Child and Adolescent Psychotherapeutic Counselling
Full time Master of Philosophy (MPhil)
Part time Master in Education (MEd)*
The part time Master in Education (Child and Adolescent and Psychotherapeutic Counselling) degree is part of a B.A.C.P. accredited route to becoming a child and adolescent psychotherapeutic counsellor. To become an accredited practitioner candidates are also required to hold the Postgraduate Diploma in Child and Adolescent Counselling. The increased emphasis on the integration of education, social services and health in the delivery of services to children under the Children's Act 2004, make this route particularly pertinent and valuable, not only to teachers but to a wide range of practitioners within the area. Please note that the full-time Master of Philosophy route is not accredited.
The four Elements offered are:
Element 1: The Therapeutic Relationship & Therapeutic Processes (introductory)
This element explores an integrative approach to the therapeutic relationship. It will include a study of the working alliance, the transferential relationship and the person to person relationship. The work of Kahn, Schore, Rogers, Clarkson and Gelso & Hayes feature here. Processes at work in the therapeutic relationship and how these relate to different stages of the process are explored. There is an emphasis on the importance of processes at work in the therapeutic relationship including empathy, affect attunement, misattunement, transference and projection. This includes processes involved in working with children and in working with play and the arts.
Element 2: Professional Issues in Therapy with Children
In this element, the key professional, ethical and legal issues surrounding the practice of therapeutic counselling and research on counselling are examined. Since the context of work with children and adolescents is rapidly changing, with increased emphasis on working with other agencies, systems and groups as well as with individuals, it is important to understand different contexts and the different modes of working within them. The element will:
- cover the following core processes: assessment for counselling and of progress during counselling; scanning; beginning; referral and co-working; ending counselling; and the use of time, boundaries and contracts. The use and role of supervision.
- explore the legal frameworks surrounding counselling practice, including the child protection requirements and other important frameworks such as the implications of the Children's Act 2004 and the UN Convention on the Rights Of The Child.
- discuss ethical aspects including codes of ethics, confidentiality, information exchange and the law.
- examine the processes and issues related to working with systems e.g. schools, social services or welfare agencies, and working with health services. Particular attention will be paid to counselling in education, its history and current research on and developments in counselling in education.
- include a focus on research, management and evaluation of counselling and guidance in education.
Element 3: Understanding Child and Adolescent Development
This element explores the key theoretical frameworks for individual and group development in childhood and adolescence and their implications for therapeutic practices. An integrative approach is adopted, through the use of
- Developmental frameworks of those such as Erikson, Piaget, Vygotsky and Klein
- Theories of attachment and development, including the work of Bowlby, Rutter and Winnicott.
- Theories of self, self-concept and self-esteem.
- Children and play and the therapeutic uses of play and images.
- Current neurobiological research on emotional development and the brain.
- Current research on issues related children and adolescents and mental health.
Element 4: Developing Children's Social and Emotional Well Being
This element explores how children's social and emotional well being can be developed in proactive and educational, as well as therapeutic, ways. It will include the following:
- Working in developmental and reactive ways i.e. personal, social and emotional education through the curriculum as well as through individual and group work.
- A critical assessment of the role of individual and group work in education.
- Current issues in child and adolescent mental health, including an exploration of the research and approaches to working with suicide, depression, eating disorders, behavioural 'problems' and addictive problems.
The element also explores the social world of the child and how to intervene supportively to build social relationships in groups as well as with individuals. So working with peers will be a major theme. Working to support children and their carers will also be a major theme of this unit of work. This theme of working with parents and families will include reference to the theory of group development and group processes, and theories of family development, processes and working with families.
Preliminary Reading:
Feltham C (2000) What is counselling and psychotherapy? In C. Feltham and I. Horton (Eds) Handbook of counselling and psychotherapy. (London, Sage)
Aldgate J. et al, (2006), The Developing World of the Child. (London, Jessica Kinsgsley)
Suggested Reading:
Clarkson P (2000) The therapeutic relationship. (London, Whurr)
Kahn M (1997) Between therapist and client. (New York, Owl Books)
All Masters students on this route are required to attend a generic research methods strand, taught across thematic routes. Methods sessions are essential for a research-based Masters degree and constitute about one-third of the whole programme. Through this strand students will develop their understanding of different research strategies, foster skills in appraising and synthesising published research studies and acquire the understanding and skills necessary for designing, conducting, analysing, interpreting and reporting a small-scale research study for thesis presentation.
The research strand covers a broad range of social science research methods and is essential for Masters level understanding and critical engagement with the research literature in many specialist areas and in education more generally. It offers opportunities and encouragement to apply the knowledge gained to your thematic area, and vice versa. Details of the MPhil and MEd Research Methods courses are provided in separate handbooks.
Application process and Fees
For more information on the application process, fees and entry requirements please see the MPhil pages if you are interested in full-time study or the MEd pages if you are interested in part-time study.