A summary of the results, presented in more
detail in a PTI/PTUK paper 'An Effective Way
of Promoting Children’s Wellbeing and
Alleviating Emotional, Behavioural and
Mental Health Problems - the Latest
Research' shows that between 74% and
83% of children receiving play
therapy, delivered to PTUK/PTI standards,
show a positive change.
The more severe
the problems the greater the percentage of
children showing a positive change.
74% for those with slight/moderate problems,
83% for those with severe problems
Age also has an effect on improvement:
Generally speaking the younger the child the
greater the percentage of children showing a
positive change: 80% at age 6 - 71% at age
12 - early help is the most
effective.
Girls show a higher
improvement rate than boys, 79% compared to
73%.
The average cost of using play and creative
arts therapies is estimated at £693 per
child. This estimate is based upon an
overall average of 15.4 sessions,
applying a cost per session of £45. For
every £1 invested annually in targeted
services designed to catch problems early
and prevent problems from reoccurring,
society benefits by between £7.60 and £9.20.
(National Economic Foundation 2011).
Play and creative therapies should therefore
give a notional return to society of at
least £5267 in the long term. However this
does not give the full picture because there
are many short term benefits, specific to
the setting, for example: better academic
results and less stress for teachers; more
successful fostering placements; faster
response to medical treatment.
The
statistics in this report are based on
analyses of data selected from a total
database of 8026 cases, with 10,744
pre and post therapy observations
by referrers and parents received from
507 PTUK/PTI registered
practitioners.
The full six page paper is available for you
to download.
New Blended Learning Route for the MA in Practice Based Play Therapy
APAC has developed a new route for stage 3 (modules 7 and 8) of the programme by which you may gain your MA in Practice Based Play Therapy.
Stages 1 and 2, The Post Graduate Certificate in Therapeutic Play and Post Graduate Diploma in Play Therapy remain delivered as experiential exercises,
clinical work and face to face presentations and demonstrations. The route started on 5th November 2011.
The advantages of this new blended learning route are:
- Work at home, at your own pace – study is more enjoyable
- No travel and accommodation costs – save money
- No time away from home needed – less hassle in your domestic life
- Personalised Academic Supervisor and Tutor support – based on your individual learning style
- More efficient drafting of your research proposal and dissertation including access to the unique PTI/PTUK database of play therapy
clinical outcomes – less time required and better quality work
The blended learning methods, include on-line availability of structured course material, electronic transmission of assignments and feedback,
personal tuition and support by your Academic Supervisor by phone, email or Skype, electronic discussion group ‘etc For details see:
http://www.playtherapy.org.uk/TrainingCourses/TrainCrseAPACMA1.htm
UK Regulation of Play Therapy –
New Government Policy 2011
The HPC route is
dead - long live CHRE/PSA!
As previously reported
Play Therapy UK and the British Association
of Play Therapists (BAPT) held
four meetings, to submit a
joint application for the regulation of the
profession using registered titles through
the Health Professions Council (HPC).
We had reached the stage where our
application would have been submitted in September
2011.
However the Coalition Government have
introduced a 'Right Touch' policy to be implemented
by the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence
(CHRE) shortly
to be renamed the Professional Standards Authority
(PSA).
No new applications will be accepted by the HPC.
The new system will be based on accredited Assured
Voluntary Registers (AVRs) From July 2012 the PSA
will set standards for organisations (such as PTUK)
that hold voluntary registers for practioners who
are involved in providing health and social care for
people in a variety of different ways but who do
not, by law, have to be on a statutory register.
Professional Standards Authority
Accreditation Scheme for Assured Voluntary
Registers
The government has asked CHRE/PSA to set up
a system to strengthen public protection by
encouraging organisations that hold
voluntary registers to be effective. The PSA
will therefore set standards that the
organisations holding the voluntary register
should meet and will accredit organisations
who apply and that meet the standards. The
PSA will accredit (or approve) them so that
health and social care practitioners wanting
to register, or employers, commissioners,
patients and the public wanting to choose
someone to work for them or provide them
with a service can see easily which
registers have met our standards.
PTUK was one of the first
organisations to contact CHRE, after the new policy
was announced, and as result we are in a group
of 19 professions that are being consulted by CHRE
to help them set appropriate standards.
