Helping families access music therapy
Apply for a grant for a block of (usually 10) music therapy sessions.
Eligibility and requirements
Please read the information below carefully before making an application.
We can only award grants to children and young people (up to 25yrs) who have:
- Significant barriers to communication and interaction
- Complex and multiple disabilities or life-limiting medical needs
- Limited engagement with people, activities and the world around them.
If your circumstances meet this criteria, the following applies:
- We accept applications from parents/carers or professionals working with the child or young person. These applications must be for individual children and not for a class or group within a school or other setting.
- The child or young person must have an EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan) or equivalent, or verification from another professional, such as medical professionals, education or social care, of their needs.
- Applicants need to have already identified the music therapist or music therapy organisation they would like to deliver the sessions. You can find a music therapist in your area through the British Association of Music Therapy website
- We will only be able to accept applications for a second block of music therapy in exceptional circumstances.
- We do not offer grants for purchasing musical instruments for individuals, or for instrumental lessons.
- We do not consider retrospective applications.
- Applicants need to fill in the online form below. All sections must be completed. Grants offered are for around 10 sessions and a report.
- The application should detail any previous music therapy which the child/young person has engaged with, and the outcomes of the sessions.
- Applications should be accompanied by an EHCP, if they have one, or a supporting letter from a healthcare/educational professional. The letter should state how the child/young person will benefit from the grant. If the EHCP is more than two years out of date, than a short supporting letter is needed to clarify their current needs. This needs to be emailed to us: info@jessiesfund.org.uk
- The application should include any previous successful or unsuccessful applications to Jessie’s Fund and any applications to other organisations.
- We ask applicants to say if they can make a contribution to the cost of music therapy (£3, £5, £8, £10, or £15 per session).
- Grants are awarded on condition of a report being sent to us at the end of the funded period.
- Application deadlines are at the end of every month, for consideration by our assessment panel early the following month and applicants will hear from us shortly after this.
Terms and conditions
Jessie’s Fund awards grants to individuals subject to the following terms and conditions:
- The grantee is responsible for finding an appropriate music therapist to deliver the agreed sessions and communicating to them the outcome of the application.
- The grantee confirms that the grant will be used only for the purpose specified in their application (music therapy sessions for the name child/young person).
- Jessie’s Fund will pay the grant awarded directly to the music therapist/music therapy organisation for the sessions agreed for an individual child/young person based on the costs given in the application form. The therapist/organisation is responsible for invoicing Jessie’s Fund for these sessions.
- The therapist/organisation can invoice Jessie’s Fund at the start, during or end of the sessions. They can invoice for the full amount or for a number of sessions in a set time, e.g. monthly invoicing of sessions.
- Jessie’s Fund takes no responsibility for the cancellation or rearranging of sessions.
- Grants awarded must be claimed within a year of agreeing the grant. If an extension is needed this must be discussed and agreed with Jessie’s Fund within the above timescale.
- If the parents of the individual child/young person have agreed to make a specified parental contribution, they must arrange to pay this directly with the music therapist. Jessie’s Fund is not responsible for these payments if they are not paid.
- The therapist/organisation will return to Jessie’s Fund any funding for prepaid sessions which then do not take place.
- A short report is sent to Jessie’s Fund detailing the impact of the grant awarded.
- Jessie’s Fund reserves the right to request repayment of the grant if the above conditions are not met.
- By accepting an Individual Grant on behalf of a child/young person from Jessie’s Fund you are agreeing to the above terms and conditions.