Another brick in the wall

In the first of this term's trips, it was the turn of the BTEC National Certificate Public Services Uniformed Year 2 to go to the wall. The Berlin Wall.

Not only was the wall a focal point, but we were able look around the whole of Berlin itself.

We checked out Checkpoint Charlie, which, although now purely a tourist attraction, used to be the famous crossing point between East and West Berlin during the Cold War.

The Public Services teaching team joined us 11 students as we researched more into the history of World War Two and looked at how a modern unified Germany was building its tourist and leisure industry.

Therapy is child's play

Level 2 and 3 NVQ candidates in Children's Care Learning and Development met up with the full-time DDC Year 2 students at Uplands House for a special guest presenter.

Ros Kane is a child-centred play therapist. She is one of few British therapists who practises this type of therapy, and runs Carefree Kids. That's her own organisation in the Borough set-up to support children through child-centred therapy in schools. Carefree Kids has a converted playbus if the schools cannot provide a room for the children.

Ros has also written a book called To Have An Only Child. (ISBN 0-9548934-0-9). (The book will be available from the Library, 4th floor in the Main Building)

We had an introduction followed by a DVD presentation of a therapy session.

This included all the 8 steps and full guidelines.

After the presentation we had a question and answer session with volunteers from Carefree Kids. They were also on hand to support students and discuss things further.