We run our sessions at:

Fleming Fulton School, South Belfast

Brook Leisure Centre, Dunmurry

Templemore Baths, East Belfast

For the most up-to-date schedule, please check our about page or social media channels.

Aquatic therapy offers a unique environment that supports physical, emotional, and sensory development in a calm and engaging way. Our sessions are designed to meet your child where they are helping them build strength, confidence, and a sense of belonging.

Building Strength and Stability

Moving against the resistance of water helps strengthen your child’s muscles, especially in their core and spine and it all happens while having fun! Stronger muscles support better posture in daily activities like sitting, walking, or running. Over time, this strength can also help your child take part in more complex movement tasks, including sports and play. A strong core also supports fine motor skills, like using cutlery, writing, or drinking from a cup which helps build independence in self-care and everyday tasks.

Promoting Confident Movement and Coordination

With the right support, your child can move more freely and confidently in the water. The buoyancy of water reduces the impact on joints, making it easier to practise new movements. Activities like floating, kicking, balancing, and splashing help develop better coordination between arms, legs, and the rest of the body, all supporting healthy, functional movement.

Supporting Sensory Needs and Calm Bodies

The water can have a powerful calming effect on your child’s nervous system. The gentle pressure and movement can help your child feel more settled, more focused, and more ready to engage and learn. This improved regulation can support better communication and interaction with others. Many of our buddies feel more comfortable in the water than on land and that’s where they truly shine.

Boosting Confidence and Emotional Wellbeing

Our sessions are built on trust, safety, and fun. We celebrate what your child can do, not what they can't. Every splash, smile, and small step matters. Feeling successful in the water builds self-esteem and encourages emotional resilience that often carries over into everyday life.

Supporting Routines and Transitions

Our sessions follow a predictable rhythm each week, helping your child feel more secure and confident. We also offer social stories and videos of our pools to help you prepare your child for new environments or changes to routine here.

Each session lasts 30 minutes. We offer one-to-one lessons tailored to individual needs. Sessions focus on water safety, confidence-building and swimming techniques through engaging, sensory-friendly activities. We also have progression classes to Rookie Lifeguard training for our seasoned Buddies.

Whilst we originally began our programme exclusively for children with autism, we have developed into supporting a wide range of neurodiverse and individual needs, that other programmes don't often cater for.

Autism Swim is an external training certification programme all our coaches must complete and refresh annually. It specialises in inclusive aquatics and drowning prevention for individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and all abilities, offering training and certification for aquatic professionals. It incorporates evidence-based techniques to help swimmers feel safe, comfortable, and confident in the water. Our instructors are trained to adapt lessons to suit each child's unique requirements eg. Visual Aids, Makaton. We are proud to have been awarded the Gold Standard of approval by AS and wear our badge with pride!

Simply visit our registration page here and complete our online form. Once there is availability, we’ll get back to you with a start date and location. The Programme is fully booked at the moment, but we’re always working to add more classes and locations to ease the schedule.

Check out our useful resources on water safety, Submersion Injury and our handy Pool Prep guides for each location.

Helping your child feel comfortable with water at home can make a big difference! Try:

• Bathtime play to get used to water on the face

• Pouring water over their head gently to reduce sensitivity - why not try a plastic colander?

• Watching swimming videos together - check out our promo video here

• Reading our blog and guides for more tips

Here’s a checklist of what to bring: ✅ Swimwear ✅ Towel (not ponchos, keep it easy to get on/off) ✅ Swim nappies (if required) ✅ Goggles (optional but recommended) ✅ A change of clothes ✅ Any comfort items your child may need

✅ Snacks for after

✅ Smiles!

Check out our Swimming Buddies shop for exclusive products - great for gifts!

Every child is different and learn individually. Some children become water confident quickly, while others take more time to build their skills. We focus on a fun, supportive learning environment where each child progresses at their own pace. Water safety is our main goal with Swimming Buddies and that can look as unique as our children.

Due to our specialised approach and 1:1 class structure, spaces fill up quickly and we love that our Buddies stay with us when they join our programme. We prioritise providing high-quality individually lead coaching. When places do become available we will be in touch via telephone.