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Accreditations

Accreditations are important,  in order to be trained as a safe and effective Play Therapist or Practitioner in Therapeutic Play Skills, it is essential that the Play Therapy courses you undertake are fully accredited by two different types of organisation:

  • A professional Play Therapy Organisation, recognised by the UK Government to issue a Certificate of Practice and ensure the quality of clinical work is acceptable. In APAC’s case, this is Play Therapy UK (PTUK) who manage the ‘Register of Play and Creative Arts Therapists’, accredited by the Professional Standards Authority under the Accredited Register Programme.
  •  A government recognised University to manage the quality of the academic work and issue the Postgraduate awards.

About our Professional Accreditor:

Play Therapy UK (PTUK) – the Society for Play and Creative Arts Therapies, was set up as a not for profit organisation in 1999 to:

    • Promote the use of Play Therapy and Therapeutic Play
    • Provide an infrastructure for sage practice
    • Provide support for Play Therapy Practitioners
    • Modernise the profession in the UK

Outside of the UK, these roles are undertaken by Play Therapy International (PTI) which has members in over 30 countries. PTI administers the educational accreditation and certification standards of our courses delivered overseas.

About our University Accreditor:

APAC’s Postgraduate Courses in the UK are accredited by University of Chichester, who manage the academic quality and Postgraduate awards for courses delivered in the UK.

All programmes delivered in the Republic of Ireland are currently progressing through accreditation with the University of Chichester and are subject to approval.

  • Postgraduate Certificate in Therapeutic Play Skills
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Play Therapy
  • MA in Practice Based Play Therapy

Successful completion of these courses will lead to a Level 7 qualification in the UK, which is equivalent to Level 9 in Ireland — an important consideration for employers.

Warning!

Choosing the right training provider is critical.

Courses should be accredited by both a recognised professional Play Therapy organisation and a University to ensure your qualification is credible and recognised by employers.

It is important to note:

  • The term “postgraduate level” does not equate to a postgraduate qualification — only a government-recognised university can award this in the UK and Ireland.
  • Some institutions internationally operate without formal government recognition, which can limit the validity of their awards.
  • Fully distance-based courses alone do not provide the essential experiential training required to become a safe and effective practitioner.