LEEDS BECKETT UNIVERSITY

Course Specification PG Diploma Play Therapy

2018-19 (DAPAC)

www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk

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For completion by Quality Assurance Services only:

Next Re-validation date

School of Health & Community Studies

Award and programme title: PG Diploma PLAY THERAPY Validated for delivery by Academy of Play and Child Psychotherapy (APAC)

Level of qualification: 7

Contained awards available: PG Diploma Play Therapy Studies (defines no clinical competence)

Length and status of programme and mode of study Part-time, 1 or 2 years, APAC venues Block, 1 or 2 years, APAC venues More details regarding delivery of the programme can be found on the APAC website: http://www.playtherapy.org.uk/TrainingCourses/TrainCrseAPACDip1.htm

Course Specification

Overview and Aims

The demand for the training of Play Therapists and related professionals, such as Practitioners in Therapeutic Play, at Masters level is dependent upon:

The demand for the treatment of children with social, emotional, behaviour andpsychological problems - 20% of UK children have special education needs

The rate of adoption of play and creative arts therapies to alleviate these problems atvarious levels of severity – approximately 1500 primary schools out of a total of 22,000have adopted.

The availability of clinical supervisors and trainers in these specialities – much improvedover the last 5 years.

The availability of research to confirm the efficacy of various approaches andtechniques using scientific methods – PTUK’s programme evaluation now has over10,000 cases.

The capacity of existing training courses in related fields – APAC’s current market shareis 64% to 80%.

The underlying need for play therapy continues to increase due to the following socio-cultural factors: high divorce rates; blended families (step children); socio-economic pressures requiring parents to work; the decline of the extended family; greater pressures for children to show academic proficiencies at younger ages; and peer pressure to indulge in anti-social behaviour coupled with easy access to alcohol, drugs, etc.

The target market has two main groups of participants:

Those wishing to become Certified Play Therapists either as a change of career suchas teaching staff and social workers or graduates starting their career. This group mayexit at the Diploma or Masters stages.

Those wishing to add therapeutic play skills to their existing psychological therapies,social work or medical skills including: Counsellors, Psychotherapists, Psychologists,Occupational Therapists, Nurses, Health Visitors etc – who will normally exit at thePG Certificate stage.

The programme aims are:

To provide an opportunity for graduates with relevant professional qualifications andexperienced practitioners to study play therapy from both non-directive and directiveperspectives at an advanced level fostering the knowledge and skills necessary tochallenge boundaries at the forefront of the discipline and meet the requirements ofGovernment regulation.

To develop creative and reflective practitioners of play therapy who are able tocritically evaluate current research and practice. To enable practitioners of playtherapy to contribute to the further development of their profession through practiceand research.

To enable the participants to study and explore the field of play therapy in a way thatmeaningfully incorporates the therapeutic perspective into other types of work witha wider client group.

To provide a Masters level programme that fills the need for a genuinely integrativeapproach to play therapy.

To provide the participants with sufficient skills to obtain work as professional PlayTherapy practitioners.

Course Learning Outcomes

1 Develop personal perspectives in the field of play therapy for working with groups of children.

2 Acquire competencies at an advanced level in the field of play therapy, for helping children with social, emotional, behaviour and mental health problems required for working with individual children who have severe problems.

3 Apply the techniques learnt, and required to become a PTUK Registrant at the Certified Play Therapist grade, to practice in a safe and effective way using clinical supervision and clinical governance principles.

4 Gain a greater insight into themselves as practitioners with a wider client base.

5 Be able to critically analyse and make informed judgements about current developments in play and creative arts therapies, apply them in practice and be able to communicate them to specialist and non-specialist audiences.

6 Personal skills - for learning and self-management.

Continue to cultivate the skills which will be necessary for success, particularly in fulfilling the degree aims and learning outcomes. These skills enable students to develop the personal and professional qualities which integrate their studies and

research and facilitate the transfer of skills into other personal and professional environments.

