Online Workshop Outline

Learn to Play Therapy – Introductory Course (2 Day Workshop) 10-11 Sep 2020

Presenter: Dr Siobhan Casey

Co-host: Emeritus Professor Karen Stagnitti

4x Zoom links will be emailed to you for each half day. Participants do not need to have a zoom account to access the training.

Pre-workshop activities:

• Participants will be required to collect items from a ‘shopping list’ so that practical activities can run
• A link for pre-reading and pre-watching of videos will be sent at least 1 week prior to the workshop. The pre-reading and pre-watching will comprise presentations on pretend play and child development, and play and the brain. TED talk links will also be provided together with up to 3 articles for pre-reading
• Participant to reflect on what they think play is, and what they played as a child.

Thursday September 10^th

9 – 12 noon AEST: open session for questions regarding the pre-reading and pre-watching. Either Dr Siobhan Casey and Emeritus Professor Karen Stagnitti will be rostered online for anyone who has questions or queries from the pre-workshop activities.

1 – 4pm (WA 11.00 – 2.00 and Central time 12.30 – 3.30pm)

LIVE session covering the development of pretend play and the Pretend Play Enjoyment Developmental Checklist. Two case studies will be worked through.

Presented by Dr Siobhan Casey in September, and Em Prof Karen Stagnitti in November.

Friday September 11^th

Participants to complete a case study analysing a child’s levels on the PPEDC and also thinking about the types of play activities that would be the starting point for therapy.

9 – 12 noon AEST: open session for questions regarding the case study and any questions from the LIVE session of the prior day. Either Dr Siobhan Casey or Emeritus Professor Karen Stagnitti will be rostered online for anyone who has questions or queries from the pre-workshop activities.

1 – 5pm AEST

LIVE session covering the principles and processes of Learn to Play therapy and introducing the key 10 play skills. This session is peppered with practical activities for practice in some of the Learn to Play Therapy techniques.

PRESENTER’S PROFILE – SIOBHAN CASEY

Dr. Siobhan Casey is a paediatric occupational therapist with over 15 years experience in working with children, their families and teachers in a variety of settings. In 2018, Siobhan was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy from Deakin University. Her research primarily focused on understanding the developmental processes that occur for self-regulation and pretend play capacities in supporting resilience in children. Her prior research included identifying important markers and processes for change, for children with Autism participating in the Learn to Play program. Siobhan has previously worked in early intervention community settings, private practice and specialist development schools and has presented on pretend play development at conferences both nationally and internationally. She enjoys delivering training to a wide range of audiences interested in promoting the opportunity for pretend play development in children.

PRESENTER’S PROFILE – KAREN STAGNITTI

Karen Stagnitti is Emeritus Professor in the School of Health and Social Development at Deakin University, Victoria, Australia. She is retired from full time teaching and research but continues to run workshops and write. She graduated with a Bachelor degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Queensland. For over 35 years she has mainly worked in early childhood intervention programs in community-based settings as part of a specialist paediatric multidisciplinary team. In 2003 she graduated from LaTrobe University with a Doctor of Philosophy. Her area of research is children’s play. Karen has over 120 publications, including journal articles, book chapters, and books. She has developed several play assessments including: Child-Initiated Pretend Play Assessment, the Pretend Play Enjoyment Developmental Checklist and the Animated Movie Test. From this research, Learn to Play Therapy was developed.