L6 Diploma in Relational Play and Creative Therapy, Children and Young People
This innovative, exciting programme will teach you the fundamentals of play and creative clinical practice with children and young people 4-18 years old, up to the age of 25 years for young people who are Care Leavers or those who have Special Educational Needs. Drawing on thought provoking theories which will enable you to develop your clinical understanding. This programme offers you the opportunity to apply your knowledge and newly learnt skills to working clinically with children. Play and creative media offers safety for children and young people to explore their experiences from their sub-conscious process, bringing it into conscious awareness whilst the therapist witnesses and holds the space. Within this programme you will learn non-directive play therapy and directive counselling techniques to work with a broad spectrum of mental health conditions, including neurodiversity and attachment difficulties.
The approach underpinning the course is based on a humanistic client centered perspective, including non-directive child led approaches and directive techniques based on the Play Therapy Dimension Model. Among others, the work of Rogers, Axline, Jung, Siegal, Perry, Bowlby, Winnicott, Hughes, Piaget, Vygotsky, Maslow and Erickson will be explored.
This programme has been designed and developed by experts within the field of attachment, child development, play therapy, counselling, clinical supervision, trauma, adoption, looked after children and multi-agency working. This extensive experience within the above fields has given us a deep understanding of the complexities impacting on children’s mental health, which has been translated into an intuitive dynamic and enhancing course. Students will learn through practical and academic experiences.
Once the course requirements have been met you will be awarded the title of Relational Play and Creative Therapist, Children and Young People.
This course is a Tailor-made qualification accredited by CPCAB (Counselling and Psychotherapy Central Awarding Body). CPCAB are the United Kingdom’s (UK’s) awarding organisation specialising in counselling. They are committed to the core values of counselling and high standards in training which focus on practitioner competence. CPCAB in the UK are regulated by The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulations (Ofqual), The Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) and Qualifications Wales. The only awarding organisation run by Counsellors for counsellors, their ethos aligns with the School of Play and Creative Therapies completely.
Relational Play and Creative Therapies training is a 24-month programme. 240 Guided Learning Hours (GLH) over the course of the two-year programme. With a requirement for completion of 160 clinical hours with clients aged 4 – 18 years old, up to 25 years SEN/care leavers.
The course is facilitated over 30 teaching days, spread over the duration of the 24 months. 24 days delivered from a venue classroom face-to-face with the remaining 6 days learning live online. Teaching days begin at 9.00 and conclude at 5.00pm. The day will include a morning and afternoon break and a 1-hour lunch break.
Students are required to fully engage with the learning topics. Learning will be completed by individual participation, dyad, triad and group work. Theoretical research is an essential requirement of this course to underpin clinical practice. Creative learning will develop self-awareness and reflective skills in preparation for clinical working.
Each cohort of students will have a named Lecturer who will be responsible for the facilitation of learning and undertaking students assessments.
Year 1 modules
Module 1:
Introduces students to the Relational Play and Creative Therapies Model of Therapy. Within this module students will learn the fundamentals of safe ethical practice including requirements for beginning non-directive clinical work, health and safety, managing a placement and therapeutic space, underpinning theories and the importance of personal process.
Module 2:
Students will learn the importance of undertaking Clinical assessments. Students will learn the practical application of clinical work, with exploration into the value of play and playfulness. Students will become familiar with the key theories and their implementation within Relational Play and Creative Therapy and how they apply to this therapeutic module.
Module 3:
Within this module students will gain a deeper understanding of theories in relation to child development. Students will explore and learn about the types of unconscious processing which can arise within therapeutic working. Through creative processes students will learn how to work with symbolism and metaphor within the therapeutic space.
Module 4:
Within this module students will understand the importance of Neurodiverse affirming practice and how to apply to their practice. Students will explore Neuroscientific theories and their application in order to gain a deeper insight into their clients well-being. Through experiential learning students will begin to learn the value of games within the therapeutic tools offered. Students will be introduced to clinical endings and the importance of writing clinical reports. Students will be taught the importance of self-care and how to access self-care opportunities.
Year 2 modules
Module 5:
Students will be introduced to working with young people and the importance of safe ethical and clinical practice with an older range (13-18 years, up to 25 years for care leavers and young people with special educational needs). Students will gain additional understanding of the referral and assessment process with young people this will include comparing and contrasting risk and risk assessing between children and young people. Students will explore equality, diversity and inclusion, and the underpinning theories.
Module 6:
Within this module students will explore underpinning theories including adolescent development, neuroscience, neurodiversity and how to work creatively using non-directively and directively skills with this age range. There will be a focus on report writing and the role of the therapist in professional meetings representing the client.
Module 7:
Students will explore key theories linked to adolescent development and their lived experiences impacting their mental health and well-being. This module provides a deeper insight into trauma and the impact of secondary trauma. Within this module students will continue to develop their knowledge and therapeutic skills as they explore creative media to enable therapeutic processes with young people.
Module 8:
This module introduces the concept of reflective peer supervision to explore a piece of clinical work. Students will learn and consider their career path and the legislatory requirements after completing training moving into employment or private practice.
Entry requirements
- Aged 25 or over
- Level 4 qualification or above
- 2 years’ experience of working with children or young people
- Enhanced DBS check
- Two suitable references (one from employer/tutor or professional)
- Attendance at an online interview
Accreditation
Accredited by:
We'd love to hear from you!
If you have any queries please don’t hesitate to get in touch:
Subscribe
Stay up-to-date with news, new courses and events.
Upcoming course dates and venues
Play
Is a child’s first language of expression and is important for children’s development. Play begins very early between the infant and main carer. The infant plays using their senses, repeating play behaviours to assimilate and accommodate knowledge to learn about the world they live within.
Children engaged in child-initiated play learn how to make choices directing their own play without instructions or rules. Children try out ideas, problem solve, develop their imagination and creativity, interact with others, regulate feelings, gain a sense of purpose and negotiate with others.
Play Work
Play Therapy
Relational Play and Creative Therapy
Is a child centered Play Therapy model which incorporates Axline’s non-directive approach to working with children and directive skills drawing on Rogers’ core conditions. The combination of these two models of therapeutic working ensure Relational Play and Creative Therapists are equipped to work with children from 4 – 18 years, and up to 25 years with young people who are care leavers or who have Special Educational Needs. Relational Play and Creative Therapy is based on the power of relationships being a key process in the therapeutic work undertaken between client and therapist or building the attachment relationship between clients and carers. This model of therapy equips you to therapeutically be with children and young people who have a wide range of emotional and psychological difficulties that are challenging and can be seen by the wider world as problematic.
Relational Play and Creative Therapists are equipped with the knowledge to understand trauma and the devastating impact trauma has on clients’ development, attachments, behaviours and mental health. Through the use of play and creative opportunities clients will lead their process to safely explore their thoughts and feelings from their sub-conscious, in the presence of a therapist who is attuned, accepting and curious. Using the therapeutic tools the client will gain a deeper insight and process their traumatic experiences with their therapist. Clinical Supervision is an ethical requirement for Relational Play and Creative Therapists.
