MA Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy Masters

Blended learning programme

Develop specialist skills in working therapeutically with children and adolescents. 

This MA programme prepares practitioners to work effectively with young people experiencing emotional, behavioural, and psychological challenges. Students explore developmental theory, trauma-informed practice, and integrative therapeutic approaches tailored to children and adolescents. The course combines academic learning with clinical insight, supporting practitioners to build safe, responsive, and developmentally appropriate therapeutic relationships. 

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Programme Type: MA in IC&AP
Next Intakes: Autumn 2026

NFQ: Level 9
ECTS: 120 credits

Academic Validation: QQI

Professional Accreditation: N/A

Overview

Introduction

Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy is a specialised area of practice. This Master’s programme will equip learners with the necessary knowledge, skills and competencies to meet the therapeutic needs of children and adolescents.

With a strong focus on excellence in clinical practice, learners are fully supported in making the transition from being a practising therapist with adults to clinical work with children and adolescents. A safe, nurturing environment is fostered through established links with an on-site placement centre.

Who Should Apply

This 2 year programme will be of interest to practising counsellors and psychotherapists and play therapists who wish to extend their existing qualification in counselling and psychotherapy to Master’s level and work with children and adolescents.

Entry Routes
  • If English is your second language you are required to submit an IELTS (International English Language Testing System) cert at Level 6.5, or equivalent. For more information please click here.
  • An honours degree, Level 8 on The National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ), in counselling and psychotherapy, or equivalent.

OR

  • An honours degree, Level 8 on the NFQ, plus a professional diploma in counselling and psychotherapy that meets with IACP/IAHIP course
recognition standards (or equivalent). The diploma must have counselling and psychotherapy at its core.

Learners will be invited to an interview with faculty as part of the application process.

Minimum Technological Requirements

Learners will be invited to an interview with faculty as part of the application process.

  • Appropriate broadband to be able to upload and download;
  • A desktop computer or laptop that is capable of using zoom;
  • A webcam and microphone;
  • A web browser;
  • Word processing package.
Course Information
  • Starting: Autumn 2026
  • The programme is facilitated through monthly three block days (usually Friday evening, all day Saturday and all day Sunday).

Why choose this Programme?

  • Ideal for anyone looking to pursue a career in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy.
  • Competitively priced programme fees with payment plans available.
  • QQI validated, ensuring the highest quality content and delivery.
  • Exceptionally high levels of student support, ensuring that learners are continually guided and supported.

Course Structure

Overview

This part-time programme consists of nine modules over 2  years. It is a taught Master’s with a strong practice-based research component. The programme utilises a continuous assessment strategy and learners accumulate credits though a variety of assessments over the duration of the programme.

Delivery

The MA in Child and Adolescent Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy is delivered using blended learning. This consists of a rotational module, where learners attend onsite classes and online classes. We do not utilise hybrid approaches, therefore onsite classes are integral to the programme.

Student Benefits & Support

We hold that it is not enough to simply teach the skills of counselling and psychotherapy. Learners are given the space to learn, practice and be supported as they extend the scope of their practice to work with children and adolescents.

Placement

100 hours of client work must be completed as part of this programme. Approx. 50 hours should be with children aged 6-11 and 50 should be with adolescents aged 12-17. A ratio of 60:40 is also allowable if a learner has a preference for working with one age group over the other.
Clinical hours must be completed in an approved setting, after completion of an assessment of readiness to practice with younger clients.

Learners are required to be in on-going clinical supervision, at a ratio of 1 hour of supervision to every 5 hours of clinical work regardless of accreditation status. Supervisors for this programme must be qualified, accredited therapists and supervisors with one of the main professional bodies in Ireland (i.e. IACP/IAHIP/BACP/IAPTP/APPI/FTAI). In addition, they must be experienced in supervision of clinical work with minors.

Assessment

Learners are assessed through a continuous assessment strategy, which includes a variety of mediums such as individual and group projects, skills training
assessments, case studies and process recordings, written assignments, essays and a research portfolio.

Validation and Accreditation of Award

This Master’s is at Level 9 on the NFQ, validated by QQI.

Credits

90 ECTS

Programme Lecturers

Lecturers on this programme include:

  • Lecturer: Dr. Linda Finnegan
  • Lecturer: Dr. Grainne Ward
  • Lecturer: Jade Baron
Protection for Enrolled Learners

This programme is covered by arrangements under section 65 (4) of the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012 whereby, in the event of IICP College ceasing to provide the programme for any reason, enrolled learners may transfer to a similar programme at another provider, or, in the event that this is not practicable, the fees most recently paid will be refunded. Current PEL arrangements consist of a 2% levy on course fees. IICP do not pass the cost of this on to learners.

Module Descriptors

Programme Structure

The programme contains nine mandatory modules over the duration of two years.

Psychotherapy with Children & Adolescents

This module aims to give the learner a solid foundation in the theoretical and clinical underpinnings of integrative psychotherapy. It includes consideration of content such as the goals of child therapy, the therapeutic relationship with children, adolescents and their caregivers, the attributes and skills of child therapists, the legal and regulatory context of child therapy, as well as the process of psychotherapy with children and adolescents.

Child & Adolescent Development

This module aims to give the learner a solid foundation in the developmental considerations and theories relevant to child therapy. Learners will engage with theorists such as Piaget, Kohlberg, Bowlby, Freud, Vygotsky, Bronfenbrenner, Lerner and Sameroff. Key developmental issues of stability-change, nature-nurture, continuity discontinuity will be explored. Attachment theory and how attachment can impact the therapeutic process will also be included. Likewise learners will examine issues of developmental trauma, and early life stressors, as well as considering key processes in the developmental psychopathology literature.

