Rapport-based communication and intensive interaction
27 March 2025: 9 am – 12 noon
Rapport and relationships are the essential foundation of high-quality care and education. This course introduces delegates to Rapport-Based Communication, a straightforward and inclusive way to make positive connections with individuals of all ages in SEN education and adult settings.
Matt introduces the nature and components of research-based rapport-based communication. He outlines how Rapport-Based Communication relates to Intensive Interaction. He shares strategies to develop a responsive, socially engaged, inclusive, rapport-based interaction practice using the 3C’s. Matt also explores factors that may enable or challenge your ability to establish rapport, introducing a straightforward recording method for your interactions.
The approach is suitable for all practitioners working in all contexts and is relevant for all people with additional needs supported in early years, primary and secondary SEN schools and adult services.
Session 1: The purpose of Rapport-Based Communication
In this session, Matt will introduce delegates to Rapport-based Communication a straightforward and inclusive way to foster positive connections and relationships.
We will cover:
the nature and components of rapport
the supporting research into rapport
how rapport is essential for high-quality care and education
how rapport features in delegates’ current practice
how Rapport-Based Communication relates to Intensive Interaction
Session 2: The Practice of Rapport-Based Communication
Through enjoyable social learning games and reflective practice, this session will introduce the 3C’s, a simple way for delegates to remember how to find rapport with the person they support.
We will cover:
social learning games to find and explore the nature of rapport
what an ‘offer’ is and how positively responding to ‘offers’ can lead to rapport
how social preferences can hinder rapport in a care and education setting
the difference between ‘offers’ and ‘demands’
how unconditional positive regard enhances rapport and flow of interaction
Session 3: The 3C’s in Context
In this session, delegates will rewatch the videos from the first session. This time, they will do so through the lens of their new understanding of rapport-based communication and the 3Cs. Delegates will see how the 3C’s are present at all times in the interaction and will learn about how practitioners can use the 3C’s to build rapport and relationships.
We will cover:
video examples of the 3C’s in the context of early years, primary, secondary and adult SEN care and education
video commentary explaining how the 3C’s are being put into practice by the practitioner
how to develop a responsive, socially engaged and inclusive rapport-based interaction practice using the 3C’s
top tips for finding rapport and building relationships in SEN care and education
Session 4: Embedding and Recording Rapport-Based Communication
In this final session, delegates will learn how to apply what they learned in the course and put things into practice. We introduce a straightforward method of recording, followed by group discussions to explore factors that would enable or challenge delegates’ ability to put the 3C’s into practice with the individuals they support. The questions and challenges in these discussions will be answered in the Q&A.
We will cover:
how to record Rapport-Based Communciation
the nature of enabling value and challenges
9 am Admission and virtual tea/coffee to start the session!
9.05 am Welcome and a warm-up
9.10 am Session 1: The purpose of Rapport-Based Communication
10.00 am Session 2: The Practice of Rapport-Based Communication
10.45 am Coffee
11.00 am Session 3: The 3C’s in Context
11.30 am Session 4: Embedding and Recording Rapport-Based Communication
11.45 am Q & A
12 noon Plenary, thank you and goodbye!
This course will be appropriate for classroom practitioners from special schools and colleges, mainstream settings with specialist SEN provision and early years settings, and working with pupils with severe/complex learning needs and autism, or both.
Matt Laurie is a highly experienced Music Specialist, Rapport-Based Communication and Intensive Interaction Consultant, Community Artist, Social Learning Leader and INSET trainer. Since 2002, Matt has enabled and supported changes in practice around social inclusion in many services around the UK and internationally including residential autism services, care homes, SEN schools, acute mental health units, dementia services, hospitals, charities and community groups.
As an experienced social learning leader, all of Matt’s training sessions are socially engaged, enjoyable, practical and thought-provoking. All sessions are designed to develop sustainable communities of practice, an approach to embedding practice developed in the 1980’s by Etienne Wenger with whom Matt has trained intensively.
From his years of experience developing the provision of Intensive Interaction and Music on a long term basis in multiple settings, Matt developed the more universal approaches of Rapport-Based Communication and Rapport-Based Musical Interaction. These approaches are now being implemented in many care and education services around the UK and internationally and Matt has published articles for PMLD Link (2021), ‘The Practical Handbook of Living with Dementia (2022), and as part of a collborative approach to supporting people with autism ‘Rhythmic Relating’ (Frontiers In Psychology 2024).
For Hirstwood training, Matt is offering the following courses:
Rapport-Based Communication and Intensive Interaction
Rapport-Based Musical Interaction
Developing More Engaging Activities
Supporting Staff and Student Wellbeing in times of distress and conflict
In addition to his work in the context of sensory practice for people with additional needs, Matt also runs a local community music group, teaches peripatetic music lessons at a local secondary school, and practices and teaches qigong and zen meditation at his local classes.
Each place costs £135 plus VAT.
You can pay by credit card for this booking or request an invoice on the booking form.
The recording of this event will be in your account at online.hirstwood.com. You will access this using the email address on the booking form and your password (instructions for creating your password are in the joining information).
Here you will find:
a digital recording of the event
a transcript of the Zoom chat
These will be available for 10 days after the event.
NEW for 2025!
We will suggest practical reflective practice for this event to support you in implementing your key takeaways from this session in the classroom.
We’ll also offer a toolkit of additional resources to help, which may include further documentation, videos or links to valuable resources/websites.
Please join our Facebook Group, Sensory Support Spaghetti, to connect with us and other like-minded professionals – for everything sensory!
NEW FOR 2025!
