Graduate Certificate in Child Counselling and Play Therapy
Healing through Play: Techniques in Child Counselling and Play Therapy
Programme Overview
In an increasingly complex and fast paced world, children face a myriad of emotional, behavioural and developmental challenges that can impact on their well-being and overall development. As such, there is a growing need for practitioners equipped with specialised knowledge and evidence-based approaches to effectively support children and their families.
The Graduate Certificate in Child Counselling and Play Therapy equips social workers, counsellors, psychologists, educators and mental health professionals with essential knowledge in child development, childhood psychopathology, trauma, family dynamics and child-centred communication, alongside hands-on training in an evidence-based therapeutic approach known as Play Therapy, to interact, build relationships, counsel children, and facilitate meaningful intervention.
Who Should Attend
Target Audience: Social workers and Counsellors from Strengthening Families Programme@Family Service Centre (FAM@FSC), School Counsellors, Psychologists, Teachers, and any other allied health professionals who are working with children and families in their work settings.
Entry Requirements:
- A bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in a related discipline;
- Candidates with a non-related bachelor’s degree and relevant work experience may be considered on a case-by-case basis, subject to the approval of the Department of Social
Work; or - Candidates with other qualifications and work experiences may be considered on a case-by-case basis, subject to the approval of the Faculty.
Class Dates
Refer to course details below for 2027 dates
Application Period
5 Oct – 15 Dec 2026
Information Session (via Zoom)
8 Oct 2026, 12PM-1PM
Funding Type
SSG Funding
Counselling Children: Advanced Foundations and Practice (TGS-2026064762)
Class Dates: 25–26 Feb & 1 Mar 2027; 18–19 & 22 Mar 2027
Overview
This course prepares learners to counsel children aged 4–12 through a developmentally informed, evidence-aware approach. Learners will build a strong knowledge base in child counselling and practise core clinical skills, including therapeutic relationship-building, case conceptualization, facilitating insight, and supporting meaningful change.
The course emphasises applied technique, with guided practice using somatic, symbolic/expressive, cognitive, and behavioural interventions tailored to children’s needs and contexts. Critical professional issues are integrated throughout, including ethical decision-making, documentation standards, risk management, and safe practice when working with children and families across diverse settings.
Course Objectives
At the end of the course, participants will be able to:
- Differentiate major childhood developmental stages (ages 4–12) and evaluate common presenting concerns associated with each stage.
- Recognise and describe mental health conditions that typically emerge in childhood and early adolescence, and their implications for counselling.
- Articulate and apply a developmental lens to case conceptualisation and intervention planning with children.
- Demonstrate foundational counselling competencies for individual work with children and for engaging families in the therapeutic process.
- Collaborate effectively with caregivers, including conducting parent consultations and supporting caregiver involvement in treatment goals.
- Develop an integrative clinical framework for initial assessment, goal-setting, treatment planning, and ongoing progress review with children and families.
- Design child-centred treatment plans that incorporate appropriate caregiver psychoeducation and family-based supports to promote sustainable change.
- Justify the selection and integration of somatic, symbolic/expressive, cognitive, and behavioural interventions based on client needs and formulation.
- Select and use developmentally appropriate therapeutic media (e.g., sand tray, puppets, drawing, games) to facilitate engagement, expression, and therapeutic change.
- Apply relevant ethical codes, policies, and risk-management practices to ensure safe, lawful, and professionally responsible counselling with children
Theory and Practice of Play Therapy with Children (TGS-2026064761)
Class Dates: 26–27 & 30 Aug 2027; 23–24 & 27 Sep 2027
Overview
The purpose of this course is to provide learners with play therapy theories, techniques used for effective play therapy and practice. The learners will learn the rationale behind the use of play therapy, the theoretical approaches, and the techniques used for effective play therapy.
Course Objectives
At the end of the course, participants will be able to:
- Learn definition of play therapy
- Compare and contrast essential people, theorists and organizations that shaped the history of the profession of play therapy
- Differentiate between the developmental stages of children and their play
- Compare and contrast the most widely accepted theoretical models of play therapy and the formats in which they are most commonly offered (individual, group, family, etc.)
- Identify play therapy toys and materials that can be incorporated into either a permanent or traveling playroom for the purposes of both assessment and treatment
- Identify and differentiate the stages within the play therapy process from intake to termination
- Examine and discuss key elements in a play therapy relationship
- Demonstrate basic play therapy skills including (but not limited to) structuring, tracking, reflection of content and process, returning responsibility, facilitating self-advocacy, and limit setting
About the Instructors
Course Fees
| Course titles | Full course fees, incl. GST | Pricing after SSG Funding*, incl. GST (Singapore Citizen below 40 years / Singapore Permanent Resident) | Pricing after SSG Funding*, incl. GST (Singapore Citizen aged 40 years and above) |
| Counselling Children: Advanced Foundations and Practice (TGS-2026064762) [4 units] | $5,886 | $1,765.80 | $685.80 |
| Theory and Practice of Play Therapy with Children (TGS-2026064761) [4 units] | $5,886 | $1765.80 | $685.80 |
*SSG Funding Information: Learners must achieve a ‘Competent’ grade in assessment, to be eligible for SSG funding. Please note that learners may have to bear the full course fee (incl. GST) if they fail to meet this requirement.