Teaches groups of children with motor disorders through series of rhythmic movements guided by a trained 'conductor'. The movements are built up to form the elements of skills such as grasping or balance. Rhymes, songs etc, reinforce and consciously describe to the children the activities being undertaken. Incorporated into a fixed timetable of day-to-day tasks. The 'move and walk' programme in Hungary has developed from Peto. Services for children under three years are often free. Over the age of three, occasionally local authorities will pay for services under a Statement of Special Educational Needs, but usually families have to find the funding themselves.
A list of conductive education facilities, in the UK and abroad, is found at http://tinyurl.com/2bh6r2 (by the National Institute of Conductive Education, tel: 0121 449 1569).
Bourke-Taylor H. et al., Conductive education: a functional skills program for children with cerebral palsy. Physical and Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics 2007;27(1):45-62. Includes a review of evidence to date.
