What is Play Therapy?  Play therapy is a form of therapy that uses play as the primary mode of communication. 

Who is it for?  Play therapy can help children with a variety of difficulties, including but not limited to the following:- emotional difficulties, behavioural difficulties, relationship difficulties, abuse or trauma, communication difficulties, illness or disability, family breakdown, bereavement and low self esteem.

What happens during play therapy sessions?  Play is used to communicate with children about their thoughts, feelings and behaviour.  The playroom contains a large selection of play materials from which the child can choose, the child leads the session and is not put under any pressure to talk about their difficulties.

Confidentiality and Feedback:  Confidentiality is very important in play therapy. The therapist will help the child to understand that she will not be talking to other people about what is said and done in the playroom unless she gets worried that the child is being hurt or is in some kind of danger.  The therapist will also tell the child that they are free to talk about their play therapy with anyone they choose but they do not have to do this if they don't want to.  

Feedback to parents, referrers and other significant adults in the child's life is also very important and will be given sensitively in order not to break the child's confidentiality – usually based around the child's needs rather than the content of their sessions.

What happens after a child has been referred?  Once a child has been referred the play therapist will arrange to meet with the parent to gather information about the child and explain more about play therapy.  Three assessment play therapy sessions will take place to see if it will be a useful support to the child.  After these sessions the 

therapist will share an assessment report and recommend whether or not the child would benefit from further play therapy or if some other form of support would be more suitable.