Fernando Machado, Music Leader and Arts Award adviser for Soundcastle in East Sussex shares how their Access Funded music making project enabled families to connect and share a creative journey, and for the children and young people to achieve Arts Award Discover or Explore.

Soundcastle uses music to build confidence, connection, and wellbeing. We believe every person can be empowered to play, make and sing. We change lives through music.

Musical Beacons – Ready to Play! is Soundcastle’s online creative music-making programme designed specifically for foster and adoptive families. Delivered virtually, the programme allows me to join families directly in their living rooms via laptop or tablet, creating a familiar and comfortable environment for children who may not find mainstream education or traditional music groups accessible. By actively involving foster carers and parents, Ready to Play! offers a flexible, inclusive space where music becomes a shared language—supporting communication, emotional expression, and family bonding.

The programme is intentionally designed to be accessible to children of all ages and developmental stages. Every family arrives with its own routines, challenges, and strengths, so each session is shaped around their unique needs. Some families join with newborns, others with teenagers; some have one child, others several; some children attend mainstream school, while others are home-educated or currently outside formal education. At Ready to Play!, every family is welcomed, and every contribution is valued.

Building connection through familiarity and play

We typically begin with simple, familiar songs—nursery rhymes or popular music that families already enjoy. This helps establish a sense of safety and predictability, which is especially important for children who have experienced trauma or instability. From there, I observe how each family interacts and gradually tailor the session to support their communication style, energy levels, and interests. The goal is to create a playful, supportive environment where families can engage with one another while naturally developing musical and interpersonal skills.

As sessions progress, activities often expand beyond singing. We explore movement, body percussion, and rhythm games, encouraging children and adults to experience music physically as well as vocally. Families experiment with creating sounds using their bodies or everyday household objects, discovering that music is accessible anywhere. All of these activities fulfil the requirements of Arts Award Discover Part A (Discover) and Explore Part A (Take part).

These foundations often lead into songwriting, improvisation, and composition which can be used as evidence for Explore Part C (Create). Families are encouraged to express themselves creatively—making up rhythms, inventing lyrics, or building simple arrangements together. These shared creative moments frequently become opportunities for communication, confidence‑building, and emotional connection.

Arts Award: Recognising achievement and encouraging exploration

A key component of Ready to Play! is the opportunity for young people to work towards an Arts Award qualification, from Discover and Explore through to Bronze and Silver. For many children—particularly those not currently in formal education—this provides a valuable chance to gain a recognised accreditation. Beyond the certificate itself, the Arts Award framework equips families with tools and ideas they can continue using at home. It encourages exploration of the wider arts world, from learning about artists to visiting cultural venues (Discover Part B – Find out and Explore Part B – Explore), helping creativity become a meaningful part of everyday family life.

Stories of playfulness and connection

One example that illustrates the impact of the programme is Luke, an eight‑year‑old who joined with his adoptive parents. Luke has autism, developmental trauma, and developmental language disorder, and often finds conversation challenging. When the family first attended, they appeared understandably nervous and approached sessions with a structured, serious mindset. Luke would sometimes laugh unexpectedly—likely a response to the unfamiliar environment.

Over time, as trust developed, the atmosphere shifted. Through activities such as our welcome song (supported with Makaton signs), body percussion, and simple arrangements of familiar songs (Explore Part A – Take part), the family gradually became more relaxed and playful. They began interacting more freely, asking questions, and encouraging one another. Music became a shared language that supported connection and emotional safety.

Their engagement grew so strong that they continued attending sessions even while on holiday. This enthusiasm led to a meaningful creative project: composing an original piece of music based on their shared experiences (Explore Part C – Create). Together, we wrote lyrics, developed movements, and added a simple piano part, which Luke played with great pride. Alongside this, Luke completed Arts Award Explore, researching a concert venue and learning about a well‑known artist (Part B – Explore). Luke’s work was shared with his Speech and Language Therapist (Part D – Share), adding further significance to his achievement.

Another family I work with includes three siblings—Emily, Stella, and Jack—and their father, Aaron. Like Luke’s family, they navigated challenges related to autism and ADHD. Their sessions included singing, rhythm work, and songwriting, and all three children completed either Arts Award Discover or Explore. Aaron participated fully in the creative process, gaining insight into his children’s learning styles and strengths. Most importantly, the family chose to continue setting aside regular time each week for creative and playful activities—family music jams, painting sessions, or simply playing board games. This lasting commitment to shared creativity is one of the most meaningful outcomes of the programme.

A space for confidence, togetherness and joy

Musical Beacons – Ready to Play! is ultimately about more than music. It creates a space where families can connect, have fun, and achieve something together. The Arts Award framework adds structure and recognition, helping families build confidence and celebrate progress. The result is a shared creative journey that supports communication, emotional wellbeing, and a deeper sense of togetherness.

As one parent beautifully expressed:

‘I can’t think of any other service or support that we’ve been able to access in such a positive way. Any other interventions are for families in crisis… this is simply positive, feels good and uplifting… this has been about filling up the bucket of good feelings!’

Photo by Soundcastle