Private Play Therapy for Children in the UK: A Complete Parent's Guide
If your child is struggling with anxiety, big emotions, or the aftermath of a difficult experience, you may have started looking for support outside the NHS. This guide answers the questions parents ask most when finding a private play therapist or child counsellor in the UK.
What Does a Play Therapist or Child Counsellor Do?
Play therapy uses creative, expressive activities — sand, paint, puppets, stories, role play — to help children communicate feelings they do not yet have words for. Child counsellors use similar approaches, often with older children who can engage more verbally, focusing on emotional processing and building coping strategies.
Both practitioners work to create a consistent, non-directive space where a child feels safe enough to explore whatever is troubling them. This might include processing bereavement, adjusting after family breakdown, managing sensory overwhelm, or unpicking anxiety that is driving school avoidance.
For SEND families, play therapy and counselling can be particularly powerful. Children with autism, ADHD, or developmental trauma often find it hard to engage with adult-led verbal therapy. A skilled play therapist meets the child in a way that feels natural to them — through movement, story, or sensory play — without requiring them to explain themselves out loud.
How Do I Know If My Child Needs Play Therapy or Counselling?
There is no single checklist, but many parents seek support when they notice a pattern of difficulty that is not shifting on its own. Common reasons families contact a play therapist include:
- Persistent anxiety — school refusal, separation difficulties, or excessive worrying that limits daily life.
- Emotional dysregulation — meltdowns, shutdowns, or outbursts that seem out of proportion to the trigger.
- Withdrawal or low mood — a child who has become quieter, more isolated, or lost interest in things they used to enjoy.
- Following a difficult event — bereavement, parental separation, trauma, abuse, a new diagnosis, or a significant transition.
- Unexplained physical symptoms — stomach aches, headaches, or sleep problems with no clear medical cause.
For neurodivergent children, these signs can overlap with or be amplified by their diagnosis. A SEND-informed play therapist understands this and will not pathologise autistic or ADHD-related behaviour.
How Do I Get Play Therapy Without Waiting Years?
CAMHS waiting lists for mental health support can stretch 18 months to three years in many parts of the UK. School counselling, where it exists, is often limited to a handful of sessions per term. Private play therapy bypasses these waiting lists entirely — most practitioners can offer an initial appointment within a few weeks.
You do not need a GP referral or a formal diagnosis to access a private play therapist. You can search, enquire, and book directly. Some practitioners specialise in SEND, CAMHS step-down, trauma, or adoption and fostering — so filtering your search to find someone whose expertise matches your child’s needs is well worth doing.
The first step is usually a brief consultation call — free with most practitioners — where you can describe what is happening and ask whether the therapist feels like a good fit.
How Much Does Private Play Therapy Cost in the UK?
Private play therapy sessions in the UK typically cost between £60 and £120 per session, with most practitioners offering 50-minute weekly appointments. Fees vary depending on location, qualifications, and experience. Sessions in London and the South East tend to sit at the higher end of this range.
Some practitioners offer a sliding scale fee based on family income, particularly those in charitable or community settings. It is always worth asking whether this is available.
Play therapy is rarely covered by mainstream private health insurance, though some policies do include it — check with your insurer before assuming it is excluded. If your child has an EHCP that includes a requirement for therapeutic support, you may be able to use your personal budget to fund sessions privately.
What Happens at a Private Play Therapy Session?
The first appointment is usually a parent consultation — the therapist meets with you (without your child) to understand the background, what prompted the referral, and what you hope therapy will address. This helps the therapist plan an appropriate approach and ensures the work is safe and well-contextualised.
Subsequent sessions involve your child attending weekly, usually for 50 minutes. The therapy room contains a range of materials — sandtray, art supplies, puppets, story books, miniatures — and the child is free to choose how to engage. The therapist does not direct the play; they observe, follow, and reflect.
Most practitioners provide brief written feedback after sessions and offer periodic reviews with parents, typically every six to eight sessions. You will not receive detailed session content — this is kept confidential for the child’s therapeutic safety — but you will receive regular updates on progress and any areas of concern.
Can I Refer My Child for Play Therapy Myself, or Do I Need a GP?
