Specialized schools

For youngsters in specialized schools (intellectual and physical disabilities) who receive a visit from a therapeutic clown, the moment is especially meaningful, since the vast majority of them have already met a Dr. Clown during one of their frequent stays in a hospital or rehabilitation centre. The issues addressed, however, are different, since the context is not the same. These interventions are not integrated into care plans, nor are they aimed at channelling feelings of anger and powerlessness associated with being hospitalized. Rather, in collaboration with medical practitioners (physiotherapists, occupational therapists, etc.), they encourage the children to socialize more and to achieve concrete objectives through creativity and imagination. But above all, these visits help empower children and boost their self-confidence. By reducing their anxiety and offering them opportunities to express their feelings, they facilitate the students’ emotional well-being and, in this way, contribute to their self-fulfillment and academic success.