Graduate Diploma of Therapeutic Child Play

2022 Deakin University Handbook

Course sub-headings

• Course overview
• Indicative student workload
• Professional recognition
• Career opportunities
• Participation requirements
• Mandatory student checks
• Pathways
• Alternative exits
• Fees and charges
• Course Learning Outcomes
• Course rules
• Course structure
• Work experience
• Research and research-related study

Course overview

Enrich your work with children and develop evidence-based techniques for better understanding their behaviour with the Graduate Diploma of Therapeutic Child Play. Get industry experience with 60 hours of clinical placement, and learn alongside pioneering academics in Australian child play therapy research.

Want valuable new skills that allow you to pursue more rewarding work with children and their families?

Even adults with years of life experience can find it hard to work through difficult feelings associated with mental health, trauma, self-esteem and relationships. When it comes to children, especially those without well-developed coping skills, these feelings can lead to problematic behaviour. Play therapy is increasingly being used as a way of helping children overcome these issues and make sense of their experiences. The beauty of play therapy is its simplicity. It allows children to express themselves through a comforting and familiar medium.

The Graduate Diploma of Therapeutic Child Play is designed for those working with children on a regular basis, from allied health professionals to educators. It builds on the theories, models and practices learned at the graduate certificate level, and trains you to introduce play into your work as a coping and expressive mechanism for the children you interact with. You will examine child development from many different angles, with a particular focus on cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, biological, motor, moral and developmental disorders. You will also explore childhood neuroscience and psychopathology, covering a range of mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), autism spectrum disorders, eating disorders, child abuse and bereavement.

The course can be used as a pathway into the Master of Child Play Therapy, and includes eight units from the masters course:

• Foundations of Play Therapy
• Child Attachment Environment and Trauma
• Assessment and Measurement in Play Abilities
• Childhood Developmental Neuroscience and Psychopathology
• Therapeutic Use of Self
• Engaging Children in Play Using Directive Approaches
• Research Literacy.
• Therapeutic Medical Play

You will learn how to assess and observe a child’s play behaviour, not just through case studies but through practical experience in a clinical setting. 60 hours of clinical placement allows you to examine behavioural characteristics alongside an experienced play therapist. It also provides the opportunity to build professional relationships that can kickstart your career growth when you graduate.

A highlight of the course is being able to learn from academic staff with extensive experience both in Australia and globally. We have staff working within key organisations like the Association for the Wellbeing of Children in Healthcare (AWCH) and Australasia Pacific Play Therapy Association (APPTA), and their incredible research, case studies and experiences are fed straight into the course.

Indicative student workload

As a student in a Cloud (online) course (with on-campus intensives in some units) in the Faculty of Health you will be expected to spend at least 11-13 hours per unit every week participating in a range of teaching activities each week. This could include classes, seminars, practicals, placements and online interaction via CloudDeakin. You can refer to the individual unit details in the course structure for more information. You will also need to study and complete assessment tasks in your own time. Teaching, placements and assessment tasks may take place outside of Deakin University teaching periods.

Students are required to attend intensive workshops for several units in the Master of Child Play Therapy and Graduate Diploma of Therapeutic Child Play. Dates for 2022 are available here.

Professional recognition

Professional recognition is available to students who progress their studies through to successful completion of the Master of Child Play Therapy. Graduates of the masters course will be eligible to apply for registration as a Play Therapist with the Australasia Pacific Play Therapy Association (APPTA).

Note: All information regarding professional recognition is accurate at the date of publication. Enquiries regarding accreditation and professional membership should be directed to the School of Health and Social Development in order to ascertain the current status of accreditation at any future point in time beyond publication. Representations about accreditation apply only to the course, and the relevant professional body retains discretion as to who they admit as members of their association. Deakin University cannot exercise any control over membership of an external body.

Career opportunities

The Graduate Diploma of Therapeutic Child Play is particularly valuable for those already working closely with children, including teachers, counsellors, occupational therapists, nurses, social workers, speech pathologists and mental health professionals. The course also provides significant benefits for parents and caregivers who want to be better equipped for the complex and everyday challenges of children’s development.

The skills you’ll learn will allow you to perform your current role more effectively, and will also open the door to more advanced roles within your profession.

If you are aspiring to become a Registered Play Therapist, you can continue your studies into the Master of Child Play Therapy upon successful completion of the graduate diploma. With registration, you can start working independently as a play therapist in:

• private practice
• schools
• hospitals
• charitable organisations
• government departments

Participation requirements

The course involves a compulsory clinical placement of 60 hours during Trimester 2. The placements must be undertaken Australia.

Compulsory attendance is required at a four-day on-campus intensive placement workshop at the Geelong Waterfront Campus as well as the 60 hours in a professional placement and 17 hours of online clinical supervision.

Placement can occur at any time, including during standard holiday breaks listed here

Mandatory student checks

Department of Human Services policy - Police Record Check and Working With Children Check

In accordance with Department of Human Services policy, all students are required to undertake a National Police Record Check at the commencement of their course. This police check needs to be completed annually for the duration of the course.

Students are also required to hold a current Working with Children Check in Victoria (or the interstate equivalent) at the commencement of their course.

Students who fail to obtain both a Police Record Check and Working with Children Check prior to the commencement of their first unit will not be able to commence clinical components and this will impede progress in the course.

NB: Clinical components include observation of a child at play, infant-parent observation, play assessment, and a clinical placement in therapeutic play, which must be undertaken in Australia.

The Faculty of Health Work Integrated Learning Team utilise an online service called ‘Fit2Work’ for police checks, and students will receive an email with instructions on how to apply. Students should not apply for a police check until they have received this email from Fit2Work.

Pathways

This course provides a pathway to other postgraduate coursework programs.

Alternative exits

Fees and charges

Fees and charges vary depending on your course, the type of fee place you hold, your commencement year, the units you choose and your study load. To find out about the fees and charges that apply to you, visit the Current students fees website or our handy Fee estimator to help estimate your tuition fees.

Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as photocopying or travel.

Course Learning Outcomes

Course rules

To complete the Graduate Diploma of Therapeutic Child Play students must attain 8 credit points. All 8 of these units are core within the Graduate Diploma (these are compulsory).

All commencing Faculty of Health Undergraduate and Postgraduate course work students are required to complete HAI010 Academic Integrity in their first trimester of study (0 credit point compulsory unit).

Course structure

Core units

Trimester 1

Trimester 2

Work experience

The course includes units that requires students to undertake at least 10 hours (HSO710 – 3 hours, HSO711 – 6 hours and HSO713 – 1 hour) of suitable practical experience in Australia. This experience may be in an educational setting, private practice, home environment or public area, where the student will observe and analyse e.g. child play and family interactions.

The course includes a mandatory 1 credit point unit (HSO712), that requires students to undertake at least 60 hours of suitable practical experience. This experience may be in a school environment or community-based clinic, where the student will undertake supervised practice in engaging children in play using directive approaches. The placements must be undertaken in Australia.

Other course information

Course duration - additional information

Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as accessing or completing work placements.

Further information

Student Central can help you with course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements.

• Contact Student Central

Research and research-related study

Students within the Graduate Diploma will complete one credit point of research related study.