Introduction - The Need for Practitioners of Therapeutic Play
PTUK estimates that there is a latent need in the UK for at least 10000
practitioners using therapeutic play, creative arts and play therapy
skills. There are probably less than 1000 therapists at present with the
level of expertise that is required so there are plenty of potential
career opportunities.
We encourage new entrants to the profession and professionals with
existing experience of working therapeutically with adults or others who
have experience of working with children.
PTUK has developed a Career Development Map (in 2 parts) and a four
stage training model as a part of the Profession Structure Model. These
provide considerable flexibility in terms of previous career background
and aspirations to cater for as many people as possible.
New Entrants
Mature Entrants
Arts, drama, music, movement and other creative arts therapists
Counsellors, psychotherapists, clinical psychologists and psychiatrists
Health Professionals
Teaching Professionals
Social Service Professionals
Care Professionals
Mapping PTUK's Model to Others
PTUK offers careers advice for
anyone interested in developing their career using therapeutic play
skills or in becoming a Certified Play Therapist.
Enquiry form.
School leavers who are interested in making a
career in this field are advised to first undertake a degree course with
some relevance such as childhood studies, psychology or social sciences
ideally with an option involving children's development. They should
then arrange to attend a stage 1 course in order to decide if they wish
to proceed to a post graduate Certificate, Diploma or MA programme
accredited by PTUK...
Mature entrants who have considerable experience of working with children but no relevant formal
qualifications or a first level degree are also welcomed into the
profession via perhaps stage 1 foundation or conversion courses.
Because circumstances vary considerably it is best to seek advice using
PTUK's
free career advisory service.
The profession badly needs your experience adapted to working with children.
A Play Therapist requires a range of tools so that you will also be able
to add other ways of working creatively to your existing skills.
You may be able to commence your play therapy training at Diploma
stage according to your experience and aspirations. For more details see
Career Development - Part 1
(Practitioner paths)
Play therapy offers you an opportunity to develop non talking therapy
skills which you will be able to use with adults as well as children.
Therapeutic play skills will also be useful systemically in, for
example, working with families where children are an important issue.
You may be able to commence your play therapy training at Diploma
stage according to your experience and aspirations. For more details see
Career Development - Part 1
(Practitioner paths)
PTUK also arranges specially designed
programmes for local groups, counselling services and for in-house training.
Play therapy offers
health professionals such as doctors, nurses
and occupational therapists an opportunity alleviate childrens'
emotional, behaviour and mental health problems. Therapeutic play
skills will also be useful systemically in, for example, working with
families where the childrens' conditions are an important issue.
Including Teachers, SENCOS and Educational Psychologists are increasingly using therapeutic play skills
to work on behaviour problems as well as alleviating emotional
conditions that prevent children reaching their full academic potential.
Therapeutic play enables the development of the holistic child and
support the emotional literacy component of the curriculum.
Teaching and Learning Assistants may use therapeutic play skills to
enhance their career opportunities and integrate play therapy into the
school.
PTUK also arranges specially designed programmes for local clusters of schools.
professionals may use play
therapy to assist children in transition and to support children who
have suffered abuse, trauma, attachment problems and loss. Play
therapy is valuable for children on the autistic spectrum and with other
physical / developmental disabilities.
For more details see
Career Development - Part 1 (Practitioner paths)
There is often confusion about educational levels in the UK. Two other frameworks in
widespread use are the University and QCA models. See table showing
PTUK's view on approximate correspondence and matching between stages and levels.
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