Cavendish Spaces for those with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities

Caves: Spaces for quiet reflection and self-directed or inter-dependent exploration, recovery and rest.

Campfires: Spaces for learning with a storyteller — teacher, mentor or carer.

Watering Holes: Spaces for social learning with or alongside peers and carers.

A radical change to learning spaces is needed to enable people to be embodied, feel safe and feel liberated enough to explore and be curious about the world around them in which ever ways work for them and their sensory bodyminds. We can work and learn in infinitely creative ways, but we need to be embodied in order to do that. To feel embodied, you need feelings of safety; people need to value strengths, validate difficulties, and provide support where needed.

The foundations of a trusting multisensory environment

What do people see?

What do they feel?

What do they smell?

What do they hear?

How can they move?

How can you create a sense of place, meaning and belonging?

How can you cultivate an ecology of care, trust and safety?

Aspects of being human that need regulation include:

  • Physical body
  • Emotions
  • Senses
  • Cognition
  • Psychology

Understanding that every human needs to be regulated is a good start, but more detail in useful and careful categories will make this much more helpful. For instance as Wilding suggests within psychological regulation, we need:

  • Regulation of the other areas include:
  • Protection
  • Predictability
  • Connection
  • Recognition
  • Novelty
  • Autonomy

Niche Construction

Cavendish multisensory learning spaces are spaces of niche construction inspired by nature that enable EVERYONE to thrive. In nature, we help ensure the thriving of an organism by directly modifying the environment to enhance that organism’s chances for survival. We can enhance a person’s chances for success and a rich sensory experience by creating niche spaces.

In his book, Neurodiversity in the Classroom, Thomas Armstrong argues that the concept of neurodiversity is a “concept whose time has come.” What he means by this is to re-imagine how special education is constructed in our education system. The idea Armstrong highlights in his book is called, “positive niche construction” (PNC). Armstrong proposes this idea as an alternative to the more classic idea of “least restrictive environment” (LRE).

Positive niche construction is a strengths-based approach to educating students with disabilities.

Each person’s and each group’s Cavendish space will look and feel different depending upon their needs. For those with profound and multiple learning disabilities, we need to consider how sensory differences, physical impairments and medical needs may also impact people’s learning experiences. We need to adopt a neurodiversity-affirming strengths-based approach when setting up personalised learning environments and be open and flexible to changes that will be needed.

Consider each individual person’s:

Likes and interests

Multisensory profile

Access to resources

Communication aids

Positioning and comfort

Health and wellbeing

Cavendish Spaces

We need to cultivate an ecology of care and co-create environments for multisensory learners to help create a sense of belonging and to create spaces where love and deeper connections and relationships with others can grow and enrich and expand their multisensory learning experiences and promote good well-being and enhance their quality of life. We need to create spaces filled with trust so people can experience joy and learning opportunities in a safe way. We can do this by listening to people’s voices/actions/movements and by being responsive to their needs and being responsive and alert to the sensory experiences that may spark joy, excitement and glimmers of curiosity, awe and wonder.

By setting up different environments, people can move and be supported to move through different experiences as needed. For those with profound and multiple learning difficulties, it is important to acknowledge that they will need more time and space to readjust in preparation for any transition and also when settling into new surroundings. It can be really helpful to consider using Objects of Reference / Tactile On-Body-Signing alongside any other speech or augmentative alternative communication support that may help people begin to understand something new or different may be happening and to help develop understanding. A consistent communication method will help create safety and reassurance.

Examples of Cavendish Learning Spaces for Multisensory Learners / Those With Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities

Caves

Spaces for quiet reflection and self-directed or interdependent exploration, recovery and rest.

Examples of Cave Spaces:

Over a bed: use a frame structure with lights/materials / favourite sensory toys nearby or hanging over so people can reach for or explore with different body parts.

On the floor: use a tent so a person’s physio equipment can be inside if needed (e.g., side-lyers / positioning wedges/cushions/beanbags or wheelchair/standing frame). For those who enjoy sensory lights, you could add a projector for light effects and have a basket or favourite items near by or attach items by Velcro or hang down from poles so they can reach out/ look or explore if able.

On the floor: use a large photography or golf umbrella and place it on the floor so a person can lie underneath. This can create a quick and easy way to create a portable cave space. You can easily transport this into other rooms as you change environments through the day so they still have a safe and familiar space. You can expand learning by attaching motivating or interesting times such a windchimes, ribbons, ballooons, mirrors or other media that are interesting for stimulation and to widen learning experiences.

