Diploma in Working Therapeutically with Children and Young People

Aim of the Course

This comprehensive programme has been designed for qualified counsellors and psychotherapists.

The Diploma will add great value and depth to the qualifications you already have as you develop additional skills, knowledge and attitudes that are necessary to provide the emotional and therapeutic support many vulnerable Children and Young People need.

Counsellors and psychotherapists may use the course to enhance their current practitioner skills to help adult survivors of abuse and neglect or as a step towards working with children and young people.

The overall aims of the course are to:

Promote knowledge of and critical engagement with the existing research in the therapeutic field of what works with children and young people who are affected by emotional distress.

Promote knowledge of a range of qualitative and quantitative research methods and their application to appraise therapeutic work with children and young people.

Encourage students to research some aspects of their practice as part of their portfolio of evidence.

Demonstrate knowledge of theories and their application to practice.

Support students to evaluate the effectiveness of their own practice critically.

Encourage an appreciation of social, cultural and political domains as they impinge on both thinking and practice.

Course outline

The course concentrates on exploring the concepts and manifestations of developmental trauma, attachment and identity. In addition, it will focus on fostering the development of a firm foundation of competence, attitude and skills for thinking therapeutically about children and young people and also, through reflective enquiry, develop the capacity for self-reflection.

Indicative Content: (10 Units over 20 weeks)

Unit 1: Self-awareness: Understanding the Child’s Perspective-Core Conditions for change

Unit 2: Person-Centred and Psychodynamic Theories

Unit 3: Cognitive Behavioural Approaches

Unit 4: Attachment: Personal, Social and Emotional Development of Children

Unit 5: Developmental Trauma

Unit 6: The Adolescent Brain and Identity

Unit 7: Presenting problems: Abuse and Neglect, Anger/ Aggression, Anxiety

Unit 8: Presenting problems: Rejection and Loss, Self-Esteem, Sexual Abuse victim/ perpetrator.

Unit 9: Safeguarding

Unit 10: Reflective enquiry

Diploma Programme Design

The Diploma is a part-time training course aimed at developing and enhancing critical thinking, raising awareness and theoretical and practical skills for working with vulnerable children and young people at tier 2 and 3 levels of need.

Students will develop a firm foundation of competence, attitude and skills for thinking therapeutically about children and young people and build upon this by thinking further about practice issues and intervention methods, particularly when working with children with attachment difficulties and developmental trauma.

The course will run for five months (3 hours per week) and will comprise group and private study, practice and personal development, and written assignments. Students are expected to complete 370 notional learning hours including study skills, wider reading, written work, reflective journal writing and practicum elements adding to portfolio evidence of theory into practice to complete this 60-hour (tutor-led) diploma course.

Students will be supported in their development as competent practitioners who address professional and ethical issues and integrate their training via academic and clinical supervision.

Assessment and qualification

Students will be expected to be in current supervision and have the prerequisite skills to study at level 4. Evidence of supervision and current qualifications will be requested prior to acceptance on the course (please enquire for enrolment details).

Students will be asked to complete 3 tutor-marked assignments, two at 2500 words and a portfolio of approximately 2000 words demonstrating reflection and use of supervision along with signed supervision sheets. N.B. It is important that you have a supervisor trained and experienced in working therapeutically with Children and Young People as part of ethical practice.

Theory into Practice 2500 words

Practical Applications and Ethical Issues 2500 words

Personal Reflection and Portfolio evidence. 2000 words

A pass rate of 50% for each assignment and an 85% attendance is required for successful completion. Successful students will be awarded a Diploma in Working Therapeutically with Children and Young People.

Accredited by the National Council for Psychotherapists

Course cost

The total cost of the course is £950. To secure a place a deposit of £150 is required; you can choose to pay the remainder in instalments.

To enquire further or request a booking form: contact@thinktherapy.org.uk