Imagination and creativity - divergent thinking, educated intuition, play

Convergent thinking - organising, prioritising, time management

Collaboration - flexible self-monitoring, group/team work, use of feedback

Management of complexity - tolerance of ambiguity, plurality, living withuncertainty

Course Structure

The programmes comprises three awards – the PG Certificate (3 modules), the PG Diploma (3 modules) and the MA (two modules, including the dissertation).

All modules are core. Clinical work is an essential component with 100 hours for each level. Clinical supervision is mandatory at a ratio of 1 hour for every 6 hours of practice at PG Certificate. Clinical work is practised at work or in a placement. Clinical Supervisors have to conform with PTUK standards and APAC’s requirements for the programme. Students have to ensure that their employers or placement organisations agree to an appropriate contract. The main setting for clinical work is primary schools but may also be in special needs schools, nursery schools, primary health care, CAMHs teams, other social work, hospitals, care homes, adoption and foster care services.

The aim of the placement work is to allow the students to:

Benefit the children

Apply what has been taught to therapeutic work

Enable reflection upon the application of theory to practice

Integrate and co-ordinate their work with parent/carers and other professionals

Apply ethical principles to decision taking and actions

Identify issues and problems that need to be presented at clinical supervision

Use the principles and procedures of clinical governance

Produce practice based evidence

Identify topics for personal research

Understand their role and activities within the systemic processes of play therapy

Manage their practice

Gain self confidence

Develop their future career opportunities

The integration of theory and practice is continued throughout the course through facilitation, reflection on practice, individual academic and clinical supervision and assessment of the written work. Students use their theoretical knowledge of each creative arts medium, psychology, child development and neuroscience to inform practice.

Each module addresses specialised competencies. Each module also addresses the three main areas of learning skills:

Study skills – for developing knowledge and understanding

Personal skills – for learning and self-management

Research skills – for creating knowledge

However, it is a key feature of the design that each module has elements of all three areas and offers a model of integration. This is considered essential for the coherence of the degree.

Course Structure

Level 7

Three taught modules and 100 hours of clinical practice (60 L7 credits).

Students develop their play therapy tool kit competencies at an advanced level to enable them to work with children who have serious social, emotional, behaviour and mental health difficulties on a one to one basis and to work with groups of children.

They are required to continue to conduct quantitative practice based research, refine their own theoretical basis of practice and conduct qualitative research to develop a special interest subject in play therapy (essay).

They are also required to produce detailed evidence of launching a successful play therapy service by means of a project report.

The professional award by PTUK is ‘Certified Play Therapist’.

The course is delivered as 15 days taught plus 100 hours of clinical practice in 5 blocks of 3 days each or 15 days continuous.

Semester 1 Core (Y) Semester 2 Core (Y)

Working Therapeutically With Groups of Children - developing metaphorical play skills at an advanced level L7 (Module 4)

Y Therapeutic decision taking, developing skills for working with more severe problems L7 (Module 5)

Y

Semester 3

Integrating the therapeutic tool-kit with practice and research L7 (Module 6)

Y

Learning and Teaching

Learning and Teaching Approaches

The teaching and learning strategies of the programme seek to reflect the aims and objectives of offering an integrative perspective on play therapy and therapeutic practice at an advanced academic level whilst at the same time providing the students with the competencies required for safe and effective practice.. The training that is offered reflects the needs of mature learners who are, or are becoming, experienced practitioners. This is

a challenging programme which combines the convergence of theory, research and practice, together with the demands of self examination and openness to personal and emotional growth. The aim is to develop creative and reflective practitioners of play therapy who are committed to developing the integrative approach to dealing with children’s mental and emotional problems.

