Level 5 Practitioner Certificate in Child and Family Therapeutic Coaching
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The Practitioner Certificate is a professional-grade qualification. It is not about picking up strategies. It is about developing a coherent, ethical, integrative approach to child and family therapeutic coaching that you can apply safely in the real complexity of family life.
The Practitioner Certificate is a professional-grade qualification. It is not about picking up strategies. It is about developing a coherent, ethical, integrative approach to child and family therapeutic coaching that you can apply safely in the real complexity of family life.
This programme is the core of the ACFC pathway. Across eight substantial units, you develop a secure, integrated understanding of the professional role, the theoretical foundations, and the practical skills that underpin effective therapeutic coaching with children, young people, parents, carers and families.
Alongside this core qualification, you will complete a specialist pathway certificate in your chosen area of practice. You graduate with two qualifications: the TQUK Accredited Level 5 Professional Diploma in Therapeutic Coaching with Children and Families and a Level 5 Diploma in your Specialist pathway.
Alongside this core qualification, you will complete a specialist pathway certificate in your chosen area of practice. You graduate with two qualifications: the TQUK Accredited Level 5 Professional Diploma in Therapeutic Coaching with Children and Families and a Level 5 Diploma in your Specialist pathway.
✅ Developed by Dr Sam Ballington
✅ Full Tutor Support from Sam and the Team
✅ Flexible Learning to meet your needs
✅ Personal Learning Plan developed by you
✅ TQUK and ACFC Certifications
✅ Interactive Online Learning you can access anywhere
✅ Coming soon... WhatsApp Community of Practice
✅ Full Tutor Support from Sam and the Team
✅ Flexible Learning to meet your needs
✅ Personal Learning Plan developed by you
✅ TQUK and ACFC Certifications
✅ Interactive Online Learning you can access anywhere
✅ Coming soon... WhatsApp Community of Practice
Unit 1: Foundations of Child and Family Therapeutic Coaching Practice
The programme opens by establishing a clear and robust understanding of what Child and Family Therapeutic Coaching Practice actually is — its purpose, scope, professional responsibilities and boundaries. You will examine how therapeutic coaching differs from counselling, mentoring and other helping roles, and why that distinction matters for safe, ethical practice.
You will explore how coaching, therapeutic, play-based, creative and relational approaches can be thoughtfully combined — what integrative practice means in a child and family context, and how it can be adapted for children at different developmental stages, for parents, for carers and for family systems as a whole. The principles of child-centred and family-centred practice are established here as foundational: voice, participation, relational safety, strengths-based approaches and authentic collaboration with families.
You will explore how coaching, therapeutic, play-based, creative and relational approaches can be thoughtfully combined — what integrative practice means in a child and family context, and how it can be adapted for children at different developmental stages, for parents, for carers and for family systems as a whole. The principles of child-centred and family-centred practice are established here as foundational: voice, participation, relational safety, strengths-based approaches and authentic collaboration with families.
Unit 2: Child Development, Attachment, Emotion and Regulation
This unit develops the depth of developmental knowledge that effective therapeutic coaching requires. You will study cognitive, social and emotional development across childhood and adolescence, and examine how developmental differences, delays and disruptions influence engagement, communication and emotional expression in practice.
Attachment theory is explored in relation to coaching practice — how attachment experiences shape trust, behaviour, emotional expression and relationship-building, and how emotionally attuned relationships support wellbeing over time. Parent and carer responses are examined as a significant influence on children's emotional development.
Co-regulation and self-regulation are given substantial attention in this unit: what they are, how they develop, what impedes them, and the relationship between emotional arousal, behaviour and nervous system responses. You will explore how therapeutic coaching can actively support regulation through both relational and practical strategies — a critical skill throughout all ACFC specialist pathways.
Attachment theory is explored in relation to coaching practice — how attachment experiences shape trust, behaviour, emotional expression and relationship-building, and how emotionally attuned relationships support wellbeing over time. Parent and carer responses are examined as a significant influence on children's emotional development.
Co-regulation and self-regulation are given substantial attention in this unit: what they are, how they develop, what impedes them, and the relationship between emotional arousal, behaviour and nervous system responses. You will explore how therapeutic coaching can actively support regulation through both relational and practical strategies — a critical skill throughout all ACFC specialist pathways.
Unit 3: Play, Creativity and Therapeutic Expression
One of the most distinctive features of the ACFC pathway is its commitment to understanding play and creativity not as activities, but as forms of communication, emotional processing and relational support. This unit explores the therapeutic value of play in child development and emotional expression, the role of creativity as a language beyond words, and how symbolic, sensory and expressive experiences can support children therapeutically.
You will study a range of expressive methods — storytelling, art, movement, sensory approaches, play-based activities — and develop understanding of how to select, adapt and justify methods for different children, developmental stages, communication styles and family needs. Planning is introduced here: you will develop the ability to design a child- or family-focused therapeutic coaching activity using play or creativity, justify your approach in relation to identified need, and reflect on potential strengths and limitations.
You will study a range of expressive methods — storytelling, art, movement, sensory approaches, play-based activities — and develop understanding of how to select, adapt and justify methods for different children, developmental stages, communication styles and family needs. Planning is introduced here: you will develop the ability to design a child- or family-focused therapeutic coaching activity using play or creativity, justify your approach in relation to identified need, and reflect on potential strengths and limitations.
Unit 4: Communication, Relationship Building and Therapeutic Presence
Communication in child and family therapeutic coaching is explored at a level of depth and nuance that distinguishes professional practice from well-meaning support. This unit examines active listening, empathy, attunement and the role of non-verbal communication in understanding what children and families are communicating — and what they are not able to say in words.
