Developing skills in therapeutic communication in daily living with emotionally disturbed children and young people

Abstract

This paper explores the opportunities for therapeutic communication with children and young people in daily living settings such as residential homes and schools and family centres. It considers the need to build on workers' intuitive skills by providing training in therapeutic communication. It examines a theoretical framework for thinking about therapeutic communication in daily life, based on a match between normal emotional development and the therapeutic process, drawing especially on the work of Winnicott and Dockar-Drysdale. It explores the application of these ideas on a course in Therapeutic Communication with Children and Young People, with substantial illustrations from course members' practice. Support in managing the emotional demands of the course is provided by the holding environment of the whole programme of the Postgraduate Diploma/MA in Therapeutic Child Care at the University of Reading, described in Ward's paper in this issue.