Facilitator Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some common questions about Play Included and the Brick-by-Brick® programme for professionals we have trained in the past. If your question is not covered here, do get in touch and we will be happy to help!

Can I still use the old Bricks for Autism resources?

The old resource area from Bricks for Autism is now closed. We have rebranded to Play Included. Please do not use the old Bricks for Autism resources or branding. If you have old Play Included resources you can still use these. If you want access to Play Included membership to get the updated Play Included resources, please complete the Initiate online training course, which we have provided to you free of charge.

Can I call myself a LEGO therapist?

The term LEGO therapist is not a recognised term and might mislead children and families about your professional qualifications. Please do not use this term. Please refer to yourself by your profession (e.g. teacher, psychologist, teaching assistant) and mention that you have been trained in how to use LEGO bricks to support social and emotional development for children.

Can I use the term LEGO Therapy or LEGO-based therapy?

At Play Included we no longer use the term LEGO based therapy as it is in breach of the LEGO group's Fair Play policy (which can be found here Fair Play - Notices & Policies - Legal - LEGO.com US). The term Play Brick Therapy has been suggested instead. If you have completed the Initiate course then you can use the term Brick-by-Brick® programme.

Can I use the term Brick-by-Brick® programme?

You can use the term Brick-by-Brick® programme if this was used in your training with Play Included or if you complete the Initiate course. If you were previously using the term LEGO therapy or LEGO based therapy, and decide not to take the Initiate course in order to use the term Brick-by-Brick programme then please use an alternative term, such as Play Brick Therapy.

Can I call myself a Brick-by-Brick® programme facilitator?

If the term Brick-by-Brick® programme was used in your training or if you complete the Initiate course, you can say that you are trained in using the Brick-by-Brick programme. We are in the process of creating a list of recognised Brick-by-Brick Facilitators on our website, so parents and families can search for Brick Clubs in their area. If you would like to be a recognised Brick-by-Brick Facilitator then you need to complete the Initiate course and then complete the Facilitator workshop as well.

Can I use your new resources?

Yes, you can use our new resources once you have completed the Initiate training course. The resources are similar to what you will have already received, but have been updated and have new branding. We will also be adding to our resource centre in the future, and all new resources will be added for our members to use. The resources are to be used by people who have successfully completed the Initiate course.

Can I join your Facebook community?

Yes, you can join our Facebook community for professionals using the Brick-by-Brick® programme once you have completed the Initiate course. It is free of charge and you will be given instructions of how to join as part of the Initiate course.

What is the difference between the old course and the new Brick-by-Brick® programme training?

The Brick-by-Brick® programme is founded on what used to be called LEGO based therapy. We have spent a lot of time thinking and developing the programme with the LEGO Foundation learning through play specialists and autistic consultants. We have developed different Play Zones to support children with different levels of language and cognitive ability. We have developed the training as a progressive pathway, so that practitioners can continue to develop their skills and continue to learn, with the aim that this will lead to the highest quality for children. To learn more about the training levels please visit our training webpage playincluded.com/training

Is your new course still endorsed by the Autism Research Centre?

Our courses are no longer endorsed by the Autism Research Centre (ARC). We continue our links with the ARC, but due to the numbers and locations of people trained, we are no longer asking them to endorse our training.

Is my old certificate still valid?

Your old certificate can still be used as evidence that you completed training, but should not be used to claim any particular title or status as it was never intended for this purpose. Certificates have always had the purpose of evidencing attendance and participation in a training course. You will be given a new certificate once you have completed the Initiate course.

Do I have to complete the face-to-face Facilitator workshop in order to become a recognised Brick-by-Brick® Facilitator listed on your website?

Yes. We do need everyone to have gone through the Facilitator workshop to be a Brick-by-Brick® Facilitator. It’s very informative, more in depth than the old training and will support your facilitation skills.

Why should I bother doing the Initiate course, when I’m already up and running with LEGO therapy groups?

You do not have to do the Initiate course if you don’t want to. You may choose to do it to update your knowledge, get new ideas and inspiration, remind yourself of the evidence and theory behind the programme, discover the importance of learning through play, learn about neurodiversity and access new resources. We are offering the course for free as we hope you choose to do the course as we think this will be helpful for the children attending Brick Clubs and we think you will find it interesting and helpful.

