
Planned Environment Therapy Archives
and special collections and the National Childcare Library.

Mulberry Bush Research

The Mulberry Bush is committed to researching therapeutic practice with children and families, particularly in residential and education settings. It aims to develop and shape a research culture to influence practice within The Mulberry Bush and other schools, agencies and providers of care to vulnerable, traumatised children and their families.

Mulberry Bush Consulting

The Mulberry Bush, is well known for its therapeutic approach with children, and for their commitment to ensuring that core values, mission and vision are brought to life in all their work and at all levels of the organisation. The Mulberry Bush Consultancy service was established to help others, in related sectors, to do the same.

The International Centre for Therapeutic Care

The International Centre for Therapeutic Care is a global alliance promoting Therapeutic Childcare, Social Pedagogy and Trauma Informed Practice amongst all those working with children, young people, their families and communities made vulnerable by childhood trauma. The school is a

registered charity A charitable organization or charity is an organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being (e.g. educational, Religion, religious or other activities serving the public interest or common good). The legal definitio ...

. The Mulberry Bush School is the subject of a BBC documentary film, ''Hold Me Tight, Let Me Go'', directed by Kim Longinotto.''The Sunday Times'', 11 May 2008.
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References

External links

ISBI: Mulberry Bush School, OxfordshireOfsted: Mulberry Bush School
{{authority control Educational institutions established in 1948 Boarding schools in Oxfordshire Private schools in Oxfordshire Special schools in Oxfordshire Charities based in Oxfordshire 1948 establishments in England