Parent Support
Working together to support your child
Supporting a child also means recognising the importance of the grown-ups around them. At Playminded, I believe that working collaboratively with parents and carers is an important part of understanding and supporting a child's emotional wellbeing.
Children don't always have the words to express how they're feeling, and sometimes their emotions and experiences are communicated through their behaviour. I offer a warm, supportive and non-judgemental approach, helping parents and carers develop a deeper understanding of their child's emotional world and the feelings and needs that may lie beneath their behaviour.
Parent and carer involvement is an important part of the Play Therapy process. From initial assessments through to ongoing communication and review meetings, I provide opportunities to share insights, reflect on your child's experiences and consider ways to support their emotional wellbeing beyond the therapy room.
Working together helps build a shared understanding of your child's needs, recognising the important role that relationships, connection and everyday experiences play in their development.
Circle of Security Parenting Programme
The Circle of Security Parenting Programme is an evidence-informed approach grounded in decades of attachment research. It supports parents and carers to better understand their children's emotional needs and strengthen the parent–child relationship in a practical and accessible way.
At the heart of the programme is the understanding that:
Children have an innate need for connection and security in their relationships with caregivers.
Parents and carers want the best for their children and can develop greater awareness of how to support secure attachment.
Children's emotional needs can be difficult to recognise in the busyness of everyday life, but with reflection and understanding, they can become easier to identify and respond to.
Secure relationships provide an important foundation for children's emotional wellbeing, confidence, learning and development.
Our own experiences of being parented can influence how we respond to children, often without us realising. Reflecting on these patterns can help us make more conscious and supportive choices.
Circle of Security offers a supportive, non-judgemental space for parents and carers to reflect on their relationships with their children, nurturing connection, trust and emotional security.
Who is the programme for?
The Circle of Security Parenting Programme is suitable for parents and carers who would like to strengthen their relationship with their child and deepen their understanding of their emotional needs.
Although the programme focuses primarily on parenting younger children, many of its underlying principles remain relevant across different ages and stages of development.
The programme can be delivered individually, in groups, through schools or online, subject to availability. It can be valuable both for parents experiencing challenges and for those who simply wish to develop a greater understanding of their child's emotional world.
What to Expect
The programme runs over eight weekly sessions, each lasting approximately 1½ hours.
Sessions include video content, supporting materials, guided reflection and discussion, providing opportunities to explore the ideas and consider how they relate to everyday family life.
Course Overview by Week
Week 1: Introduction to the Circle concept
Week 2: Understanding your child's needs around the Circle
Week 3: “Being With” – supporting your child's emotional development
Week 4: “Being With” infants – nurturing secure attachment early on
Week 5: Building the path to emotional security
Week 6: Understanding and navigating parenting challenges
Week 7: Repairing ruptures in connection and building resilience
Week 8: Course summary and reflection
Let's Connect
Whether you'd like to learn more about parent involvement in Play Therapy or explore the Circle of Security Parenting Programme for yourself, your family or your organisation, I'd love to hear from you.
Please get in touch to discuss your needs and find out more.