HAPii Training Presents
'Playful Voices in Practice'
Building Age-Appropriate Communication & Healing Attachment Relationships in Child Protection Assessments, Family Contact & Foster Placements
A practical 1- or 2-day evidence-based training for frontline practitioners📢 This training has been postponed. A new date will be announced soon — thank you for your patience. Please email admin@hapii.ie to register your interest and be notified first.
Why this training?
Practical, scalable tools — grounded in 24 years of clinical expertise
Age-appropriate communication
Practical tools to communicate meaningfully with children aged 4–7, 8–12, and 13–17 in child protection assessments and court work.
The child's voice
Safely elicit and represent the child's voice across child protection assessments, family contact, and foster placements.
Healing attachment
Support healing of attachment relationships during family contact through structured, evidence-based play tools.
Stronger foster placements
Strengthen foster placements through playful, attachment-informed practice grounded in the PhD-evaluated Play Skills Training Programme and CAR Guide framework.
Facilitated by
Dr Lisa O'Reilly
PhD (Social & Political Science, NUI Galway, 2012) · MSc Psychology (Arden University London, 2025) · MA Social Work (UCC) · Diploma in Play Therapy · Theraplay Level 1 Practitioner
Dr O'Reilly is a nationally recognised child and family specialist with 24+ years' experience in child protection, foster care, play-based engagement and attachment theory. She is the author of the Child Attachment Relationship (CAR) Guide (Child Care in Practice, 2021), Family Contact: The Child's Voice (2022), Stability in Foster Care: The Child's Voice (2023) and many other peer-reviewed publications.
Her landmark PhD research developed and evaluated the Play Skills Training Programme (PST) — now widely used to improve how practitioners communicate with children. She led Tusla's national training programmes on Direct Work with Children and Linking Attachment Theory to Practice (2013–2015) and delivered judiciary-chaired seminars across Ireland in 2025.
Programme Details
Postponed — new date to be confirmed · 9:30 am – 5:00 pm
Play as the Language of Children
7 CPD hours
- Evidence from the PhD: 10 proven practice improvements
- Creating safe, child-friendly environments
- Practical play tools and worksheets for sensitive topics
- Integrating Theraplay principles into assessments
Healing Attachment through Play
7 CPD hours
- The CAR Guide in action — understanding attachment through play
- Supporting family contact and emotional release
- Strengthening foster placements and secure base relationships
- Lundy Model of Participation in practice
- Adapting for trauma, neurodiversity and disability
You will leave with…
Ready-to-use tools, increased confidence, and practical strategies you can apply immediately in your daily work with children and families.
Dates, Venue & Format
📅 Dates
Postponed
New date to be confirmed · 9:30 am – 5:00 pm both days
📍 Venue
Co:Worx Hub
5 Main Street, Edgeworthstown, Co. Longford (N39 AH64)
💻 Format
In-person
Hybrid option available on request
Pricing
Per person · max 20–25 participants · bookings open once a new date is confirmed
CPD Certificates
Official Certificate of Attendance issued by HAPii Training — 7 hours per day (14 hours for both days). Fully accepted for CORU portfolios.
Training Postponed
This training is currently postponed. Register your interest below and we'll let you know as soon as a new date is confirmed — early registration is advised as places are limited.
Or email us directly: admin@hapii.ie
HAPii Training — Practical, evidence-based professional development that makes a real difference for children and families.
In partnership with GALLORE Child & Family Services