Lisa Waycott’s scientific contributions

Within the field of child psychotherapy, debates on the inclusion of play therapy as a psychotherapeutic approach remain contentious; opposing schools of thought are yet to agree. This paper will present both perspectives; differentiating between models of child psychotherapy and play therapy used to promote mental wellbeing in young people. The merits and limitations of each model will be debated. Within Europe, there remains a lack of consistency and understanding of these two roles. While some countries use the terms ‘play therapist’, ‘child psychotherapist’ and ‘play psychotherapist’ interchangeably, most view these as very distinct disciplines. It is therefore essential that practitioners clearly understand the role of each discipline. This paper aims to raise awareness of play therapy, its efficacy and where it fits within child psychotherapy. It will specifically focus on the effectiveness of play therapy in enhancing emotional wellbeing for children and young people with psychological difficulties. It will provide an overview of play therapy, outlining its historical roots in child psychotherapy before charting its progress to contemporary child-centred play therapy. It will draw from relevant empirical research and current literature in the field of play therapy to highlight key factors required for successful therapeutic outcomes for children and young people. Case studies will be included to explore the effectiveness of these techniques in clinical and educational practice.

This presentation will draw from relevant empirical research and current literature in the field of play therapy. It will provide an overview of play therapy, outlining its historical roots in child psychotherapy and charting its progress to contemporary play therapy models, including Non-Directive Play Therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Play Therapy and integrative approaches to Play Therapy. It will also address play therapy models which have been developed to promote positive child-parent interaction, including Filial Play Therapy and Theraplay®. The role of the play therapist will be explored in the context of the different play therapy models. The presentation will conclude by evaluating the effectiveness of play therapy specifically focusing on children who have encountered traumatic life events.

Participants will be introduced to various skills in working with children through the use of play and creative arts techniques. This will include the use of therapeutic and play based techniques including Sandplay, Sensory play and Projective play. Attendees will experience techniques which are used to assess, engage and communicate with children in a playful manner to promote emotional wellbeing. This presentation will be relevant to a broad range of practitioners (including therapeutic play specialists, play workers, education, health, social workers, youth workers, voluntary sector and academics within the field of play and therapy) with an interest in developing their knowledge and understanding of the therapeutic value of play. Attendees will gain an understanding of the following: (i) How to engage children and young people in therapeutic play, (ii) Explore how attendees can use therapeutic techniques in assessments of children, (iii) Help attendees experience different ways of working with children through the use of play and the creative arts.

This study investigated the awareness of play therapy in childcare practitioners working in the areas of health, social care, education and childcare. Questionnaires were distributed to 65 workers drawn from these occupational categories in order to investigate their understanding of issues such as the nature of play therapy, the referral process, and the distinction between play therapy and other forms of play based interventions. In addition, one child care professional from each of the four sectors was selected to take part in a follow-up interview to build on the information generated from the questionnaires. The results from the questionnaires and follow-up interviews showed that while most of the child care professionals had heard of this approach, they had a limited knowledge of the nature of play therapy. There was also much confusion amongst the child care professionals around the difference between play therapy and other play based interventions as well as around different professionals’ roles and responsibilities for referring children and young people to therapeutic interventions. The implications of these findings for the practice of play therapy are considered. Key words: Play therapy, childcare practitioners, awareness, knowledge, perceptions.