Play therapist
Help children to make sense of difficult experiences and deal with emotional distress through play.
About the job
What it's like
You would help children to make sense of difficult experiences and deal with psychological and emotional distress through play.
Play is a child's natural way of communicating. With a play therapist they can explore various issues they might find difficult to express in other ways.
You’d need to have the ability to gain children’s trust and empathise with them. You would need to be resilient; you could be working with children experiencing severe emotional pain and distress.
They may have depression, aggression or anxiety as a result of:
Abuse
Trauma
Neglect
Domestic violence
Family breakdown
Bereavement
Brain development problems
You would usually work with children aged between three and 11 years old. You’d see them on a one-to-one basis or in groups of up to six children.
You’d help children become better at coping with how they are feeling. They’d learn through play to understand their emotions, and gain emotional intelligence and confidence.
You would:
Assess the child's needs
Run therapy sessions at a regular time and place
Use toys, like puppets, cars and dolls
Use creative arts, including drawing, clay, sand, movement, music and therapeutic story telling
Develop symbolic communication with children, making a connection between the signs, symbols and actions they create in play and how these reflect their experiences
Nurture an in-depth therapeutic relationship, which promotes positive change in the child by helping them to help themselves
Throughout this process, you would work closely with the child's parents or carers and other professionals such as teachers, social workers and nurses.
Occasionally, you may need to attend court to give evidence, for example in a child protection or custody case.
You’d need a good understanding of child development and a respect for confidentiality.
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Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- understanding
- taking responsibility
- taking initiative
- developing a plan
- social conscience
- empathising
- creative
- verbal communication
- listening
- cooperating
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
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Care
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Childcare and Development
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Psychology
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Skills for Work: Early Education and Childcare
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Foundation Apprenticeship: Social Services and Healthcare
You can get a head start in this career by doing a Foundation Apprenticeship in S5 and S6.
You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification which is the same level as a Higher. You'll also learn new skills and gain valuable experience in a work environment.
Discover what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.
Most play therapists are already qualified and experienced social workers, teachers, or healthcare workers. Most do not practise play therapy full time, but practise it part-time alongside their other work.
You would need a relevant honours degree (SCQF level 10) normally in psychology, teaching, social work, occupational therapy, nursing or a related field plus at least two years' working with children or teenagers in therapeutic play or creative art.
This will support entry to a postgraduate qualification (SCQF level 11) in Play Therapy accredited by the British Association of Play Therapists (BAPT) or Play Therapy United Kingdom (PTUK).
Entry to postgraduate courses (SCQF level 11) usually requires a relevant honours degree (SCQF level 10) in health, education, psychology, social or therapeutic subjects and relevant experience working with children or teenagers.
The charity With Kids and Queen Margaret University are offering a BAPT-accredited three-year taught MSc in Play Therapy, commencing in September 2016 in Glasgow. See the With Kids website for more information.
PTUK offers an accredited Certificate in Therapeutic Play Skills - the first part of a programme leading to a Masters degree in Practise Based Play Therapy - in Edinburgh and Glasgow. A Diploma in Play Therapy is also available and is the second part of a programme leading to a Masters degree in Practise Based Play Therapy.
To be approved for membership of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme run by Disclosure Scotland.
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