Career Development in Therapeutic Play
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.
Career Advisory Service
PTUK offers careers advice for anyone interested in
developing their career using therapeutic play skills or in becoming a
Certified Play Therapist.
Enquiry
form.
New Entrants
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
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.
Arts, drama, music, movement and other
creative arts therapists
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).
Counsellors, psychotherapists, clinical psychologists
and psychiatrists
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.
Experienced health professionals
Play therapy offers health professionals such as doctors,
nurses and occupational therapists an opportunity to alleviate children’s
emotional, behaviour and mental health problems. Therapeutic play skills will
also be useful systemically in, for example, working with families where the
children’s conditions are an important issue.
Education Professionals
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.
Care and Social Services Professionals
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).
Mapping PTUK's Model to Others
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.