Try hanging a large hoop on the ceiling or using curtain tracks to hang different-themed shower curtains. This can create a nice, cosy den that can fit one or two people inside (ensure you consider the size of wheelchair/standing frame or other seating needed). If you choose white material, you can use a projector to change the images to suit each person’s interests, depending on how they engage.

Remember as a carer and cavendish space facilitator you need to be responsive, check in with people and change things as needed / move together into other spaces as needed.

A young girl sleeps on a bean bag chair in front of a pyramid shaped tent. Text reads:

Cavendish Cave
Spaces for quiet reflection and selfdirected or inter-dependent exploration, recovery and rest.

Campfires

Spaces for learning with a storyteller — teacher, mentor or carer.

To learn, engage and be able to respond to external stimuli, people have to be as physically comfortable as possible and have their needs met. Changes in position and care routines are important to consider. It takes time to develop relationships and understand needs at this deeper level. By opening up communication and connection in an embodied way, it allows for a deeper understanding a person’s whole bodymind. Embodied connections and approaches like intensive interaction can be a great et to know someone and foster more meaningful relationships and, better learning opportunities. The frequency of care routines means that these regular interactions can help develop trust and a better understanding of communication. Outside of careroutines people need their own safe spaces where they can just be, process, recharge and rest which is why Cave spaces are important alongside Campfire experiences.

Campfire spaces allow opportunity for lateral progression with carers. They offer time and space to explore diffferent sensory experiences and next steps and a rich learning experience. How this looks will depend upon each person; for example if they show an interest or some joy in listening to music or certain sensory experiences you could extend this laterally into other their other routines and activities (eg light up toys, musical toys, simple cause and effect responses, massage sensory touch experiences, or certain textures/scents or movements).

Examples of Campfire Spaces and activities:

Campfire space construction will depend upon the individual’s well-being. It may be a nice idea to incorporate a person’s physio plan into their ‘campfire experiences’ and try to time events around any medical interventions/feeding /positioning that may need to take place. The following activities can be easily adapted for different positions and care needs of people if you take time and plan things ahead.

Themed sensory explorations, e.g, moon sand, shaving foam bubbles, exploring percussion instruments, switch-activated toys and technology

People gathered around a campfire doing different activities. Text reads:

Cavendish Campfire Spaces for learning with a storyteller— teacher, mentor or carer.

Watering Holes

Spaces for social learning with or alongside peers and carers.
Watering hole spaces and interaction will depend upon the individual’s needs and well being at the time. Much like campfire experiences, if caregivers plan ahead, they can create meaningful moments in the day for people to be with their peers when they may feel more comfortable, be more alert and interested in others. Even if the person is not showing much awareness of other people, I believe there is still great value in being together in shared spaces so people get to experience a sense of togetherness and belonging as part of a community. Belonging and togetherness is something that can only really be felt, it is about having a good quality of life and rich human experiences with others. Watering holes can also be a wonderful opportunity for co-regulation, exploring and experiencing things together, a shared space allows connections to develop at a more profound emotional level and share presence and love.

Examples of Watering Hole Spaces and activities:
Being responsive and thinking about access to resources is really important. It is also essential to consider the positioning and practicalities of people sharing spaces, e.g., two or three people in wheelchairs/people lying or sitting next to each other on floor level or in their standing frames. Whilst practical considerations are important it is not the governing factor, some people will naturally gravitate towards being with some people more than others and that needs to be validated and respected too.

Setting up activities people can access, experience, and share together can be really meaningful and bring joy. It is an opportunity to build relationships and form new connections and can enhance some learning experiences. The following activities can be easily adapted for different positions, and people’s care needs if you take time and plan things ahead.

It is really important that supporting adults/carers work with people and share the space, too, so they can adapt and change resources so that people do not get overwhelmed or left with an activity or sensory resource they no longer want to engage with or dislike.

People gathered around a watering hole. Text reads:

Cavendish Watering Holes:
Spaces for social learning with or alongside peers and carers.

Cavendish learning spaces are embodied, responsive spaces that can help create feelings of safety, trust, and belonging. They can be spaces of familiarity and comfort, such as a person’s Cave, but they also offer opportunities for shared experiences in Watering Hole environments and to learn and be supported by others in Campfire spaces. We have listed a few ideas below for further reading. We encourage you to explore Cavendish Learning Spaces together and co-create meaningful, valuable embodied sensory experiences that add richness and meaning to people’s lives to support their wellbeing.

For More Ideas and Signposting