Garda Vetting: provided by IPTCA free of charge.

Membership Card: Your membership number is required to avail of discounts on IPTCA events. You can also use it when applying for insurance and to display at workplaces.

Find a Play Therapist listing: Members can choose to list their services giving contact details. It encourages employers/individuals seeking a Play Therapist.

Monthly online Peer Support Group: A forum to discuss professional challenges with Play Therapy colleagues.

Monthly online Self-Care hour: Mindfulness based practice and Life Coach sessions guided by a qualified practitioner.

Continuing Professional Development: IPTCA provides members with relevant conferences and CPD.

Attendance at AGM: A yearly event to become informed of the work of IPTCA. The day usually includes a high-profile guest speaker.

Professional Support on Standards of Practice: IPTCA responds to member enquiries and members can access a range of information from the Board regarding practical, ethical and professional matters.

IPTCA Newsletter: Members receive regular e-mail bulletins containing information on Play Therapy events, conferences and CPD. All members are added to this mailing list.

IPTCA Logo: Professional members can display the IPTCA logo on their websites and professional material.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP:
You need to have a minimum QQI Level 8/9 or equivalent in Play Therapy, for a Professional Membership.

INSURANCE: All Play therapist wishing to join must have a fully up to date insurance policy.

SUPERVISION: A document signed by your supervisor outlining frequency of supervision must be provided.

CPD: 30 CPD for the year - Certs outlining 15 CPD points, plus proof of another 15 CPD hours (certs not necessary but favoured.)

STUDENT / TRAINEE MEMBERSHIP: You must be currently studying for a postgraduate level 8 or 9 in Play Therapy.

If you do not have this and wish to join as an associate you can email iptcamembership@gmail.com to discuss further.

The total CPD hours needed per year is thirty. Two areas you need to have CPD hours are a minimum of fifteen hours per year from Category one two or three and a minimum of twelve per year from personal care – ten can be used as CPD.

Please provide the full title of the course, CPD hours being claimed and a copy of your attendance certificate in your membership renewal documentation.

Category 1- Short Courses on Professional Issues

(a) Courses undertaken in areas of interest to Play Therapy practice e.g., sand play, trauma, children with special needs

(b) Other courses that are delivered by presenters who are Irish based, who have International or national reputation in a related field

Up to 20 hours allowed in a year.

Category 2 -Seminars and Conferences

On topics relevant to Play Therapy practice and Mindfulness of the Therapist

Up to 20 hours allowed in a year.

Category 3 - Study for Further Qualifications

Further training in PQ Certificate in e.g., Masters in Play Therapy, Parent child relationship, Filial Therapy etc.

Up to 20 hours allowed in a year.

Minimum of fifteen hours required per year from the three categories above.

Category 4 - Professional Development and Assisting in the Development of Others

(a) Designing and facilitating workshops

(b) Offering a training session, Giving a talk at a conference

(c) Writing articles, book reviews, books (relevant to professional practice

(d) Initiatives taken in consultation with peers to create and develop new ideas relevant to play therapy or creative arts therapies and making them available to others.

(e) Participating in groups; peer groups, reading groups.

(f) Learning new skills, acquiring knowledge and new insights from reading, films, plays.

Up to 20 hours allowed in a year

Category 5 – Being involved in a Working Party/ Advisory Board other Meetings.

Play Therapy related meetings, local or national consultations with colleagues, meeting with local commissioning groups to promote play therapy.

Up to 10 hours allowed in a year

Category 6 – Personal Care

Mindfulness, personal therapy, meditations, creative therapy, group therapy.

Minimum of twelve hours required per year – ten can be used as part of the yearly CPD requirement.

A copy of the IPTCA Policies and Procedures can be viewed HERE

The following link gives information on GDPR requirements

https://healthservice.hse.ie/staff/procedures-guidelines/data-protection/fundamentals-of-gdpr-training/

When you apply you will be directed to the appropriate link.

When all stages of the membership process are complete you will be emailed a digital membership card.

This includes Garda Vetting and your Supervisors information form.

Membership can take 3 - 4 weeks to process. Do not forget to upload all the documentation required to process your application. Otherwise it will delay your application process.

In some cases, yes. You are welcome to contact us at contact@iptca.ie as regards Associate Membership.

iptcamembership@gmail.com

And one of our board members will reply within 1-2 days.