Professionals
The P.L.A.Y Project® Certification Training Program
The PLAY Project is an evidence-based autism early intervention program that trains child development professionals (SLP, OT, MSW, MEd, PhD, MD) to work with families who have a young child with autism or warning signs for autism. It is effective in helping families, and the model can improve community services. Our developmental, relationship-based approach is fun to learn, practical to implement, effective in helping families, and the model easily adapts to professionals’ current service delivery.
“The PLAY Project fit right into my early intervention program. I love the training and the materials. The families love the service and the children are doing great. I highly recommend this training program.”
Who should become a PLAY Project Consultant?
We attract professionals from a wide range of backgrounds, including:
- Speech and language pathologists
- Occupational therapists
- Early intervention providers
- Early education teachers
- Social workers
- Counselors
- Psychologists
- Physicans
Many PLAY Consultants provide home visits, while others practice in the clinic, office or school setting.
During PLAY Project visits, the consultant will:
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Collect Video
Collects video of the parent and child interaction in order to give the family constructive feedback
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Play-based Methods
Coaches and models play-based methods for engaging their child on the autism spectrum
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Practical Advice
Gives practical advice to the family with ideas for fun activities that can be built into daily routines
Between visits, the consultant will:
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Send Feedback
Sends video and written feedback to the family
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Encourage Family
Encourages the family to put in the time engaging the child. This is what makes the approach “intensive”—the beauty of training parents is that the child is potentially getting intervention all throughout the day.
How to Become A PLAY Project Consultant
PLAY Project and Teaching PLAY Certification Training fully prepares professionals in community organizations to deliver evidence-based, intensive early intervention to families of young children with autism. Our manualized, practical approach to parent-implemented intervention has helped hundreds of professionals to provide needed services to parents and children in their communities.
From foundations to fidelity — a pathway to mastery in PLAY
Level 1 – Foundations of PLAY Learn the core methods of the PLAY Project model.
Level 2 – Mastering the Child Profile Develop precision. Unlock potential. Drive Progress.
Level 3 – PLAY Implementation Course & Supervision Implement the PLAY model with fidelity & confidence.
Details of Training
This is a comprehensive, self-paced online training designed to help parents and professionals learn how to effectively and playfully engage young children with autism. The course is divided into three main tracks that build upon each other—starting with foundational concepts and progressing to real-world case studies and family applications.
To read more about the learning objectives and activities of this level, click here.
An in-depth and detailed way for parents and professionals to become skilled at profiling the child’s development using The PLAY Project’s systematic approach. This ability to profile a child’s development with precision is at the core of our entire model. This course is for both parents and professionals, this course should allow you to know precisely, even without a formal evaluation, how to help the children in your life progress by learning how to have fun playing at the right developmental level.
To read more about the learning objectives and activities of this level, click here.
During our award-winning asynchronous, 4-Week Implementation Course, participants learn how to master the 7 Circles of the PLAY Project in order to develop the skills needed to:
Level 3 prepares trainees to implement The PLAY Project with fidelity in real-world settings. Trainees develop advanced coaching skills, learn to document and analyze child profiles and adult-child interactions, and receive individualized supervision to support high-quality implementation.
Level 3 consists of two components:
1. 4-week online Implementation Course
2. Online structured Supervision
To read more about this level, click here.
The PLAY Project has 3 Options of Certification Training
For Professionals working in the home or clinic
For Professionals working in the school system or classrooms
For professionals working in both the home or clinic and in schools