For details of
our service in
Midlothian.
Why therapeutic play?
Therapeutic play has as its main objective the emotional well being of the child. It accomplishes this through the use of play and the creative arts. Play is a natural way for a child to deal with everyday as well as emotional problems. It offers children a way to express conflicts and painful experiences.
The grief of a child may fundamentally be the same as for adults; the difference is in the way that children cope with their feelings. When things get too much for them they can switch off: Children are more likely to act out their distress rather than speak about it, the reason being that they do not have the vocabulary to do so. They can do this through play. For instance drawing and painting are therapeutic in themselves but they can also help children describe how they are feeling.
Death is a normal part of life, but for children the death of a close relation can be very hard to understand. Adults sometimes try to protect a child from the fact of death, in the belief that they are not old enough to understand or that they will be too upset. Children can learn to cope with death when they are involved and given the chance to understand what has happened, and allowed the opportunity to express their grief.
When we are adults it is hard enough to cope with the death of someone who is close to us, but when it affects children as well it can be difficult for us to know what to say or how to support them.
Richmond's Hope is a charity that supports children who have been bereaved or suffered significant loss. Not all children will need the support of a project such as this, but we are here to help those who do.