Yes — you can self-refer. Private play therapists accept direct referrals from parents without requiring a GP letter or prior CAMHS involvement. You simply contact the practitioner, complete an initial enquiry form or have a phone consultation, and agree on a start date.
That said, if there are significant concerns about your child’s mental health or safety, or if you suspect an underlying diagnosis that has not been assessed, it is worth keeping your GP in the loop. Some practitioners will ask for a brief GP summary if they have safeguarding concerns, and an open line of communication can be valuable if needs change.
For SEND families, a therapist who can access previous assessments, school reports, or an EHCP will be better placed to tailor the work from the outset.
How Many Play Therapy Sessions Will My Child Need?
There is no fixed answer, but most play therapy contracts run for an initial block of six to twelve sessions, with a review at the end of that period. Some children make meaningful progress in this time and are ready to end. Others benefit from longer-term work — particularly where there is developmental trauma, neurodivergence, or ongoing difficult circumstances at home or school.
The decision about how many sessions are needed is made collaboratively — between the therapist, the child (where they are old enough to have a view), and the parents. A good therapist will never extend work indefinitely without clear justification. You should expect regular reviews and open conversations about whether continuing is in your child’s best interest.
Does My Child Need an EHCP to Get Play Therapy?
No — an EHCP is not required to access private play therapy. Most families fund sessions directly without any formal plan in place.
However, if your child already has an EHCP, or if you are in the process of requesting one, therapeutic support like play therapy or counselling can be included as a named provision. If therapy is written into Section F of the EHCP, your local authority must fund it or allow you to use your personal budget to commission it privately.
A therapist’s progress reports can also be valuable evidence if you are going through an EHCP needs assessment or challenging a provision decision. Ask your therapist whether they can provide a report for this purpose.
How Do I Know If a Play Therapist or Child Counsellor Is Properly Qualified?
Play therapy and counselling are not regulated by a statutory body in the UK in the same way speech therapy and occupational therapy are. This means anyone can technically call themselves a play therapist — knowing which credentials to look for matters.
For play therapists, look for membership of the British Association of Play Therapists (BAPT) or accreditation with Play Therapy UK (PTUK). Both organisations require a recognised postgraduate qualification, regular clinical supervision, and adherence to a published code of ethics.
For child counsellors, look for membership of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) or the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP). BACP-accredited counsellors have met a minimum standard of training, supervised practice, and continuing professional development.
All practitioners working with children should hold a current enhanced DBS check and carry professional indemnity insurance. You are entirely within your rights to ask to see these before agreeing to work with a therapist.
Find a Private Play Therapist Near You
Frequently Asked Questions
Is play therapy the same as child counselling?
They are related but not identical. Play therapy tends to focus on younger children (roughly 3–12) using non-directive creative approaches. Child counselling is often more talk-based and suits older children and teenagers. Many practitioners are trained in both, and the approach is tailored to your child’s age and needs.
What is the difference between a play therapist and a child psychologist?
A child psychologist holds a doctorate-level qualification and can carry out formal psychological assessments. A play therapist typically holds a postgraduate diploma or master’s and specialises in creative, play-based approaches. For many children, play therapy is exactly what is needed — the distinction matters most when a formal assessment is also required.
Can play therapy make things worse before they get better?
It is common for children to show some increase in emotional reactivity in the early weeks of therapy. This is usually a sign that the child is beginning to process something important. It should settle. Your therapist should prepare you for this and will be available to discuss concerns between sessions.
How do I know if the therapy is working?
Progress is often gradual and not always immediately visible. You might notice small shifts — better sleep, slightly less reactivity, or a child starting to talk more openly about feelings. Your therapist will carry out regular reviews and describe what they are observing in sessions, even without sharing confidential content.
Ready to Find a Play Therapist for Your Child?
The SEND List makes it easy to find SEND-aware play therapists and child counsellors across the UK. Every listing is verified, clearly described, and searchable by location and specialism.
Find Play Therapists / Child Counsellors by city
Use these local pages to compare providers, local access routes and practical questions before enquiring.
Related SEND support categories
Many children need more than one kind of support. These related guides help parents compare connected routes.