Post Graduate Play Therapy Diploma Course

The course is designed for anyone who has had at least 100 hrs experience of working with children or adolescents using therapeutic play or creative arts and has an appropriate first degree or equivalent. Participants may come from any background such as:

The Diploma course is the second part of a programme leading to an

 MA in Practised Based Play Therapy  It is at stage 3 of the PTUK

Four Stage Training Model

The course has been designed to:

• Enhance your career/professional skills

• Increase your satisfaction in working with children

• Give you the skills to help children develop their emotional literacy

• Give you the skills to alleviate behaviour and mental health problems

• Assist your own personal development

• Provide you with the  Profession Structure Model competencies defined by PTUK to work with individuals and groups of children who have moderate to severe problems

The Diploma course is the second part of a programme leading to an MA in Practised Based Play Therapy.  It is at stage 3 of the PTUK four stage training model

It may be undertaken as a 'stand alone' course.

As in the Certificate course material for the Diploma builds upon the theory and practice of humanistic psychology, particularly that of Virginia Axline ("Dibs In Search of Self") and Carl Rogers and gestalt play therapy developed by Violet Oaklander. It recognises contributions made by others in the early 1900s, such as John Bowlby, Margaret Lowenfeld, Donald Winnicott, Rachel Pinney etc It extends to a deeper understanding of the unconscious processes in relation to the child’s development based upon Freud, Jung, Graff, Fairburn Hillman, Moore and Jacobson. It also places importance on the spiritual aspect of human development. Opportunities for many forms of creativity will enrich the contents of the course.

You will be exploring ways of integrating the child as the centre of a social system, which includes schools, families, and team of support.

The course is divided into 5 free standing modules some of which will gain a CPD certificate in its own right for the skills learnt.

The main items in the 'Play Therapy Tool-Kit' are re-visited at a greater level of competence, put into practice with more difficult problems and used as assessment methods.

• A basic understanding of play therapy research issues and methods

Module 10 - Developing Expressive Arts Skills - 3 Art in child development; Special cases working with Terminally Ill and or abuse; Court Work; Student presentation

The course is divided into 5 modules some of which will gain a CPD certificate in its own right for the skills learnt as above.

Participants will learn through working with other members of the course about the roles and responsibilities of the therapeutic relationship. There will be tutorials on theory but formal teaching and lecturing will be kept to an essential minimum.

Learning will be experiential and collaborative using pair, group work, role-play and case presentations. Homework reading and other assignments will provide new information and consolidation of material from the experiential work encountered within the weekends. Assignments will be subject of group discussions the following weekend.

It is essential that participants are working with children whilst the course is in progress.  100 supervised hours need to be completed before the Diploma can be awarded.  Group clinical supervision of this work is a primary learning method.  The situations and problems that you encounter in real life outside the classroom together with their solutions are an essential part of the learning process.

• Two written case studies, covering the work with a child for at least 1 year and showing a clear integration of theory and practice.
• Completion of an individual practical therapeutic project, designed and documented by the participant.
• Continuous evaluation of course work contributions and ability to work with group dynamics
• Post training presentation
• Evidence of a further 100 hrs supervised hours of working with children using play therapy
• Completion an an essay of about 3000 words
• Evidence of regular play therapy supervision
• Satisfactory attendance on the course

Venues already validated by CCCU are marked ^CCCU

Venues  anticipated to be validated by CCCU are marked ^AV

London & South East England

Salomon's Campus^CCCU - Broomhill Road, 

Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN3 0TG

Midlands & East Anglia

Buckden Towers^CCCU - Buckden, Cambridgeshire, PEI9 8TA

West of England & Wales

Leigh Court - Bristol^CCCU Leigh Court Events, Business West, Leigh Court Business Centre, Abbots Leigh, Bristol, BS8 3RA

North of England

Leeds/Barnsley^AV - The Northern College, Wentworth Castle,  Stainborough

Manchester^AV

Ireland

All Hallows College^CCCU, Dublin, Ireland

France

La Mouline^CCCU - St Genest de Contest, Tarn, Midi Pyrenees, France

and other locations upon request

Selected from APAC's faculty.

Courses starting in 2008 - £2200
Courses starting in 2009 - £2500

Bed and breakfast accommodation is available on site at All Hallows,  Buckden Towers, Salomons and  Wentworth Castle.  There is  nearby attractive accommodation at approximately £35 per night for the other venues. - Please enquire: Linda Bradley 01825 712312

(There is an additional University fee of £150 for this award if you have already registered with the University for the Certificate course.)