Learn to Play Therapy – Part 1: Foundation (2 Day ONLINE Workshop)
Thurs 28 – Fri 29 July 2022
9:30am – 4:30pm
Presented by Dr Siobhan Casey and Dr Chloe Wadley
*Start and end times are in Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart, Canberra, UTC+10:00
ABOUT
Learn to Play Therapy aims to develop the capacity in children to spontaneously self-initiate their own pretend play. Being able to play is essential to children because through play children learn about themselves and their world. Pretend play is complex play and research evidence has shown that children who develop more complex levels of pretend play increase in their abilities in social competence, narrative language, language, self-regulation, creativity, and problem solving. Not all children develop complex levels of pretend play. Reasons for this can be the child’s diagnosis (for example, children on the autism spectrum have difficulty developing spontaneous pretend play), the child’s environment, or no obvious reason. Learn to Play Therapy is an evidence-based therapy for developing more complex levels of spontaneous pretend play in a child.*
The online training has 3 components:
Day 1: LIVE session and Consolidation open session
Day 2: LIVE session and Consolidation open session
The first LIVE session of this 2 day workshop provides participants with knowledge on the development of pretend play from 12 months to 5 years and how to use this knowledge as an assessment of a child’s play ability using the Pretend Play Enjoyment Developmental Checklist**. The pre-workshop activities include PowerPoint recordings on the links between pretend play, theory of mind, narrative language and self-regulation and self-esteem are also discussed.
On the second LIVE session of this 2 day workshop focusses on the Learn to Play Therapy approach and participants are taken through the principles and process of this therapy, which includes 11 key play skills that are an essential part of a child’s ability to play. Also in this workshop are guidelines on how to identify children who would benefit from Learn to Play Therapy.
The workshop uses a mixture of information giving, case studies, video analysis and practice of the key skills involved in the process of Learn to Play Therapy. The practice is through break out rooms on Zoom, where the presenter and co-host move from ‘room’ to ‘room’. This workshop would be valuable to therapists, social workers, psychologists and early intervention workers who work with families with children under 8 years of age who have a developmental delay.
*The new Learn to Play book: Learn to Play Therapy: Principles, Process and Practical Activities was published in 2021. This 314 page book explains the theoretical underpinnings, principles and process as well as includes an additional 114 pages of play activities by developmental level. It comes with a USB that includes the play activities, parent handouts, and Play Background Checklist. This book is an essential reference source for Learn to Play Therapy.
**Feedback received from previous participants of this workshop have expressed it is helpful to have a copy of the Pretend Play Enjoyment Developmental Checklist (PPE-DC) during the workshop.
The Pretend Play Enjoyment Developmental Checklist (PPE-DC) is recommended if you wish to integrate play into your practice. So if your workplace does not have a copy of the Pretend Play Enjoyment Developmental Checklist (PPE-DC), you may be interested in purchasing it before you commence this ONLINE workshop.
More information about this resource and purchasing it, is on our website at the following links:
Pretend Play Enjoyment Developmental Checklist (PPE-DC) STARTER PACKAGE
Pretend Play Enjoyment Developmental Checklist (PPE-DC) MANUAL
PPE-DC Professional scoring booklet: Pack of 10
PPE-DC Parent/Carer Scoring Booklet: Pack of 10
PRESENTER’S PROFILE – SIOBHAN CASEY
Siobhan Casey is a paediatric occupational therapist with 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 presented on pretend play development at conferences both nationally and internationally and enjoys delivering training to a wide range of audiences interested in promoting the opportunity for pretend play development in children. Siobhan has previously worked in early intervention community settings, private practice and specialist development schools. She is currently working within a mainstream school setting, supporting the implementation of pretend play within the curriculum. Siobhan continues to research the impact of pretend play development on global developmental functioning and has further interests in researching the role of pretend play development in supporting positive health and wellbeing across the lifespan.
PRESENTER’S PROFILE – CHLOE WADLEY
Dr Chloe Wadley is a paediatric Occupational Therapist who has recently completed her PhD in the Learn to Play Program within Specialist Schools for children with developmental delay and disability, supervised by Dr Karen Stagnitti. Chloe works as a paediatric occupational therapist within the community, home, clinic, school, kindergarten, and childcare settings. Chloe specialises in occupational therapy intervention for children aged 2-12 years. Chloe runs group Learn to Play for pre-school and primary school children on the Autism Spectrum, and with developmental delay, within her clinical practice. Chloe has a passion for working with children on the Autism Spectrum in both individual and group therapy. Chloe is also a Lecturer in Occupational Therapy at Deakin University and involved in the supervision of Masters of Play Therapy students. Chloe has extensive training and clinical practice in the use of play assessment tools and Learn to Play therapy. Chloe enjoys sharing her knowledge and skills through delivering workshops to a range of audiences interested in Learn to Play. Chloe’s research to date has focused on Learn to Play group programs within specialist school settings for children with developmental delay and disability. Chloe is passionate in supporting schools to implement Learn to Play Programs within their curriculums in order to support childhood development and learning.
15% Group Discount
Organisations sending 5 or more staff members to the same workshop on the same date are entitled to a 15% discount off the total price. To apply for the discount please email Jessica directly at learntoplayevents@gmail.com.
Cancellation and refund policy
Please notify Jessica of any cancellations by email: learntoplayevents@gmail.com.
To receive a full refund please advise your cancellation 8 or more days prior to the commencement of the workshop.
Cancellations made within 7 days prior to the commencement of the workshop will be refunded 50% of the original workshop fee paid.
No refunds will be issued for cancellations made within 48 hours before the commencement of the workshop.
Learn to Play reserves the right to cancel the workshop and issue a full refund of the workshop fee to registrant.