Information for professionals

Play therapy can be an early intervention and when children are first experiencing emotional difficulties, which can help prevent issues developing into mental health concerns during adolescence and into adulthood.

 

Play Therapy is helpful for children who have had to deal with:

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• Family breakdown, separation or divorce

• Issues of loss, such as illness or death of a loved one

• Serious accidents

• Anxiety or depression

• Being hospitalised

• Adopted or are in foster care

• Domestic violence

• Sexual, physical, emotional and neglect abuse

• Attachment difficulties

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We work with children for a minimum of 12 sessions and depending on the nature of the referral and the child’s needs we are able to work with more complex cases on a long term basis, providing funding is available.

 

Whatever the reason for referral, our expectation and commitment is to work closely with professionals as part of meeting the best

interest and needs of the child.

 

How to refer?

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We welcome referrals from Social Care Teams, CAMHS/CYPS, GP’s, Primary and Secondary Schools and any other professional that work with children and families.

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If you any questions about making a referral, please do not hesitate to call us to discuss the case. Alternatively, please complete the referral form with as much information as possible.

 

Next steps

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Once a referral has been made, there may be a short wait, whilst we allocate the case to a play therapist. We will always keep you up to date and informed and we welcome regular communication from professionals.

 

Once an allocation has been made the play therapist will carry out an initial assessment, which helps us to determine the level of therapeutic need and ensure that we are the right service for the child.

 

This will include:

• A discussion with the refer and other relevant professionals

• An initial meeting with the parent/carer which identifies hoped for outcomes.

• An initial meeting with the child

• Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire completed by parent/carer, the school and anyone else involved

 

Following the initial assessment we will have a discussion with the referrer regarding the anticipated level of funding required to meet the child’s therapeutic needs. We ask for a commitment to a minimum of 12 play therapy sessions. At around week 7 session, we will hold a review meeting to include the parent/carers and relevant professionals, so that therapeutic progress can be reviewed and the child can be thought about by everyone.  Once the play therapy sessions are concluded, an end meeting is arranged, which feeds into a final outcomes report which is shared with all relevant parties.

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Costs

 

Please contact us to discuss the cost of our service.