Students will be heavily involved in experiential exercises as well as lectures/ presentations, critical discussion, small group seminars and workshops. Clinical practice under supervision is central to the learning process. Delivery of taught modules involves a full programme of workshops. Assessment is based on a careful balance of a growing mastery of the theoretical perspective that the programme offers, the development of greater personal maturity and the application of competencies in practice. The assessment methods used are: written and oral case history presentations, satisfactory reports of practitioner skills by a supervisor and workshop facilitators, three case studies, an essay, and a process diary.

The range of practices in this MA route applies advanced forms of delivery and an expression of therapeutic play values in action. Staff combine teaching and individual work with care for group process and development. To run a day-session, including experiential learning activities requires skilled facilitation, which team members are well-equipped to provide.

Such sessions will usually include the following: attention to the personal skills of the reflective-practice cycle and group cohesion, a review of reading, lecture/case study presentation with analysis and debate, workshop demonstrations and experiential exercises, including video, dyad, triad and larger group work, role-play, expressive/creative arts activities, visualisation, formative feedback and planning for between-session activities.

Comprehensive course materials and a strong network support system are developed to complement the group meetings. Students who initially are not competent with IT are encouraged to develop skills before and during the first stage, since it is expected that there will be considerable e- mail contact amongst students between meetings, use of internet sources will be required in order to scan and discriminate amongst play therapy and related material on the web, and written work for assessment will be required to be word- processed.

Teaching and learning strategies will be monitored and reviewed by the Executive Board in consultation with the University. The completion of the Process Diary, student feedback and Tutor evaluations will also contribute to the review process. This will promote the continuous improvement of our students’ learning experience and reviewing and enhancing the quality of teaching across our programme.

Each theme of each module has an evaluation process and most days include focus group activities. The APAC evaluation system of module, subject, learning methods and outcomes are sophisticated and well established having been developed over 14 years.

Teaching staff have to undergo training to ensure that they have the teaching skills, assessment capabilities, subject knowledge, credibility through clinical practice and the ability to hold individuals and the group safely in the experiential work. The training programme for teaching staff includes peer observation and takes two to three years.

APAC is continuously developing high quality online resources, reusable learning objects and open educational resources. So far these have been produced for modules 7 and 8 but it is planned to introduce them to all modules.

There is regular consultation with the professional organisation PTUK upon the development and refinement of the competencies embodied in the learning objectives and upon the needs of commissioners of play therapy practice.

Learning and Teaching Activities

The key concepts that our students need to understand and internalise on the course are:

The application of the core theoretical integrative holistic approach. This is the key tosafe and effective practice.

The Spectrum of Needs and the Play Therapy continuum, key to the integration of theirwork with other professionals.

The Axline principles and the PTUK Ethical framework to ensure safe practice.

The principles of efficacy, effectiveness and efficiency to be able to interpret researchin the context of play therapy.

Child protection requirements to protect the children.

Child development stages to understand the appropriateness of an intervention andtherapeutic medium.

The application of attachment theory.

The principles of clinical governance and clinical audit to quality assure work andidentify areas for self improvement.

The dynamics of therapeutic group work to avoid chaotic practice.

The adoption of a therapeutic decision making framework to maintain safe practice butincrease effectiveness and efficiency of practice.

The learning methods used in modules 1 to 6 have a large proportion of experiential work. Students are guided to distinguish between what principles may be used in practice with the children and which are to identify psychological issues within themselves that will lead to unsafe practice and suboptimal clinical work.

There is progression throughout the programme. This starts with the PG Certificate, modules, where fundamental skills are acquired for working with individual children who have slight to moderate problems. It continues in the PG Diploma modules in which skills for working with groups of children and those with more severe problems are provided. In the MA stage, modules 7 to 8, the students create and interpret new practice based methods to extend the knowledge base of the profession.

Students develop their own cohort based network and also join PTUK local support groups which include experienced practitioners.

A number of exercises involve presentations both by individual and small groups of students to the whole cohort. Each student has to give a presentation to an external audience. These enable the students to gain professional confidence and celebrate their achievements.