CBT with Children & Adolescents

In this module, learners will engage in formal didactic lectures, skills practice, group discussion, reflective exercises and experiential exercises related to CBT with children and adolescents. This will include exploration of the theoretical and clinical underpinnings to CT and REBT, as well as consideration of case formulation. Learners will become familiar with the CBT model, the therapeutic process and alliance in CBT and will focus on developing skills to identify and challenge negative automatic thoughts and irrational beliefs. The module is designed to help learners to facilitate psychological understanding of CBT concepts with younger clients, and to facilitate change and acceptance with children and adolescents.

Therapeutic Use of Play, Creative Media & Expressive Arts

Malchiodi (2005, p. 8) argues that expressive and creative methods add a unique dimension to therapy, as they offer characteristics that are not usually found in verbal approaches. When working with younger children and some adolescents, it is important to have multiple ways of work at one’s disposal. Not all young clients will have the emotional vocabulary that adults seeking therapy have. Engaging through play, creativity and expressive arts allows therapeutic work to occur through a medium that is comfortable to younger clients. In this module,, learners will engage in teaching and learning related to theoretical underpinnings to play, creative media and expressive arts in therapy. Projection and the use of metaphor and creative methods including art, sandtray work and sensory and embodiment activities will be utilised.

Clinical Skills for Child & Adolescent Psychotherapy

In this module, learners will engage in teaching related to the necessary clinical skills for work with children and adolescents. The content of this module covers topics such as clinical skills for working with minors, confidentiality in the child and adolescent context, engaging effectively with parents and caregivers and management of multiple stakeholder goals. The module is highly experiential, with inputs covering a range of areas including ethics, management of boundaries, integration of theory and practice, case management and therapist development. Interpersonal process recall (Kagan) is used to facilitate ongoing therapist development.

Advanced Research Methods

This module is designed to help students appreciate the philosophical foundations for conducting research with children and adolescents and to understand why and how research is carried out in counselling and psychotherapy. This module will give students a practical hands-on introduction to the process of counselling and psychotherapy research and an opportunity to develop and refine some of the core skills that will be used in the research portfolio. The programme adopts a practice based approach to research, with learners completing case study research for their capstone module. This module therefore lays the foundations for this.

Research Portfolio

This module affords learners an opportunity to conduct a piece of independent, practice based research under supervision. This module will foster and develop a high level of independent research ability and skill, and to further develop student skills in the conduct, presentation and reporting of qualitative and quantitative methods in case-based research. This module also assists students with the intellectual process of conducting a research project by promoting their ability to read widely on a subject, to analyse various arguments and to relate them to their own work. The portfolio will demonstrate the learner’s capacity to use practice to inform research and use research to inform practice. Throughout the process learners will participate in both one-to-one case study research supervision as well as clinical group supervision where they will present the case(s) they will use in their study.

Trauma Informed Therapy with Children and Adolescents

This module aims to enhance learners understanding of trauma as it applies to younger children. Children or adolescents who have experienced trauma are at greater risk for later developing a range of mental health problems (Depression, Anxiety etc.), sleep disorders and substance use disorders (SAMHSA, 2014). Learners will consider the impact of trauma on the biological, psychological and social domains. The child or adolescent’s experience with trauma can shape the manner in which they approach therapy and the psychotherapist. In the module, learners will also gain an appreciation of the relevance and application of trauma informed therapy to youth mental health and adolescent substance use, and other sectors where there is a high incidence of trauma. Definitions of trauma will be presented, and learners will engage in teaching and learning relevant to Trauma Informed Philosophy and Principles, the Impact of Trauma and the implications for therapy.

Clinical Practice & Development

The purpose of the module is to encourage learners to engage in evaluative case related discussion based learning, which highlights elements of dialogue, critical discovery and community based scholarly activity to probe and develop clinical placement and counselling and psychotherapy skills and practice as they relate to work with children and adolescents. The development of reflective practice is integral to the module, as is a deepening of knowledge, skills and competencies related to practice of child and adolescent counselling and psychotherapy. Learners will engage in teaching and learning relevant to evidence based practice, integrative assessment, ethical considerations and the use of self. Group Supervision is integral to the module delivery, and consideration of case work in group will be central.

Course Fees

IICP understand that while partaking in further education is an incredibly rewarding experience it can also be a financial challenge for some students. In order to minimise the financial impact caused to students, IICP strive to keep our course fees as competitive as possible. We also provide payment plan options to facilitate learners paying the balance of their fees throughout the duration of their course.

  • Application Fees: €100 (non – refundable)
  • Annual Fees: *€4,150

*(Inclusive of QQI registration fee)

Overall Programme Fees

(Inclusive of QQI registration fee of €200)

  • Application Fees: €100 (non – refundable)
  • Year One Fees: €4,350*
  • Year Two Fees: €4,350

*Following successful interview a deposit of €1,305 is required to secure your place.

Year One: Payment Options

(1) Pay in Full before Start of Course

(2) Payment Plan Options Available (administration fee incurred*)

* Flexible Payment Options Available.

Please Contact the IICP office to find out more!

Extra Costs

  • Except where stated, course fees cover tuition only. Learners on this programme must also complete clinical work and engage an individual supervisor for this work. Supervision fees are negotiable between learners and individual supervisors.
  • An additional cost of the programme is student professional indemnity insurance, which ranges from €90-160 per annum. Learners who are IACP student/pre-accredited/accredited can avail of the IACP discount scheme.
  • Please note that the MA fee structure has been designed to facilitate stage payments by students. Any application to exit with a lesser award (such as a PGDip) can only be granted where the full award fees (together with any applicable administration fee) have been paid.
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