What’s the point of play?
A new course for parents will help you discover the answer and build a bond with your children.
For many parents and carers, play can feel strange and awkward. As adults, we can lose touch with play.
However, for children, it is how they process their feelings and make sense of the world.
When we play with children, it has benefits for both the child and adult. It strengthens bonds and creates memories.
Parents can sign up to a new course delivered by experts and designed to explore play and playing with your child with a fun and informal approach.
The free course will focus on supporting parents to better understand play, how children use play and to feel comfortable and confident playing with their child.
Build a bond through play course
Each course will be delivered over two sessions for parents in A Better Start wards.
The first course sessions are:
Saturday 4th May, from 9.30am until 12.30pm
and
Saturday 11th May, from 9.30am until 12.30pm.
At:
Labyrinth House, 258 Westborough Rd, Westcliff-on-Sea, Southend-on-Sea, Westcliff-on-Sea SS0 9PT.
Please note: This is a parents-only course for parents living in the Westborough ward. By signing up, you are committing to attend both sessions. There will not be any crêche facilities.
Please look out for more courses in other A Better Start Southend wards soon.
If you have any questions, please email Shelley.Johnson@thepowerofplay.uk.
More about the course leaders
Emma Hickling
Emma is a Child and Adolescent Psychotherapeutic Counsellor, who uses an integrative approach to creative arts and play to support children, young people and families with a range of mental health, social, and emotional needs.
Emma started her company, Little Minds Matter Ltd, in 2019 in order to provide a service for schools, primarily in the Southend area, and latterly Canvey Island and Thurrock. Emma also works with Southend and Thurrock local authorities, providing therapeutic support both in schools and in her private work for looked after children.
Shelley Johnson
Shelley is a non-directive, holistic, integrative therapeutic play practitioner for children and adolescents, who are presenting with, in and out behaviours because of emotional needs.
Shelley has experience of facilitating courses for parents in a range of areas such as for families where a young person is self-harming and the Solihull Approach which supports parents to better understand the communication in their child’s behaviour.