The new Government policy allows
a profession, where there is more than one
professional organisation, such as Play Therapy, to
have a number of registers. This will give the
public and employers a choice. The main
proviso is that this should not create confusion.
BAPT and PTUK are continuing discussions to arrive
at an agreed set of competences that will be
required as a minimum entry level standard for a
'Play Therapist.'
PTUK welcomes this new
policy as a great improvement on the HPC
model because it is more flexible. We
have found CHRE very open and willing to
listen to our needs. We welcome the emphasis
on 'professionalism'. The 'group of
19' is stressing the importance that an AVR
must be perceived as being of at least equal
in quality to that of an HPC register. Provided everything
goes smoothly, it appears that PTUK will be
able to submit its application to the PSA in
July 2012.
Our optimistic forecast is
the end of 2012 for regulation to be in
place for play therapy.
This date is actually an improvement on our last forecast!
New Taxonomy available for comment
One of PTUK's most important research
priorities is the development of a taxonomy so that our research
data may be anaalysed more effectively. For example to answer
questions such as 'How effective is play therapy for children
referred as having anxiety conditions?' The taxonomy will also
enable reserachers using the single case study method to
leverage their data by comparing their results to the larger
number of cases in our database. The proposed taxonomy has
been approved by PTUK's Research Advisory Board and is now
available for comments from practioner members.
Collaborative Partnership With Canterbury Christ
Church University
APAC News – Maintaining the Lead in Play Therapy
Training
The Academy of Play and Child
Psychotherapy (APAC), the foremost play therapy
training provider, is a sister organisation of Play
Therapy UK (PTUK), sharing facilities and
management.
It has a key collaborative partnership with
Canterbury Christ Church University who accredit
APAC’s post graduate play therapy courses.
Collaborative Partnership With Canterbury Christ Church University
Overseas Venues
The Academy
of Play and Child Psychotherapy (APAC) is delighted
to announce that its collaborative partnership with
Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU) in the
UK, has been extended to cover the delivery of the
MA in Practice Based Play Therapy programme in
Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Malta and New Zealand.
Forthcoming ‘Post Graduate
Certificate in Therapeutic Play Skills’ and ‘Post
Graduate Diploma in Play Therapy’ courses to be
delivered by APAC, as stages 1 and 2 in the Masters
programme, in these countries are subject to a venue
check by the University as scheduled below:
|
Australia: Medina
Centre Coogee Beach, Sydney, NSW |
October 2010 |
|
Canada: Venue to be
arranged |
2011 |
|
Hong Kong |
September 2010 |
|
Malta: Venue to be arranged |
March 2011 |
|
New Zealand: Novotel, Hamilton |
September 2010 |
The
academic awards will be made by
Canterbury Christchurch University; each of the
three stages results in the award of 60 Level 7
credits .
The professional,
clinical awards will be made by Play Therapy
International (PTI) as
certificates
of practice: ‘Practitioner in Therapeutic Play
Skills’ and ‘Certified Play Therapist’.
The programme will be the
first and only one at
Post Graduate and Masters level, accredited by a
recognised university, in Play Therapy, in each of
these countries.
By meeting the highest academic standards and
the PTI international standards of practice
competencies, it will enhance successful trainees'
professional credibility and earning power.
It will enable them to achieve professional
parity with other mental health professionals.
The collaborative partnership
between APAC and CCCU has been in existence since
2006 in the United Kingdom where the programme is
delivered at 9 venues in the UK, Ireland and France.
The programme has become the most successful in
Europe in terms of clinical results with the
children (see research page/section) and number of
trainees.
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QAA Audit Result – Congratulations to Canterbury!
Canterbury Christ Church
University has received the highest Quality
Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) rating –
‘Complete Confidence’ - following an audit earlier
this year.
A significant part of this audit included
managing collaborative partnerships focussing on the
one with APAC because of its multi venue delivery of
post graduate play therapy training courses.
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Ireland – APAC/CCCU Courses Recognised as Equivalent
to Irish University Degrees
The National Qualifications Authority of Ireland
(the NQAI) have approved the alignment of the
following three awards with the National Framework
of Qualifications (the NFQ):
·
Postgraduate Certificate in Therapeutic Play Skills
·
Postgraduate Diploma in Practice Based Play Therapy
·
MA in Practice Based Play
Therapy
This means that participants successfully completing
the courses will have awards fully equivalent to
those made by an Irish university and are at
level 9.
