Welcome to TACPAC Sensory
TACPAC draws together touch and music to create a structured half hour of sensory communication between two people. TACPAC creates sensory alignment and helps people of any age who have sensory impairment, developmental delay, complex learning difficulties, tactile defensiveness, and limited or pre-verbal levels of communication.
TACPAC is accredited by NSW Education Standards Australia (NESA). It has the approval of the Teacher Registration Board WA (TRBWA) and aligns with the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.
Completing TACPAC training may be used as Teacher Identified Professional Development/Learning addressing: 1:1.5, 1:1.6, 2:2.2, 3:3.2, 3:3.4, 3:3.5, 4:4.1, 6:6.1, 6:6.2, 6:6.4, 7:7.4. from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers towards maintaining Proficient Teacher Accreditation.
Training in Australia
TACPAC History
TACPAC was first launched in 1997 in the UK and word quickly spread about its positive effect on both the giver and receiver of this sensory communication resource. Today it is used in thousands of schools and other settings both in the UK, Ireland, America, Canada, New Zealand.
Sensory Alignment
The principles of TACPAC are based on well-founded research in the field of music, touch and the sensory organisation they offer when presented together, called “Sensory Alignment”.
I have met a lot of wonderful Tacpackers on my various trainings over the years when I have visited, in NSW, WA and Victoria – a special hello to you all.
Tacpac continues to go from strength to strength in the UK. And we are proud to say Schools in NSW, WA and Victoria are already using Tacpac too. We now want to make Tacpac accessible for all our givers and receivers across Australia by training you – our givers – with our International Online Training and easy to use Tacpac Sets
Hilary Wainer, BMus MEd DipPsych, Founder TACPAC Ltd
TACPAC Research
To investigate the real impact of Sensory Alignment on those with complex communication and processing difficulties, we embarked on a research project aimed at determining the consistency and reliability of these positive outcomes.
For more information on our research findings please follow the link.
The research button takes you to our UK site tacpac.co.uk
Introducing TACPAC to Perth
Introducing Smitha George to head up our Australian team in Perth
Smitha George MA, BEd, Masters of Teaching Non Award program
Smitha is an experienced Special Education Educator and leader, and has experience teaching in three countries: India, Singapore and Australia. She was Assistant Principal for 6 years in Sydney NSW at 2 schools one with a student capacity of 900 plus and the other with a student capacity of 400 plus prior to moving to Perth in April 2022. Smitha was instrumental in the establishment of the Education Support Unit at the first school she was Assistant Principal. Her strengths, skills, expertise and passion lie in supporting and helping children and young adults who are disadvantaged and need additional support to be able to lead independent lives in society. Smitha was the recipient of the 2019 Principals Network Award for Best Classroom Practice in Special Education in the Western Sydney Directorate.
As an educator in a leadership role Smitha has knowledge and experience in:
- Managing the performance and development of teachers and support teachers.
- Initiating, leading and evaluating teachers to develop knowledge and skills in supporting students with additional needs.
- Cultivating a culture of high expectations and collaboration amongst all teachers and support teachers not only in the Support Unit but across the school
- Building networks with multi-disciplinary agencies (namely-Department of Community Justice, Local Police, Carers, Social Workers, Psychologists and Therapists) to put in place evidence-based strategies to best support students.
- Organising and implementing professional learning for Teachers and Support Teachers across Schools for Specific Purposes (SSP) in NSW and for Occupational Therapists and Speech Therapists across Sydney.
Starting your TACPAC journey
TACPAC is made up of sets of activities using bespoke music, with matching activities together with everyday objects which have different textures, giving the receiver a range of tactile experiences twinned with the music for that texture.
For our Australian Tacpackers we have created an own-pace, Online Essential Course to go with Set 1 and 2 and we are delighted to share this with you.
Sets 1 & 2
Own-pace Training
We recommend spending at least 6 months on one set, our sets come in pairs, giving you one year of continuous activity from your annual subscription. You’ll know when your receiver is really using the sensory language and vocabulary you have built up over the months, when your records show that they are at the interactive stage. At that point, you can choose to rest TACPAC for a while, or to go on to the next set.
