There are around 40,000 children and young people in the UK alone with severe or profound and multiple learning difficulties, in special schools and in mainstream education. Research has indicated that provision is at best patchy, despite the widely held belief that music is beneficial, both in its own right and to promote wider development. This book seeks to foster progress in what is still a young discipline by reflecting on contemporary thinking and practice, identifying key issues, introducing recent and ongoing research, and providing practical advice for practitioners including teachers, therapists, and community musicians.