Is it mandatory to do the Initiate course?

No, you do not have to do the Initiate course, but we hope you choose to do it. We have offered it free of charge, as we really value the work you do with children and are keen for everyone in our network to keep up to date with our latest thinking and have the chance to refresh their knowledge. We hope you decide to do it and find it useful.

How do I explain the change to the parents/ children/ school I’m at?

Once you have done the Initiate course, you can explain that the programme has been updated on the basis of consultation, research and expert input and has been re-named as the Brick-by-Brick® programme. You explain that you have completed further professional development and are now using the most up to date resources. You can still call the clubs by the same name (Brick Club) for the children. Feel free to share our website with your parents/carers and professionals you work with, as they can find out more about the Brick-by-Brick programme there, and there are also free resources for parents/carers and schools that might be of interest playincluded.com/resources

Can I do Training for Trainers?

We are working on our new Training for Trainers programme for suitably qualified professionals who have successfully completed the Initiate course and the Facilitator workshop in the Brick-by-Brick® programme. We will also be offering training to become a Mentor to support new Facilitators in their Brick-by-Brick programme delivery. We will let you know when these training courses become available if you register your interest on our website playincluded.com/register

What is your relationship with LEGO? What does this mean for us?

Play Included is a LEGO Foundation partner. Find out more about the LEGO Foundation on their website here: A World of Learning Through Play. Through our partnership we have had expert input from their learning through play specialists, and we have support to scale up our training and resources internationally. We are the only group to have partnered with the LEGO Foundation and believe this will bring many benefits to our facilitators and most importantly the children as we will be able to develop new learning, create new resources and have more opportunities as we continue working together.

Do I have to be a Play Included Member to run Brick Clubs now? What if I don’t want to become a member?

If you would like to use the Brick-by-Brick® programme, then Play Included Membership is mandatory. It is free for the first year. We are developing more and more resources and support for members as we grow, and the aim of the membership is to ensure high quality for children, and to help us share all our new learning and resources with you so that you can use them in your clubs. We have lots of exciting developments for membership in the pipeline.

There are so many LEGO therapy courses nowadays. What is different about yours?

The Brick-by-Brick® programme has been developed in conjunction with the LEGO Foundation and autistic consultants. As such, it has a greater emphasis on learning through play and understanding and acceptance of neurodiversity. Rather than seeing the Brick-by-Brick programme as a one-off training course or something you can read about online, we view it as a skill that you can develop over time, with further experience, training and learning. We hope to be a community, a learning hub and a place to support and inspire each other, rather than just offering a one-off training course. We hope you agree that this will be a useful, exciting and interesting resource for professionals using LEGO bricks to support children and that we are offering something a bit different to the other courses out there. Ours is the only programme that is endorsed by the LEGO Foundation.

Will I need a new login to access the initiate course and resources?

The login provided when you previously trained will no long work and we are migrating all facilitators over to our new system. You will be prompted to sign up for an account when you register on the new course; please delete any login details previously issued.

Will I be able to access the course and resources in other languages?

Our new course and resources are currently only available in English, although we are working on translating the training and resources into some languages. We hope to grow our network of Trainers and Facilitators around the world so more languages will be added as our network grows.

What do I do with my old Bricks For Autism resources?

If you choose not to join the Initiate course you are welcome to continue using your old resources in your Brick Clubs. We kindly ask that you do not use the old resources or previous branding in the public domain (for example, on your website or in marketing materials).

Upon completion of the Initiate course you will be given access to the new resource area, and at this point we would ask that you begin using the new resources. If you are using the term Brick-by-Brick® programme the old resources should not be used.

How do I register if I do not meet the prerequisites?

We have changed our prerequisites and only recognised professionals are eligible for the Brick-by-Brick® programme training. However, if you have previously trained with Bricks for Autism or Play Included we are waiving this requirement for the Initiate course. Please tick 'other professional' and write 'previously trained' in the text box when prompted at the check out. Professional status will be required to progress to Facilitator level and above.