Childhood Licensed Practitioner

During the 3-month training, you will:

• Explore the stages of social and emotional development and their impact on learning.
• Understand the development and functioning of the brain and nervous system.
• Learn the principles of attachment theory and its relevance to relationships.
• Discover how the brain and body respond to stress and emotional triggers.
• Recognise how emotions - such as fear, anger, loss, change, separation, bereavement, and joy - can interrupt learning.
• Develop key strategies for building supportive, trusting relationships.
• Explore the role of the arts, play and creativity in supporting social and emotional development.
• Use Thrive-Online to assess pupils’ needs and create targeted action plans for individuals and groups.
• Measure pupils’ progress over time and demonstrate the impact of Thrive interventions.
• Apply theory to practice, gaining the skills to become an effective Thrive Licensed Practitioner.

To fully benefit from this practical, hands-on course and achieve Licensed Practitioner status, you’ll need to meet the following requirements:

• Work with children over time: The training is designed to provide you with tools and techniques to use in real-world settings. To apply what you learn and qualify for professional licensing, you’ll need to be actively working with children during the training period. Evidence of this will be required.
• Commit to full attendance: Attending all sessions is essential to gaining the knowledge and skills needed for Licensed Practitioner status.

Thrive Licensed Practitioner training is covered by Thrive's Wise Investment Guarantee. This means that if a Licensed Practitioner leaves a setting within 12 months of starting their course, we'll train another member of staff for free within 12 months of the original start date.

For settings that would like to commission a face-to-face training session, there is a flat rate charge of £470 per trainer per day (or part thereof) plus VAT.

Thrive Licensed Practitioner training focuses on promoting pupils’ social and emotional wellbeing, which often aligns closely with the needs of pupils with SEND. Many children with SEND face challenges in managing emotions, building resilience, or navigating social interactions, and this course equips you with the tools and strategies to support these areas effectively.

However, the programme does not specifically cover areas such as SEND assessment, early identification of SEND, or targeted teaching strategies for specific needs like ASD, attachment and trauma, or dyslexia. While you’ll gain skills to foster an inclusive environment and address emotional barriers to learning, this course is not a dedicated SEND programme.

If your primary focus is SEND-specific support, you may need to explore additional qualifications tailored to those needs. That said, Licensed Practitioner training is an excellent choice for building expertise in helping all pupils, including those with SEND, thrive emotionally and socially.

For settings that would like to commission a face-to-face training session, there is a flat rate charge of £470 per trainer per day (or part thereof) plus VAT.

Yes, to retain your Thrive Licensed Practitioner status beyond the first year, you must:

• Be connected to a setting with an active Thrive-Online subscription.
• Complete two CPD courses each year.