About Us
Our Mission, Story, and Presence.
Our charity has been providing music therapy in Hampshire and neighbouring counties since 2008.
Our services support a wide range of clients from early years children and young people to adults and older people.
Our Mission
In line with the Code of Conduct of the British Association for Music Therapy, our mission is to: provide a comprehensive and highly professional music therapy service to help pre-school children with language delay and behavioral problems to older age people with dementia and others affected by autism, complex learning issues or anxiety - to cope better with life.
Emotionally and socially it can bring joy to both their lives and the families that support them.
.jpg)
What is a music therapist?
Music therapists are highly skilled musicians. They listen closely and respond sensitively and empathically to their clients, and are able to use a wide range of techniques, genres and styles to create sounds that are meaningful, communicative and supportive.
Music Therapist is a professional title protected in law.
In order to practice as a Music Therapist in the UK, it is mandatory to complete a Masters Degree in music therapy and obtain state registration with the HCPC.
Our Story
In 1996, Beccy Read, music therapist and Founder, was invited to form the Hampshire-based branch of the Bristol-based charity Music Space Trust. The Trust had formed in 1991 in answer to the government’s plan to close long-stay hospital provision. It’s aim was to create a ‘home’ for music therapy in the community. Hampshire MusicSpace began with one therapist working in schools in Portsmouth for children with special needs. Over the years, as its reputation grew, so did the size of the team and its operations. ‘Hampshire’ began to include neighbouring counties. Clients included adults and older people. In November 2008, the MusicSpace Trust approved the Branch Committee’s request to replace Hampshire Music Space with an independent charity under the new name: Key Changes Music Therapy
Our Presence
By Summer 2021 the team had grown to 15 part-time therapists, each registered with the HCPC, working with 155 referred clients. 95% of its therapy work is outreach – the therapist travelling to the client’s nursery, school, family home, or care home. 5 % of clients attend sessions at the charity base in Winchester.
​
In addition to providing regular music therapy sessions for clients, Key Changes provides the following: taster days and assessments for clients, and workshops and presentations for carers. Key Changes also provides an acclaimed annual conference for those in the wider music therapy profession.