Better Play

Alison Woolf trained as a teacher 35 years ago and since then has always worked in schools. Her experience has been in private and state settings, working in secondary, primary and special schools. Her work included 15 years in Early Years settings before she re-trained as a play therapist. Since then she has worked in mainstream and in EBD provision, as well as providing services for post-adoption teams. Alison worked as a lecturer on the Liverpool Hope University MA in Play Therapy, and contributes an annual presentation on the University of Chester Early Years degree course. A colleague and Alison run a 4-day course for school staff entitled 'Better Play' and have delivered the course in 3 England Local authorities, one LA in Scotland and as part of our lead in the Welsh Assembly pilot programme for Counselling in Primary schools. We have presented at conferences run by the British Association of Play Therapists (BAPT); Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties Association (SEBDA) and NASEN. As well as her qualification as a BAPT play therapist she is a registered Clinical Supervisor and Filial Therapist and has trained in Animal Assisted Play Therapy.