DEVELOPING SKILLS IN THERAPEUTIC COMMUNICATION IN DAILY LIVING WITH EMOTIONALLY-DISTURBED CHILDREN AND YOUNG-PEOPLE

This paper explores the opportunities for therapeutic communication wi th children and young people in daily living settings such as resident ial homes and schools and family centres. It considers the need to bui ld on workers' intuitive skills by providing training in therapeutic c ommunication. It examines a theoretical framework: for thinking about therapeutic communication in daily life, based on a match between norm al emotional development and the therapeutic process, drawing especial ly on the work of Winnicott and Dockar-Drysdale. It explores the appli cation of these ideas on a course in Therapeutic Communication with Ch ildren and Young People, with substantial illustrations from course me mbers' practice. Support in managing the emotional demands of the cour se is provided by the holding environment of the whole programme of th e Postgraduate Diploma/MA in Therapeutic Child Care at the University of Reading, described in Ward's paper in this issue.