The therapeutic relationship is examined as the medium through which therapeutic coaching works: the elements of trust and relational safety, the role of predictability, consistency and clear boundaries, and how rupture and repair — inevitable in any genuine relationship — can become part of the therapeutic process rather than a threat to it. You will explore your own use of self as a practitioner: what you bring to the room, how it influences the relationship, and why self-awareness is a professional responsibility.
The therapeutic relationship is examined as the medium through which therapeutic coaching works: the elements of trust and relational safety, the role of predictability, consistency and clear boundaries, and how rupture and repair — inevitable in any genuine relationship — can become part of the therapeutic process rather than a threat to it. You will explore your own use of self as a practitioner: what you bring to the room, how it influences the relationship, and why self-awareness is a professional responsibility.
Unit 5: Inclusive, Equitable and Neurodiversity-Affirming Practice
This unit ensures that the Practitioner Certificate produces practitioners who can work effectively and respectfully with the full range of children and families. You will examine what inclusive and equitable practice actually means — not as a checklist, but as a professional orientation — and explore the barriers that may prevent children and families from accessing or benefiting from support.
Culture, identity, language, socio-economic experience, family structure and lived experience are examined as influences on practice, alongside the impact of practitioner assumptions and unconscious bias. Neurodiversity-affirming practice is studied in depth: the concept of neurodiversity in family contexts, strengths-based approaches, sensory and communication differences, and how therapeutic coaching can be adapted for neurodivergent children and families with respect and dignity.
Culture, identity, language, socio-economic experience, family structure and lived experience are examined as influences on practice, alongside the impact of practitioner assumptions and unconscious bias. Neurodiversity-affirming practice is studied in depth: the concept of neurodiversity in family contexts, strengths-based approaches, sensory and communication differences, and how therapeutic coaching can be adapted for neurodivergent children and families with respect and dignity.
Unit 6: Working with Families, Systems and Complexity
This unit provides a systemic lens that runs throughout effective child and family practice. Family systems theory is applied to therapeutic coaching — how family patterns, roles, boundaries and relationships influence a child's wellbeing, how stress, transition and adversity affect family functioning, and what the practitioner's appropriate role is within these systems.
Complexity is addressed directly: trauma, loss, separation, conflict, instability, behaviour as communication, and the factors that increase vulnerability or reduce engagement in support. You will develop skills in formulation — the ability to consider a child, their family, and the wider contextual factors together, to identify underlying needs, and to propose therapeutic coaching responses that are appropriate, ethical and within your scope of role.
Complexity is addressed directly: trauma, loss, separation, conflict, instability, behaviour as communication, and the factors that increase vulnerability or reduce engagement in support. You will develop skills in formulation — the ability to consider a child, their family, and the wider contextual factors together, to identify underlying needs, and to propose therapeutic coaching responses that are appropriate, ethical and within your scope of role.
Unit 7: Ethics, Safeguarding and Reflective Professional Practice
Professional accountability is woven throughout this qualification, and in this unit it becomes the explicit focus. You will analyse the ethical principles that underpin therapeutic coaching with children and families — confidentiality, consent, assent, non-judgement, competence and accountability — and examine how ethical dilemmas arise in practice and how to manage them.
Safeguarding responsibilities are covered in depth: your legal and professional obligations when working with children and families, and the critical importance of acting within your competency and referring appropriately. Documentation, supervision, professional boundaries and interprofessional collaboration are also explored — establishing the professional infrastructure that makes sustainable, safe practice possible. The unit closes with reflective professional development: how to examine your own values, assumptions and professional identity, and how to build a meaningful plan for your ongoing growth.
Safeguarding responsibilities are covered in depth: your legal and professional obligations when working with children and families, and the critical importance of acting within your competency and referring appropriately. Documentation, supervision, professional boundaries and interprofessional collaboration are also explored — establishing the professional infrastructure that makes sustainable, safe practice possible. The unit closes with reflective professional development: how to examine your own values, assumptions and professional identity, and how to build a meaningful plan for your ongoing growth.
Unit 8: Planning, Delivering and Evaluating Therapeutic Coaching Programmes
The final unit of the core qualification brings everything together in a practical, applied focus. You will develop the ability to assess need, identify strengths and goals collaboratively, plan therapeutic coaching support, and justify decisions about pace, duration, focus and approach. Assessment as a collaborative process is foregrounded — working with children, parents and carers to understand what is needed and what success might look like.
You will plan and deliver a therapeutic coaching programme through case study work, demonstrating how a sequence of sessions can be adapted responsively as circumstances change. Evaluation is given serious attention: how to measure progress, identify what is working and what is not, use feedback and reflective observation to improve future planning, and make decisions about review, continuation or ending with care and intentionality.
You will plan and deliver a therapeutic coaching programme through case study work, demonstrating how a sequence of sessions can be adapted responsively as circumstances change. Evaluation is given serious attention: how to measure progress, identify what is working and what is not, use feedback and reflective observation to improve future planning, and make decisions about review, continuation or ending with care and intentionality.
Choose your specialist pathway
At Practitioner level, you choose one of five specialist pathway certificates to complete alongside the core diploma:
- Parent Coaching Practice
- Creative Therapeutic Arts with Children and Families
- Neurodiversity Family Coaching
- Child and Young Person Therapeutic Coaching
- Therapeutic Play Coaching
On completion
You graduate with a TQUK Endorsed Level 5 Professional Diploma in Child and Family Therapeutic Coaching Practice and a specialist pathway certificate. You are eligible for ACCHP membership, the ACFC Badge of Excellence, and professional insurance through Westminster Indemnity to practise as a Child and Family Therapeutic Coach. You are also well positioned to progress to the Level 6 Advanced Certificate if you wish to continue your development.
