Play therapy with young children.

ABSTRACT

This article sets out to describe and evaluate the use of Play-Therapy with young handicapped children. The children, mostly of pre-school age, have been seen at the Wolfson Centre in London, over the last five years. The work is on-going. The developmental programme adapted and followed, was designed at the Centre in the 1970s, by Cooper, Moodley & Reynell. It was used to teach children with specific language delays. It has proved ideal to use with children with a variety of problems in their learning, also those with developmental delay. The teaching/play sessions have taken place in the children's homes and in the Wolfson Centre. Parental involvement has been important for success of the programme. Other professionals beside the teacher have been involved at the Centre, for monitoring the children's progress. The results shown in the annual reviews, or when the child attends for formal assessment, are encouraging. They point to the conclusion that this form of therapy can not only help the child at home, but also helps when he/she starts school.