Therapeutic Play
Therapeutic play can be used for children with mild to moderate emotional health problems.
Therapeutic Play Practitioners have the basic training to work therapeutically with children using play, (Post Graduate Certificate). They would be working within an organisation, such as a school, and following their safeguarding procedures.
Therapeutic Play Practitioners have 100 hours experience of using a non-directive approach to working therapeutically with children.
Therapeutic play allows children to express themselves through play, with the therapist reflecting on their emotions and actions in their play.
Therapeutic play may also be used as a method of detecting more serious problems that may be dealt with by referring on to a Play Therapist, Child Psychotherapist or other mental health specialist. A therapeutic relationship is established and because there is a degree of clinical responsibility, clinical supervision is essential. Therapeutic play has a valuable function in preventing slight or mild problems becoming worse.