Regulatory Body: HPC and You!

Members may know that the new regulatory body for the Arts Therapies (including Dramatherapy) is now the Health Professions Council (HPC) which replaced the Council for Professions Supplementary to Medicine (CPSM) in April 2002. The HPC have been undertaking a major consultation of members including a Public Forum in Edinburgh attended by at least one DTS member. Further information can be found at www.hpc.org. Future developments are likely to include the protection of designated titles including Dramatherapist and Arts Therapist.

DTS is aware that some Dramatherapists now see HPC registration as lessening the need for

membership of the British Association of Dramatherapists (BADTh). Although legally this is true, the HPC does stipulate the need for each member profession to have an established professional body (which accounts for a significant proportion of that occupational group). BADTh needs our support to continue to represent the needs of Dramatherapists and Associated Members to the HPC. Each

organisation (including Dramatherapy Scotland) is only as effective as the members are prepared to make it.

Sharon Hall

In year two of a pilot, this professional mental health service for children in mainstream primary education is managed in Scotland by a state registered

dramatherapist. Edinburgh’s Team comprises

qualified arts therapists and counsellors, and those on final clinical placement. Currently the service

operates within two schools to provide a range of therapeutic support exemplified by solution-focussed brief therapy, a counselling drop-in service, and a range of consultations with teachers, parents and external agencies working together to provide the most effective support for the child. Pending strategic planning outcomes in 2003, new team members may be

recruited.

For further information, contact the DTS Chair.

The Place 2 Be

Murray House Edinburgh Music Therapy Course

This new post-graduate diploma in Music

Therapy has begun. The DTS Chair has been

invited to contribute its the Therapeutic Practice

and Allied Professions module in 2003.

For further course information, contact

Programme Organiser James Robertson at the University of Edinburgh Tel.0131 651 6636

DTS Event

At the DTS meeting on Saturday 2 November, an offer made by the

founders of Roundabout to come up to Scotland and talk about the way in which they began their successful organisation was discussed. We want to

hear from you as DTS members about whether you would find this a useful event in relation to

considering how to publicise the work you do and how to target possible jobs. It is an exciting

opportunity so please send your thoughts regarding this to Elinor Vettraino by the end of December 2002.

Fancy owning your own plane?

For a bit of light relief, DTS member, Colin White has sent in this interesting weblink to a site that gives instructions on how to make the perfect paper aeroplane.

http://www.josephpalmer.com/planes/PL1/PL1.shtml