What do I get?

• This Diploma is designed for practitioners who work in a range of settings with children or young people, including residential care, schools, and early years settings. Through a range of knowledge and practical units, you will develop skills and understanding to work with children and young people with a variety of intervention techniques to complement your practice and support the mental wellbeing of the children and young people. You will have the opportunity to learn and develop skills in Lego Play, Sand Play, Sensory Play, Story Play, Emotion Coaching, and Mindfulness Techniques and be able to demonstrate use of these in practical contexts. Syllabus: Unit 1: The Importance of Play Within this unit, you will show an understanding the importance of play on children and young people’s cognitive, physical, and social development, and the impact of play on children's emotional development and mental well-being. You will explore theoretical understandings of play and development in additional to mental and well-being challenges that children and young people face. Unit 2: Emotional and Social Development in Children and Young People First, you will consider the life stages of children and young people and the impact of varied experiences on the children and young people's emotional and social development. You will also show how you can promote social development through a range of playful activities. Unit 3: Neuroscience and Brain Development in Children This unit will allow you to explore the development of the brain and neurological concepts and language. You will also consider adverse experiences and how these impact healthy brain development. Unit 4: Working in the Therapeutic Setting In this unit, you will understand a range of therapy-based techniques and how these can support children in practice. You will explore Play Therapy, Filial Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. This unit also allows you to gain an understanding of the ethical guidelines when working in a therapeutic role. Unit 5: Therapeutic Play in the none-therapeutic Setting With your understanding of therapeutic approaches, it is now time to learn how to transfer these skills into your own setting- such as a school, early years setting, or other setting working with children and young people. Unit 6: Emotion Coaching with Children and Young People In this unit, you will learn the concepts of Emotion Coaching. You will be able to demonstrate application of Emotion Coaching with children or young people and be able to evaluate your own practice. Unit 7: Brick Play Interventions This unit allows you to explore the core concepts and background of Lego Therapy. Additionally, you will learn how to run a Brick Play therapy intervention scheme with a group of children or young people. Unit 8: Storytelling Techniques with Children and Young People It is time to let your imagination flow! In this unit, you will gain an understanding of story-telling techniques as an aid to support emotional development and demonstrate and evaluate your practice in story-telling. Unit 9: Sand Tray Play and Sensory Play Learn the key concepts of sand tray therapy and how to embed this as a playful technique to support children's social, emotional, and mental well-being. You will also be able to use sand tray play in practice and develop your skills with other sensory play resources. Unit 10: Mindfulness and Journaling Techniques with Children and Young People This unit will allow you to explore both journaling and mindfulness techniques that can be used with children or young people. You will be able to implement these in your own setting and evaluate your own practice.

What do I need?

• Placement Requirements: Learners undertaking this qualification will be required to gain real work experience to carry out the tasks
• This can be with children and young people of any age, and in any setting, employed or voluntary