Music therapy has been incorporated into many social intervention and prevention fields. It uses music’s expressive and motivational qualities to enrich people’s well-being, as well as their mental, physical and spiritual health. Music therapy has been an integral part of the social pediatrics approach in Québec since 2011, but no research has been done linking the two approaches.

In her Master’s thesis, Sandrine Zuyderhoff develops a theoretical framework for the use of music therapy in community social pediatrics practice. Her study is based on her own experience as a music therapist with the Fondation du Dr Julien, as well as her colleagues’ work in various centres. This study is really an open-ended discussion on the concerns and benefits of using music therapy in the social pediatrics context. It helps us understand not only the various principles involved, but also the issues faced by music therapists. This original approach is the first study examining the impacts of combining the two practices. As such, it constitutes an important tool to further develop and promote the use of music therapy throughout the community social pediatrics network.