This programme aims to enhance the professional practice of participants by building on core skills to work creatively and play effectively  with children, adolescents, and sometimes adults,  with reference to their age, stage of development, and current needs and priorities.  We aim to enhance your capacity to incorporate play, and creative interventions to support holistic development, build resiliency, and address challenges within the role you hold by virtue of your current career in education, social care, childcare, or any area connected with health and wellbeing. The programme delves deeply into the impact of play in:

• promoting positive mental health;
• facilitating social and emotional development,
• overcoming struggles and stressful experiences; and
• building resiliency.

Participants will engage in theoretical learning and experiential creative activities. Assessment is based on demonstration of achievement of the required learning outcomes through activity based tasks. On successful completion of the programme and the required assessments students will receive CTC’s Certificate in Therapeutic Play Skills.

• Have a particular interest in the therapeutic powers of play, and creative interventions, and wish to acquire skills to facilitate children, adolescents, and/or adults to overcome negative influences and circumstances in their lives, and facilitate them in achieving their potential.
• Wish to further their own knowledge and understanding of what play is; how it supports children’s social and emotional development; and learn more about the influences of the environment on this.
• Wish to enhance a professional career in working with people in a range of settings.
• Wish to further their own knowledge and understanding of play, and creative interventions, and associated developmental, educational and therapeutic applications.
• Would like to up-skill to enhance employment prospects and/or job satisfaction and promotion opportunities

On completion of this programme, the learner will be able to ..

1. Demonstrate understanding and awareness of interpersonal communication to include one to one and group dynamics.
2. Demonstrate use of skills known to assist children in developing their capacity for self-regulation and decision making within the context of a safe, ethical relationship.
3. Use play based interventions to address the needs of children and/or adolescents in special circumstances
4. Identify own personal skills and competencies in utilising play developmentally, educationally and therapeutically with children and/or adolescents
5. Plan, prepare and deliver a group work session to include a range of appropriate techniques for children or adolescents
6. Adapt play interventions to ensure each child has an equal opportunity to fully participate.
7. Demonstrate the use of appropriate terminology used in play based programmes and interventions.
8. Work independently to develop, design and implement play-based sessions/interventions
9. Design and implement a play intervention including puppetry
10. Write a therapeutic story that addresses a specific difficulty
11. Make links between play theory, including the identification of specific therapeutic powers of play when implementing a play activity.

The course runs over a three month period and includes 7 full days of online attendance (10am-5pm). The course runs on Saturdays and Sundays. Sufficient numbers are required for the course to go ahead on planned dates.

Each learner will also have access to the online platform with additional resources over the duration of the course.

• Course Fee: €700
• A non-refundable application fee of €50 is due at application stage. This fee is deducted from the overall fee for succesful applicants.
• Payment Plans Available for those who want to pay in instalments.
• A discount of €110 applies to those completing this course and the Nature Based Therapeutic Play Certificate Course to achieve the “Certificate in Therapeutic Play Practice” – a full Level 6 Special Purpose Award.
• If you have previously completed CTC’s Nature Based Therapeutic Play Certificate course please include details of when you did so in your online application.

Terms and Conditions €50 application fee and €260 deposit included in the initial payment are non-refundable. All fees are non-refundable within one month of the course dates. Prior to this, fees paid outside of the application fee and deposit are refundable. Full fees are due regardless of level of attendance at the course.

Therapeutic Play Skills Certificate : 2026 Courses Payment Plan Details

The course fee is €700 and is inclusive of registration and QQI fees.  Liability for full course fee arises at the beginning of the course.  A non-refundable application fee of €50 is due at application stage. This is deducted from the overall course fee. A further non-refundable deposit of €260 is payable to secure your place – this payment is due within 2 weeks of being offered a place on the course. If the course is starting in less than two weeks this payment is due immediately. CTC cannot guarantee holding any offer open should the deposit not be received within the designated time. We recognize that not everyone will be able to pay in full at registration stage, so an instalment payment plan is available to facilitate such learners. Those who choose a payment plan that delays full payment of course fees pay small additional charges to cover extra administration costs.

Each student is responsible for full payment of course fees, regardless of level of attendance.

Option 1: Pay in Full at Registration – Total Fee €700

1. Pay €50 Online Application Fee
2. Pay €650 Registration Fee within 2 weeks of being offered a place. **Note: If the course is starting in less than two weeks full payment is due immediately. **

Option 2: Pay in Instalments – Total Fee €730

1. Pay €50 Online Application Fee
2. Pay €260 Registration Fee within 2 weeks of being offered a place. *Note: If the course is starting in less than two weeks this payment is due immediately. *
3. Pay €140 via Standing Order 1 month later
4. Pay €140 via Standing Order 1 month later
5. Pay €140 via Standing Order 1 month later

Terms and Conditions €50 application fee and €260 deposit included in the initial payment are non-refundable. All fees are non-refundable within one month of the course dates. Prior to this, fees paid outside of the application fee and deposit are refundable. Full fees are due regardless of level of attendance at the course.

As per particular option – remote and on-site (various locations) learning options are offered.

Space and technology:

• A confidential space without interruptions or distractions.
• Students are required to keep their cameras turned on during live online zoom sessions.
• A computer or other suitable device that can use Zoom (e.g. i pad, desktop, laptop), with built in, or external, microphone, speaker and camera.  have screen size that facilitate clear viewing of course material and participants, and engagement and interaction with peers, and utilising a split screen so as to concurrently view the virtual classroom and any related material that you may wish to open separately on your device.
• Stable internet connection (download speed of 1.5Mbps)
• A sound cancelling headset can be useful

Note: The content of the sessions are not suitable for children. If you have children you will need to arrange childcare for the training days.

And creative materials that include:

• A4 paper and a scissors
• Art material – g. crayons, colouring pencils, markers
• Small toys and props