This is an important consideration for employers.
The APAC/CCCU programme is the
ONLY
play therapy training running in Ireland (as at
August 2010) at this level, that is accredited by a
University with approved Irish equivalence.
The detailed alignment of the awards with the
National Framework of Qualifications is shown in the
table below:
|
Award
|
Level on FHEQ for England, Wales and
Northern Ireland
|
UK Credits
|
Irish NFQ Level
|
Irish NFQ Award-Type
|
ECTS Credits
|
|
Postgraduate Certificate in Therapeutic Play
Skills
|
Postgraduate Certificate
Level 7
|
60
|
Level 9
|
n/a
|
30
|
|
Postgraduate Diploma in Play Therapy
|
Postgraduate Diploma
Level 7
|
120
|
Level 9
|
Post Graduate Diploma
|
60
|
|
MA in Practice Based Play Therapy
|
Masters Degree
Level 7
|
180
|
Level 9
|
Masters Degree
|
90
|
The programme provides incremental progression for
those interested in a career within Play Therapy.
The programme is usually delivered on a part-time
basis over three years. Year one leads to a Post
Graduate Certificate comprising 60 UK credits (30
ECTS); year two leads to Post Graduate Diploma
comprising 120 UK credits (60 ECTS) and year three
leads to an MA comprising 180 UK credits (90 ECTS).
All awards are at FHEQ Level 7.
UK Credits are double ECTS e.g. 120 UK credits equal
60 ECTS.
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2010 Summer Schools – Another Successful Season
The
sixth Summer School, held at the La Mouline
Training Centre at St Genest, Tarn in the South
of France was attended by 40 participants and
two new trainee Course Directors.
The Post Graduate Certificate in
Therapeutic Play Skills and the Post Graduate
Diploma in Play Therapy attracted participants
from 11 countries, maintaining the international
flavour of the programme.
Interestingly delegates from the more remote
parts of Scotland found that the courses were
less costly than attending five, three day
weekends, in the UK, even taking into account
the weak pound.
Good for budget airlines! Only Lufthansa
from Munich was over two hours late!
Although there were more
cooler days and rain this year, there was still
plenty of sunshine and organic fruit and
vegetables from La Mouline’s gardener.
The lunches, were described as
‘fantastic.’
|
Although there were more cooler days and
rain this year, there was still plenty
of sunshine and organic fruit and
vegetables from La Mouline’s gardener.
The lunches, were described as
‘fantastic’
|
 
|
|
|
The
certificate course was plagued for half a day
with electricity cuts.
No storms, no line repairs, no excessive
load.
A call for Ricard (the electrician, not
the French drink) who with his multitude of test
meters found the cause - ants in the external
lights wiring!
As for the teaching –
“I'm really feel lucky that I had the
opportunity to be part of the certificate group
because my dream is coming true..... THANKS FOR
INVENTING THIS COURSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm
sure that all the children that I will be
helping will want to say this phrase to you.....
“
Next year’s dates are:
Post Graduate Certificate
in Therapeutic Play Skills
Saturday 23th July 2011 to 6th August 2011
Post
Graduate Diploma in Play Therapy
Sunday 7th August 2011 to 21st August 2011
For details of courses
to top of page
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2010 Play Therapy World Congress
Following 18 months of planning and preparation,
the 2010 Play Therapy World Congress took
place between May 13th and 24th
in Marrakech, Morocco. It produced an attendance of 598
delegate days. A more appropriate sub title
might have been ‘We shall overcome!’
The President of PTI,
Monika Jephcott, sincerely thanked the
presenters and delegates, whose commitment
and resolution, overcame many difficulties
to attend. “You came from the corners of the
earth by air and by land and although, as
far as we know, no one travelled on the
Marrakesh Express, many had nerve wracking
journeys.” She then reviewed the progress
made by PTI/PTUK since 2004.
Her concluding remark, “Although
therapeutic play has a serious purpose, play
is also about having fun” was followed by an
amazing drumming session in which the whole
audience participated. This was one of the
really memorable highlights of the Congress.