The online course is a simple and convenient way to learn about TACPAC. The online course covers topics such as sensory overload, the Limbic System and Deep Pressure. The course will help you get the most out of your TACPAC sessions.
The presenter had good knowledge of the material and was enthusiastic in presenting it to the participants. Watching the videos and seeing the children respond to this program is very inspiring.
The training was really informative. The explanations regarding sensory communication and the limbic system were especially interesting. The video clips and accompanying explanations were invaluable-it is so easy to miss tiny, subtle responses.
I think the idea of TACPAC is amazing the connection and communication that occurs is incredible.
The power of music! it’s crazy to think and understand how that impacts a person.
The students have been extremely responsive and I am loving seeing the interactions between the pairs of givers and receivers.
The sounds our students make and the way in which they are expressing their views through movement and vocalisations is amazing. I have a student who has actually made up her own signing for tacpac and every time she sees me she signs to me asking if it is tacpac today.
Very valuable information, great materials. I used the materials at school, read up about it a lot. But this course has really tickled my interest.
Getting your Sets and Training Course Bundle
Contact us to purchase sets and own-pace training
If you would like us to help you organise your sets and own-pace training, please let us know. Alternatively if you just want to buy them now please use the second option and purchase them through our UK online shop.
Our Latest News & Updates
TACPAC in the UK
TACPAC is a well-established and well-respected resource in the Special Educational Needs community and is piloting new products and ideas with educational and health settings. Launched in 2007 TACPAC has established itself as a leading name in the field of Special Needs and Sensory Processing Disorder. It is used in around 15,000 schools in the UK alone and has a burgeoning presence in Europe, Canada, Australia, and America.
I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed the inservice day yesterday with Susie Fuller at St Andrews School in Inverurie. Susie’s delivery was engaging and motivating and I was in admiration of the amount of knowledge she had and was able to share with us.
I just wanted to say how impressed I am. My son has excellent language skills. At the end of the first session, he asked me if he looked different. When I told him he looked the same and asked why, he said that his body felt different. He couldn’t wait to do Tacpac before bed last night, and fell asleep quite easily.
work alongside a group of people with PMLD who really benefit from and thoroughly enjoy the use of Tacpac. We have used it for a couple of years now and have been really impressed with the way our service users have reacted to it and how much staff enjoy.
I was introduced to Tacpac 16 years ago while working as a Speech Therapist for children with cerebral palsy, now 16 years later I am the proud mum of twins, both with special needs and they love their Tacpac. We use Tacpac everyday to increase body awareness, bond and communicate. It also helps the twins relearn that touch is nice and comforting and not painful and distressing they would’ve experience in ICU. We are Tacpac’s biggest fans!
I have been working with children with special needs for the past seven years. I have been amazed at the transformation in children who have been exposed to Tacpac. As there are no trainers that I know of in the Perth area, I am interested in becoming a trainer to enable more children to reap the benefits of this wonderful program.
Hilary, You have given much joy to many with your creation of Tacpac. You really have made a difference to the lives of many children and their families.
Thanks so much for letting us use Set 5 during lockdown. We both absolutely love the sessions. It’s a great way to spend quality, meaningful time together. Even over just 3 months I have seen a massive improvement in my daughter’s anticipation, communication and emotional attachment. We will definitely carry on with Tacpac in the future – it’s one of the best parts of the day.
I really enjoyed it. It was so interesting to hear about the limbic system and even though I’ve been using TACPAC I certainly haven’t been using it quite right to it’s great that I can refine it! I would have loved to have heard about consent within it – it was suggested but not talked about specifically and I think it’s something people don’t always consider when it comes to people with special needs.
TACPAC in the Community
We deliver face to face trainings, and live, online trainings to schools, parents, care homes and many other health and educational settings across the UK. We have trained over 3000 people from Teachers, Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Care Home workers and NHS workers.
Would you like a postcard to download and print for your colleagues to see?
Please use the download button to get your postcard size printout. Alternatively get in touch and we can send you some!
