The Therapeutic Clown Program
Established in 1993, The Therapeutic Clown Program at SickKids provides patients and families with therapeutic clown are, using spontaneous humour and gentle play to minimize stress during hospitalization and treatment. Working under the umbrella of the hospital’s Expressive Therapies Program - therapeutic clowns collaborate closely with Child Life Specialists, and other members of the inter-professional teams to develop therapeutic strategies within the SickKids model of family-centered care.
A hospital can be an overwhelming place for a child. It is often the first time a child is away from home - away from the familiarity of family and routine. Now, their comfortable bed and familiar night light are replaced with strange, blinking lights and weird, beeping noises. In hospital, a child wants to know who the people coming in and out of their room are -and do they have a needle? Fear of the new and unknown contributes to the perception that the hospital is a frightening place.
Imagine how different a child’s hospital experience might be if the next person to come to their room was wearing a red nose and a funny looking hat. Instead of giving needles, the therapeutic clowns ask if they would like to play. If the child says ‘yes’, then the fun begins and a child can do what is normal and natural to them - play.
A therapeutic clown at SickKids can become a “constant” for a child; a stable being who comes back again and again. A clown can become a child’s confidante, playmate and friend, offering comfort and emotional support at a time when children and their families need it most. Therapeutic clowning is an innovative and effective therapy and like laughter is contagious.
For more information about how you can support the Therapeutic Clowns, please contact:
Janice Saunderson
SickKids Foundation
Phone: 416-813-1210
Email: janice.saunderson@sickkidsfoundation.com
For more information about the Expressive Therapies Program, please contact:
Irene Ushycky
Director, Expressive Therapies Program
Phone: 416 813-6106
Email: therapeutic.clowns@sickkids.ca