ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the process of assessment in dance movement psychotherapy (DMP) within a special needs education setting for children and young people with learning disabilities and autism. It discusses aims, function and process of assessment and presents a framework for DMP assessment to help organise the information gathered, drawing on current DMP, counselling and psychotherapy assessment models. The main aim of an assessment is to gather information about the client's needs, presenting issues and background information, in order to formulate what the client might need support with and to determine suitability of treatment. The chapter also discusses concepts towards a DMP assessment framework consistent with an integrative approach. It describes an assessment form that seeks to organise relevant information needed for a DMP assessment for working with children and young people with learning disabilities, including those on the autistic spectrum.
