Pioneering
Psychotherapy
for Children
Pioneering Psychotherapy for Children
What is Theraplay?
Theraplay® informed practice
Theraplay® informed interactions focus on four essential qualities found in healthy parent-child relationships Structure: The adult, the leader in the relationship,
Structure: The adult, the leader in the relationship, creates organization and predictability for the child which communicates safety
Nurture: The adult provides caring that can calm and soothe the child in a manner that makes them feel good physically and emotionally.
Engagement: The adult is present in a manner that the child experiences being seen, heard, felt, and accepted
Challenge: The adult supports the child in the acquisition and mastery of new skills, enhancing the child’s sense of competence and confidence
Theraplay® informed practice uses practitioner guidance to create playful and caring child-adult interactions that foster joyful shared experiences. These activities build attunement and understanding of each other – replicating early relationship experiences that are proven to lead to secure attachment.
With the support of the Theraplay® informed practitioner, parents learn to play with their child in a way that establishes felt safety, increases social engagement, expands arousal regulation, and supports the development of positive self-esteem for both the child and the parent.
How does it work?
The Theraplay® Process
Theraplay® is typically suitable for children aged between 2 and 12 however this can be modified for younger and older children.
The sessions are generally structured as follows –
Intake – an initial meeting will be held with the parent/s in order to gain their understanding of Theraplay®, ensure that Theraplay® remains appropriate and to gain more information regarding the parents, family and the presenting issues.
Structured observation of the parent and child informed by the Marschak Interaction Method: This allows the Theraplay® practitioner to properly formulate a treatment plan and assess the existing strengths and difficulties within the parent/child relationship.
A parent feedback and demonstration session: providing the parent/s with feedback from their MIM and preparing them for their first Theraplay® session with their child.
Following these initial meetings, Theraplay® can then begin in earnest. This will proceed with Theraplay® informed sessions with both the parent/s and child. After three Theraplay® sessions, an independent session with the parents will then be held to reflect on the progress and any issues within the home. Theraplay® will then proceed following this pattern, with three Theraplay® sessions followed by a parent session.
It would be estimated that most families would require a total of 25 sessions (including the initial preparation sessions) and subsequently may require 2-3 ‘top-up sessions’.
Individual Theraplay® informed Practice
Theraplay® addresses the underlying relational disconnect that feeds a wide variety of presenting problems. It is an essential tool to ensure that every client has a secure base of attachment.
Group Theraplay® can occur within the format of groups of children (nurture groups) or family groups (multiple adults and children)
The MIM is a structured technique for observing and assessing the relationship between an adult and child. It observes the strengths and needs of the adult, child and relationship
Theraplay® is a registered service mark of The Theraplay Institute, 1224 W. Belmont Avenue, FL 1, Chicago, IL 60657, USA
Trusted
Our accreditations
At The Granary Family Contact Centre, we uphold the highest standards of professionalism and quality. We are proudly Enhanced NACCC Accredited, demonstrating our commitment to safe, reliable contact services. Our assessments are conducted by British Psychological Society (BPS) accredited professionals and HCPC registered experts, ensuring every report is accurate, objective, and trusted by the courts.
Ready To Visit?
Contact Us
FAQS
How are the visits arranged?
Contact at the centre takes place by referral, and the referral is sent to our Contact Centre Coordinator. The referral can be made by the parent requesting contact, a solicitor, family mediator or Cafcass (Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service). A referral form can be requested from our coordinator at familycontact@gpslimited.org. Once the form has been completed by the relevant person, the completed form is sent to us via email. Alternatively, the referral form can be completed on the phone, by calling 01905 797139.
Families wanting to apply for a place will be required to go through the following process:
- The resident and non-resident parent will receive a telephone call and/or an email to inform you if we are able to offer your family a place at our centre.
- We will offer both the resident and non-resident parent to attend a pre-visit. The aim of this is to:
- Gather information about you, your children, and the family’s background
- Provide information about the centre and how it operates
- Show you around the centre so that you will be familiar with it before the visit. This will also be an opportunity for you to meet your allocated contact centre supervisor(s) if they are available.
3. Following the pre-visit, if you are happy with the facility and the centre has all the required information, you will be offered a session via email.
Do I have to meet my ex partner when I come to the centre?
We offer a handover service at an additional charge if you would not like to see the other party attending family time. If this is in place, we ask the visiting parent to arrive earlier and leave later than the non-visiting parent to avoid any crossover, and our contact supervisors will manage the handover of the child. This is done sensitively and with the child’s feelings as priority. If you feel comfortable doing the handover directly, the centre-led handover does not need to be in place.
Does the centre make reports about us?
If the contact is supervised then yes, a report will be completed of the contact supervisor’s observations which will be sent to the relevant parties as per the court order. The writing of said notes will be discreet during the session. If you are attending for supported contact, then a note will be made of when you have attended the centre but not details of the sessions. However, if we thought that a child was at risk, or a member of staff was at risk of harm, then we would need to report this to the appropriate statutory agency.
Are there any rules?
The visit to our centre is for children to spend time with their parent or family member they no longer live with. We would kindly ask that new partners do not attend so as to keep the atmosphere happy and fun for the child. We also ask that information regarding court hearings, or the other parent are not discussed during the session in front of the children. This can be a difficult time for your child so try to keep the time happy. A copy of the do’s and don’ts during contact will be included in the agreement you will sign at the pre-visit. You are welcome to bring any games that you think the children would like to the session but we are unable to store them at the centre.
What happens if I am unable to attend?
Telephone the contact centre on 01905 797139 and a member of staff will inform the other party. If you are unable to reach us by phone, then we would ask you to email familycontact@gpslimited.org which is monitored regularly.
Please note: If you are unable to attend, there is a cancellation fee if cancelled within 48 hours of your booked session.
How much does a contact session cost?
Our costs for our services are as follows:
• Initial Referral Administration Fee – £45
• Pre-visit Fee – £70
• Supervised family time – £85 per hour
• 15-minute handover before and after the session – £35
• Supported contact and sole use of our family room – £50 per hour
What are the Contact Centre opening times?
Monday: 16:00pm – 19:00pm
Tuesday: 16:00pm – 19:00pm
Wednesday: 9:00am – 19:00pm
Thursday: Closed
Friday: 16:00pm – 19:00pm
Saturday: 10:00am – 16:00pm
Sunday: Closed
Is there parking available?
There is ample parking outside the centre and by the garden.
Looking For Expert Assessments And Reporting?
The Granary Contact Centre is part of GPS Limited – specialists in providing high-quality reports for criminal and family care proceedings. With a focus on accurate, timely assessments, we are trusted by repeat clients and referrals. Learn more about our comprehensive services and how we support families through challenging times.