Who can it help?

Play is vital to every child's social, emotional, cognitive, physical, creative and language development.

Play Therapy helps children in a variety of ways. Children receive emotional support and can learn to understand more about their own feelings and thoughts. Sometimes they may re-enact or play out traumatic or difficult life experiences in order to make sense of their past and cope better with their future.

You may wish to refer a child for individual play therapy if they have experienced any of the following:

• Domestic violence
• Trauma such as emotional abuse, physical abuse or sexual abuse
• Divorced or separated home environments
• Bereavement or a form of loss
• Have been subjected to any kind of trauma
• Have been bullied or initiated incorrect behaviour
• Is at risk if being/is excluded from school
• Behavioural issues, challenging behaviour (SEBD)
• Nightmares or has difficulty sleeping
• Delayed development or has a disability/learning difficulties
• Unwell
• Anxious/has phobias or fears/
• Autism Spectrum, Asperger’s Spectrum, ADHD
• Social exclusion
• Underperforming and not realising their full potential in terms of academic performance or socially.
• Withdrawn or unhappy
• Difficulties with self-expression, confidence and self-esteem.
• Struggles to make friends
• Adopted/fostered or in the process of being