Playing Matters is a Limited Company which trains adults to communicate effectively with children and young people. We have a special interest in training adults in supporting children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties which are making them unhappy and are preventing them from reaching their educational potential.

We provide training to schools, colleges, social services and the health sector in the comfort and convenience of your accustomed surroundings.  Since we bring the training to your door, you will save on staff time and travel expenses, and be sure that the training is directly relevant to your organisation.

If you are the person responsible for commissioning training, use the Contact Us form to enquire about the training which we can provide for you.

Brenda Meldrum, the Director, and Roger Dennien, Assistant Director, have long experience of working with children with emotional and behavioural difficulties, and for many years have shared their knowledge and skills with different groups of adult learners.

While the office is based in London, Playing Matters works throughout the UK taking training to schools, colleges and clients' venues. We are currently delivering training courses in Hampshire, Durham, Sussex as well as in London.

The mission of Playing Matters is to support children and young people in achieving their potential by training adults to develop responsive and effective communication skills.  Entering the child's world means re-learning how to play, because the primary method of communication with children is through play and stories, images and "let's pretend".  Playing matters to young people as well as adults;  playfulness lends a creative attitude towards problem-solving and Playing Matters's approach is one of encouraging resilience and emotional well-being.

When adults are enabled to listen - really listen - to children, they are allowing the young person's personality and sense of self to develop, within a relationship based on mutual respect.

The training courses Playing Matters offers are directed towards all those who work with young people and whom Government calls "The Children’s Workforce".  We offer one-day, two-day and six-day courses, designed to suit your staff's requirements exactly.

The Aims of Playing Matters are:

• To provide continuing professional development to adults in order to develop and enhance their skills in working with children.
• To support adults in finding different and effective ways of communicating with children which foster appropriate relationships through a shared language.
• To provide training to adults in the core skills and knowledge needed to work with children and young people.
• To deliver accredited courses to school staff to improve their effectiveness in working with pupils.

Target Learners

1. School Staff: teachers, learning support assistants, lunchtime supervisors, learning mentors and others working within the school system.
2. Professionals working therapeutically with children including counsellors, trainee counsellors and therapists who are required by their registering bodies to undertake Continuous Professional Development (CPD).
3. Other Members of the Children's Workforce who work directly or indirectly with children, including social service personnel, doctors, nurses and nursery nurses.
4. Parents and carers.

Courses are based upon a common core of understanding and knowledge of effective and evidence-based processes and provide practical and experiential learning.

Playing Matters is an Open College Network London Region training provider.