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Professional Structure Model - Competencies - Categories and Profiles

Competency Profiles

The Professional Structure Model (PSM) contains a database of competencies. Competency profiles may be easily produced from it by selecting the appropriate competencies required for any post. For example the competencies required by a Learning Assistant using therapeutic play skills to develop emotional literacy will be different from a Nurse working in a children's hospital which will be different again from an experienced Play Therapist working with behaviour and mental health problems in a variety of settings.

The PSM is under constant development. The last major revision took place in November 2006 to include filial play. PTI is now continuing the process of developing multiple behaviour indicators for each competency. If you are interested in this work or would like to contribute please phone +44 (0)1825 761143.

PTI produces recommended competency profiles for its members upon request. These may then be used as a basis for producing job descriptions, person specifications and the design of training programmes. They may also be extended or amended to suit the organisation's specific requirements.

Example of a Competency Profile - Play Therapist

Please email contact@ptiworldwide.org for this service.

Categories of Competencies

The PTI competency framework has 12 groups of competencies. Since they encompass the whole profession, not all of the groups are required for a practitioner.

GroupExplanation
Expectations of a health professional Professional autonomy, accountability and professional relationships
Skills required for the application of practice (enabling competencies) Competencies needed by a therapist in order to be able to apply their therapeutic skills including promoting play therapy, obtaining funding, setting up the service and integration into other children's services
Therapeutic competencies for practice The clinical skills that the therapist use to assess clients, set therapeutic objectives, establish a therapeutic relationship and apply therapeutic play skills to achieve the therapeutic objectives. Competencies in this group form the backbone of the framework.
Filial play competencies The competencies required to train parents/carers in filial play. ie to become a Filial Play Coach or Mentor
Practice management Competencies required to manage clinical work including the planning, recording and control of cases; managing communications with referrers, parent/carers, commissioners, funders and other professionals.
Clinical governance (quality management competencies) Competencies required for clinical supervision and clinical governance. The collection and analysis of appropriate information to take action to improve practice and for presentation for supervision.
Competencies required for using play therapy in specific settings Competencies to enable the therapist to provide support for clients in a multi-disciplinary team. An understanding of settings' special requirements to determine and deliver effective play therapy interventions.
Competencies for using play therapy for specific conditions The play therapy skills that the therapist uses to assess and alleviate specific psychological conditions.
Competencies required to conduct original research Competencies required to conduct original and systematic research to develop the play therapy knowledge base as a contribution to good mental health.
Clinical supervision competencies Competencies required to carry out effective clinical supervision
Competencies required for play therapy training Competencies required for training practitioners of therapeutic play, play therapists and filial play coaches/mentors.
Management of play therapy services Competencies required for the line management of services providing therapeutic play, play therapists or filial play.

The following table summarises the number of competencies but group.

Competency GroupNo of Competencies
Expectations of a health professional3
Skills required for the application of practice (enabling) competencies)24
Therapeutic competencies for practice41
Filial play competencies28
Practice management19
Clinical governance (quality management competencies)2
Competencies required for using play therapy in specific settings11
Competencies for using play therapy for specific conditions24
Competencies required to conduct original research6
Competencies required for play therapy training28
Management of play therapy services18
Other3
207


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