At the conclusion of the drumming
Monika announced: “As a gesture of
appreciation to all of you who overcame the
problems to attend – the drum is yours, to
take home!”
A wonderful gasp of surprise came
from the audience. (Hear it on the Congress
video).
Watch a short video capturing the spirit of the Congress
The majority of the Plenary session was devoted
to four key note
addresses. Mike Shooter,
Chairman of the Mental Health Foundation,
Chairman of Young Minds and pat President of the
Royal College of Psychiatrists, addressed the
theme of integrating the deployment
of the psychological professions –
working together for the benefit of the
children. In addition to the ‘four Ps’ he
reminded us that a fifth ‘Passion’ was vital.
He stressed the importance of taking
therapeutic risks at crucial moments and also
the significance of ‘windows of opportunity’
opening at unexpected times, often at times when
a fully trained play therapist is not available.
How can we deal with this situation?
Sue Gerhardt,
psychoanalytic psychotherapist, author of
the influential ‘Why Love Matters’ and the
recently published ‘The Selfish Society’ showed
us how we can create a more loving society to
get away from a self centred one,.
This may be achieved by focusing on how
adults pass on their emotional skills to the
babies in their care.
This theme was further developed in the
afternoon session by Dr Fraser Brown
showing how play as a therapeutic tool was used
to repair the emotional damage that the Romanian
orphans had suffered.
His main perspective has been mainly play
work, but with a potential therapeutic
perspective
This suggests that there should be more
collaboration and integration between Play
Workers and Play Therapists.
Our
final keynote speaker - Sir Richard Bowlby
– returned to the most significant source of
emotional problems – insecure attachment
- by examining the psychological coping
mechanisms used by babies, toddlers and young
children who experience disruptions to
attachment relationships.
In a separate interview he paid tribute
to the ways in which PTI and APAC have
incorporated attachment theory into their model
of play therapy. (see Congress video for
interviews with all four key note presenters).
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Workshop Programme – the
Proven and the New
During the next three days 52 workshops/seminars
took place..
27 of these presented proven methods that
enabled Play Therapists to extend their skills
and the range of children’s conditions that they
could work with.
The other 25 presented completely new
material – the leading edge of therapeutic play.
A selection of these innovations will be
developed by PTI/PTUK in conjunction with their
originators with the intention of disseminating
them into widespread practice.
PTI is analysing and reflecting upon the
Congress Just as good therapists do in their own
practice.
So far four main themes are being
explored, two of them concerned with the
implementation of practice.
Conditional rolling programmes
In her opening address the President referred to
the limited success of ‘projects’, especially
the inability to achieve sustainability.
This is a complex problem when attempting
to introduce play therapy into countries that
are developing economies but it is also an issue
in the developed world.
One main reason is the allocation of
funding, which is often only issued a year at a
time and tied to annual contracts.
We have become conditioned to this fixed, short
term way of working.
But effective therapeutic work with a
population of children requires continuity - a
sustainable programme for at least five years
and ideally forever.
We don’t expect our doctor’s surgery or
our dentist to disappear after a year.
However, play therapy is still an emergent
profession and it is only in the last three
years that PTI has provided a credible body of
research that proves its effectiveness.
So realistically we can’t expect the
decision takers to commission unconditional,
open ended programmes.
What we can justifiably ask for is a staged
programme where permission to proceed to the
next stage is dependent upon the results of the
previous one.
The important thing is to get approval in
principle to the overall rolling programme.
The stages will each need to have
milestones that specify their outcomes.
‘If we achieve x then we will proceed to
y’.
As each stage is completed further ones are
added to the programme, continually extending
the time horizon.
This is a different approach to a
project, which has a definite ending.
Of course projects can be included as
parts of stages in a conditional programme but
they must be regarded as stepping stones, not
the whole trip.
Working with younger children
All keynote speakers provided examples of the
importance of working therapeutically with
babies and infants.
Our latest outcomes research confirms
neuroscience findings upon the plasticity of the
brain – the ability of the brain to change its
configuration is greater, the younger we are.
In general our members are trained to
work with children aged 5 upwards.
Some of the workshops also provided
techniques relevant to very young children This
is another area for development over the next
few years.
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This is the end of the news!
