About this Support Category
Play therapy uses play, creativity and therapeutic relationship-building to help children express feelings, process experiences and develop coping skills. It may be used where children find it difficult to talk directly about emotions, worries or experiences.
Families may look for play therapy where a child is experiencing anxiety, low confidence, bereavement, trauma, family change, emotional regulation difficulties, social challenges, school stress, autism, ADHD, SEND or other wellbeing needs.
Services may include:
- Play therapy for children and young people
- Therapeutic play, creative therapy or child-centred emotional support
- Support with anxiety, confidence, emotional regulation or behaviour
- Support linked to trauma, bereavement, family change or school concerns
- Autism-informed, ADHD-informed or SEND-aware therapeutic support
- Advice or feedback for parents, carers or professionals where appropriate
If you are looking for broader emotional wellbeing support, visit Mental Health Support. If you are looking for counselling or psychotherapy, visit Counselling & Psychotherapy.
When choosing a play therapy provider, check their qualifications, professional registration or membership where relevant, experience, age range, fees, availability and whether their approach is suitable for your child’s needs.
Related Support Areas
Finding the Right Play Therapy Provider
The right play therapy provider will depend on the child or young person’s age, needs, communication style, emotional wellbeing, family situation, location and whether support is needed online, in person, at school or in another setting.
Some providers focus on child play therapy, while others may offer creative therapy, therapeutic play, parent-child work, trauma-informed support, SEND-aware therapy or wider emotional wellbeing support. The best fit will depend on the child’s needs and the provider’s experience.
This section is most relevant where families are looking for therapeutic support using play or creative approaches, rather than formal assessment, tutoring or general childcare.
Before contacting a provider, consider whether you need:
- Play therapy for a child or young person
- Support with anxiety, confidence, emotional regulation, behaviour or family change
- Trauma-informed, autism-informed, ADHD-informed or SEND-aware support
- Online, in-person, school-based or clinic-based sessions
- Parent/carer feedback, reports or liaison with school where appropriate
- Information about fees, waiting times, qualifications and referral routes
Find Support UK does not provide clinical, safeguarding or emergency advice. Always check provider details directly and consider speaking with a school, GP, health professional or appropriate adviser if a child is experiencing significant distress, risk or urgent need.