Many Course Directors are involved in marking the written work of students that they have not taught. This provides an insight into issues that may not have arisen on their own cohorts.

The Programme Director and most of the Course Directors have delivered the programme in Africa, Asia and Australasia enabling course materials and activities to reflect a range of cultural perspectives and practices.

Students who display concerns about fitness to practise are advised where to obtain specialist help.

Since 2012 students have been given a self-scored Learning Style Inventory questionnaire which obtains reliable measures of the 4 Jungian psychological/learning dimensions. This has assisted Course Directors and Clinical Supervisors as well as the students to take account of different learning preferences and learning styles. In the last twelve months, in providing facilities for students with hearing disabilities, we have learnt much about the adaptation of teaching methods that are required.

Our main scheduling of courses on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, in the main, meets the needs of students with caring responsibilities. Alternative, but equivalent, schedules of course delivery are offered to students with particular religious calendar requirements. However these courses have to be cost effective.

Use of the Virtual Learning Environment

The use of both the University’s and APAC’s VLE platforms is extensive. They are the basis of the whole course: Access to course materials and research papers; Bibliographic and referencing tools – Ref Works is the preferred tool; Detection of plagiarism – Turnitin; Scheduling of works.

Use of Blended-Learning

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment policy and regulations are designed:

To conform to the University’s “Course Level Assessment Strategy” in thePostgraduate Course Development Principles document.

Assess the competencies of the practitioner according to the PTUK competencyframework.

Formative and summative assessments are used. Each piece of assessed work on the programme has five purposes. To:

Be an integral part of the learning process for students to add to and confirm theirknowledge and practice

Provide a summative measure of the extent to which students have achieved themodule aims and the level of understanding appropriate to the level of theprogramme

Facilitate, where relevant, the application of theory and research to professionalpractice

Provide feedback to students on their work through a combination of formativeassessment, self reflection, peer group feedback and tutor feedback

Provide clear information for Examination Boards

Overall assessment for the PG Certificate and PG Diploma courses is based on the following criteria. The student will demonstrate:

Play therapy competencies

Intervention skills

Practical service delivery skills

Experience of their own and the child’s inner process

Experience of the process of change and healing

The use of symbolic representations

Listening skills

Research skills

Empathetic presence

Creative abilities

The application of theoretical knowledge

Feedback on Assessed Coursework

One to one review of the student’s process diary (a written journal in which students examine their thoughts, feelings, growth and personal process throughout the programme).

Course Director/Tutor review of each student’s progress with the Course Director, and if necessary the Programme Director if circumstances warrant.

Course Director’s assessment of the students’ capabilities, application of learnt material, safety of working and evidence from outcome measures, carried out through group supervision.

Module Assessment Methods

Assessment Method Mapping

Module Titles Co

re (

Y)

Wri

tten

ass

ign

men

t

Wri

tten

ass

ign

men

t

Po

rtfo

lio

Working Therapeutically With Groups of Children - developing metaphorical play skills at an advanced level L7 (Module 4)

Y 100

Therapeutic decision taking, developing skills for working with more severe problems L7 (Module 5)

Y 50 50

Integrating the therapeutic tool-kit with practice and research L7 (Module 6)

Y 100 P/F x

3

Employability and Professional Context

Accreditation by Play Therapy UK provides career path opportunities:

PG Diploma level Able to practise as a Certified Play Therapist at an advanced level in a number of settings (schools, primary care, care homes, adoption and fostering agencies, hospitals, social services) with individual and groups of children to alleviate multiple problems up to the severe category. Eligible to train as a clinical supervisor followed by training as a Play Therapy Trainer. May set up as an independent private practitioner.

Other PQ courses accredited by PTUK include ‘ Certificate in Play and Creative Arts Supervision’, ‘Certificate in Filial Play Coaching‘, Therapeutic Sandplay Skills’, and ‘Working Therapeutically with Babies, Infants and Parents’. There is also a range of accredited short CPD courses.

