'The beach really provides that happy place': the surf school for children with additional needs

Inspired by an inclusive surf school in the US, Tom Losey set up Liquid Therapy to cater for children with complex physical and mental needs

Tom Losey gives a surfing lesson to Aoife Reed. Picture: Darragh Gorman

In 2006, Tom Losey was volunteering with an inclusive surf school in the United States when he saw the transformative effect being in the water had on a child with additional needs.

The experience inspired him to establish Liquid Therapy in 2011, an inclusive surf school in Ballyshannon, Donegal, which caters for children with complex physical and mental needs for free.

More than a decade on, Liquid Therapy has provided 4,000 surfing-related sessions, catered for about 2,000 children, provided about 3,000 respite hours and developed 11 different child-led programmes with the help of over 200 volunteers.

Liquid Therapy has become Ireland’s first inclusive surf centre in the country and has achieved charity status.

Speaking to this newspaper, Tom reflected on the experience had in the US that led to the establishment of Liquid Therapy.

He had travelled to the United States to volunteer with Surfers Healing, a surf school that offered inclusive lessons to children with autism.

One day, in 2006, a child who was awaiting a diagnosis arrived at the event.

“This family had come a long way but, because their child wasn’t diagnosed, he couldn’t take part in the programme because it was only for kids with a diagnosis of autism,” Tom explained. 

“The dad had broken his leg the week before and the mum was terrified of the water so they couldn’t take their son into the water and he was very distressed.

“I volunteered to take him into the water, and as the water crept up his body, he just relaxed.

“His hands came down and a big smile came across his face. It was a huge transformation.” 

Bastian Quindara and Kieran Nugent. Picture: Darragh Gorman

Tom arrived in Ireland shortly after and began working for a surf school. Every now and then, he would be asked to take children with autism out on the water.

Realising the need for a dedicated service in Ireland, Tom established Liquid Therapy in 2011.

The service is operated by a team of five core staff, dozens of volunteers, and with help and goodwill from the local community, Tom explained.

“We’ve never charged for any of our programmes,” he said. 

It was one of the pillars when we first started — there shouldn’t be any barriers, it’s all about removing barriers. 

“If we work with a sports partnership or a third party and they want to provide something specific for their group, they’ll cover the costs but the families will never be charged.

“We also receive funding from Bank of Ireland, who we applied to for funds.

“We have such great support and goodwill from people, communities and organisations across the country,” he added.

Although Liquid Therapy started out as a service for children with autism, it has seen its client base grow to include children with physical disabilities and mental health issues in recent years.

“Our tagline is that, no matter what the barrier is, we’re there to help you find where you’re happiest in the water,” said Tom.

“Post-Covid, we’re seeing a lot of kids with stress and anxiety and we’ve built a mental health programme as a result of that.

“We had to stop during Covid and during that time we built a really strong mental health programme with the help of mental health practitioners, psychologists, psychotherapists and early years specialists. 

“That mental health framework now underpins all of our programmes.

It’s not just about going surfing — it’s about working on confidence, balance, breathing, awareness and more, and putting in a toolkit of resiliency that the kids can use in everyday life, not just out on the water. 

“Liquid Therapy now is what it was set up to be — all-inclusive.” 

Over the past decade, Liquid Therapy has developed almost a dozen inclusive, child-led programmes that encourage being out in nature and in the water.

Peadar Kerrigan on the water with volunteer Ciaran McCormack. Picture: Darragh Gorman

Tom highlighted the benefits of working one-to-one with children in small groups, to ensure trust and relationships can develop, and that children feel part of a group without feeling overwhelmed.

“What’s beautiful about surfing is that you can be on the board in the water and be very much on your own, but you’re also in a group environment if you want to be a bit more social,” he said.

“It’s not like a team sport where you’re either in or out.

“The beach really provides that happy place.” 

Tom explained the programmes also have a positive impact on the parents and siblings of the children involved. 

“That respite for parents is hugely powerful as well,” he said. 

“Usually, respite for parents might be sitting in a waiting room while their child sees a specialist.

“Here, they’re also out in the outdoors getting all those benefits as well, and they’re seeing their child go on a transformative journey as well.” 

Liquid Therapy also operates sibling camps to allow children with complex needs and their brothers and sisters to take part in activities together.

“So often, children with additional needs go to one camp or activity while their brothers and sisters go somewhere else,” Tom explained.

“Our sibling camps provide an activity that they can share. They’re doing their own thing in surfing but you’re part of that group environment.

“It’s providing that respite for families as well as a shared connection and interest between siblings.

“They’ve shared those memories,” he added.

Liquid Therapy also runs a long-term club for children who wish to remain in the group and on the water even after their original programme is completed. Tom explained the benefits of the charity’s programmes are clear for everyone to see.

“The turtle on our logo is all about encouraging people to come out of their shell in their own time, and encouraging that love of the water,” he said.

We’ve seen huge confidence gains for children, real social connectedness for them and their families, physical benefits as well because they’re surfing, and a love for a new sport that just grows and infects the whole family.

“We do this thing at the start of every session called ‘above the line or below the line’ where we draw a line in the sand and ask the kids how they’re feeling,” he added.

“If you feel positive, you stand above the line; if you feel a bit meh, you stand on or near the line; and if you’re having a bit of a bad day, you stand below the line. We just go and stand relative to how we’re feeling.

“We don’t look for details or ask questions about it, we’re just checking in.

“Then we go out into the water and do the activities and, when we’re finished, we come back to the line again.

“They always stand above where they stood at the beginning of the session.

“It’s a brilliant visual tool to let them see the impact that surfing and being out there on the water has on them.

“They realise that each time they do it, they feel better.

“When you’re in the water, you leave all your baggage on the beach — you’re in the moment,” Tom explained.

“The physical movement of the water, the environment and the activity of surfing which requires the use of both parts of the brain mean you can only be present in that moment — you can’t think about anything else.”