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The government is planning the regulation through the registration of title of a number of the mental health professionals such as Counsellors, Psychotherapists and Play Therapists by 2008, which PTUK regards, at present (April 2006), as being an optimistic date.
PTUK is currently participating with a number of professional organisations including BACP, UKCP and BAPT in discussions and working parties with the Health Professions Council (HPC) as well as providing input to the HPC directly.
Some professional titles, such as Arts Therapists, already registered with the HPC require a Masters degree qualification but others do not. It is far from clear what the requirements will eventually be. Any statements made that suggest that HPC standards have already been set for Play Therapists are not true and are misleading.
The training programme offered by APAC to PTUK standards covers all likely eventualities. We encourage all students to complete the Post Graduate Certificate in Therapeutic Play Skills and the Post Graduate Diploma in Play Therapy courses, including a total of 200 hours clinical work, to become a PTUK Certified Play Therapist and then to reach a total of 450 hours to become a PTUK Accredited Play Therapist. We also require evidence of clinical governance.
We suggest that students may wish to complete the MA in Practice Based Play Therapy, by dissertation, if they have a particular interest in play therapy research, to advance their career prospects or for personal satisfaction. At present it is not necessary to have an Masters level degree to become a Play Therapist. To suggest otherwise would be dishonest. There is no evidence, at the moment, to show that play therapy practitioners with an MA produce better clinical outcomes than those who do not have one. It may or may not be a future HPC requirement.
If however, you wish to 'cover all bases' by all means continue onto APAC's MA part of the programme.
HPC's policy is to set 'entry level' standards to safeguard the public. Professional organisations such as PTUK may then set their own higher standards. We believe that our current standards originally set in 2000 are at a higher level when compared to professional titles already registered by the HPC.
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