Reference Points used in course design and delivery

All our courses leading to Leeds Beckett University awards have been designed and approved in accordance with UK and European quality standards. Our courses utilise the Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ) and relevant subject benchmarks (where these are available) and professional, statutory and regulatory body requirements (for professionally accredited courses).

We review our courses annually and periodically, responding to student feedback and a range of information to enhance our courses. Our University is also subject to external review by the Quality Assurance Agency. Our latest report can be found on the QAA website at http://www.qaa.ac.uk/reviews-and-reports

We appoint External Examiners to verify that our University sets and maintains standards for awards which adhere to relevant national subject benchmark statements and the FHEQ (UK), ensure standards and student achievements are comparable with other Higher Education Institutions in the UK, with which they are familiar, and ensure that assessments measure achievement of course and module learning outcomes and reach the required standard. External Examiners may also provide feedback on areas of good practice or potential enhancement.

Regulatory Exemptions details

The course will adhere to the Academic Principles and Regulations except where stated below. The award is subject to the Fitness to Practise Policy & Procedure. http://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/public-information/student-regulations/

The course is a 60 credit L7 PGDip award as students will have completed the 60 L7 PG Cert award prior to enrolment on this award.

Award with merit and distinction Students will be recommended for the award with merit or distinction, subject to their meeting with the level of achievement set out below in accordance with Leeds Beckett University Academic Regulations.

The award of a merit may be made to those students who have demonstrated excellent performance against:

the attainment of an average of 60% or more in assessments contributing to the finalawardand

the attainment of an average of 60% or more in assessments contributing to both thePG Dip and the PG Cert award

The award of a distinction may be made to those students who have demonstrated excellent performance against:

the attainment of an average of 70% or higher in assessments contributing to the finalaward

and

the attainment of an average of 70% or higher in assessments contributing to the boththe PG Dip and PG Cert award

Contained award For students who do not pass the placement and who achieve 60 L7 credits, there is a contained award ‘PGDip Play Therapy Studies’. This contained award defines no clinical competence.

Other Attendance requirements: there is an 85% attendance requirement noted in the modules in order to meet professional body requirements. Students must not miss a part of any theme (major subject area) of a module, as each theme is a crucial part of the set of competencies required by PTUK for professional accreditation.

All assessments must be passed to achieve the award to meet the requirements of the professional body.

Student Support Network

If you have a question or a problem relating to your course, your Course Administrator is there to help you. Course Administrators works closely with academic staff and can make referrals to teaching staff or to specialist professional services as appropriate. They can give you a confirmation of attendance letter, and a transcript. You may also like to contact your Course Rep or the Students’ Union Advice team for additional support with course-related questions.

If you have any questions about life at our University in general, call into or contact the Student Hub on either campus to speak to our Student Experience Team. This team, consisting of recent graduates and permanent staff, are available to support you throughout your time here. They will make sure you have access to and are aware of the support, specialist services, and opportunities our University provides. There is a Student Hub on the ground floor of the Rose Bowl at City Campus and one in Campus Central at Headingley. You can also find the team in the Gateway in the Leslie Silver Building at City Campus. The telephone number is 0113 812 3000, and the e-mail address is StudentHub@leedsbeckett.ac.uk. Within MyBeckett you will see two tabs (Support and Opportunities) where you can find online information and resources for yourselves. The Support tab gives you access to details of services available to give you academic and personal support. These include Library Services, the Students’ Union, Money advice, Disability advice and support, Wellbeing, International Student Services and Accommodation. There is also an A-Z of Support Services, and access to online appointments/registration. The Opportunities tab is the place to explore the options you have for jobs, work placements, volunteering, and a wide range of other opportunities. For example, you can find out here how to get help with your CV, prepare for an interview, get a part-time job or voluntary role, take part in an international project, or join societies closer to home.