Our Purpose
The Association exists to further the good practice of therapeutic work with children. This includes improving children's emotional literacy as well as alleviating behaviour and mental health problems caused by a number of factors. We believe that insufficient attention has been paid in Africa to the promotion of child mental development. We also believe that children youth and women victims or perpetrators of abuse have access -in the majority of the cases- to a range of poor rehabilitation services that do not therapeutically help the victim to fully recover, and do not help the perpetrator to reintegrate into society. PTA intends to promote a paradigm shift.
A prime need is to combine, co-ordinate and integrate the valuable skills that all therapists possess for the benefit of all children and youth in need.
Since therapeutic work with children draws its strength from a multi-disciplinary approach, it is vital to be completely open in considering and accepting many different approaches for working with children. and youth. Play therapy is a comparatively recent discipline. Because of its relative newness it is important that its evolution is encouraged, that new ideas and methods are considered, tried and evaluated.
PTA welcomes into full membership anyone who has satisfactorily completed a recognised course for working therapeutically with children such as drama, art, music, dance and movement - as all these disciplines may be used on their own or as an integrative part of play therapy. They all have an equally valuable contribution to make. PTA also welcomes law enforcement agents that in their specific assignements are in contact with children and youth.
PTA is a forum for working together with a respect for each other's role.
PTA is a branch of Play Therapy International, and as such is a part of the biggest Play Therapy and Arts Therapy Association worldwide.
Our Mission
To be the leading professional body in Africa dedicated to systematically promoting the use of play, creative arts therapies, filial play, and justice for children as ways of enabling children and youth to reach their full potential by alleviating social, emotional, behavioural and mental health problems.
