New – The Meaning of the Child Interview Introduction: Principles of Practice

NEW! Redesigned course to coincide with the publication of ‘The Meaning of the Child Interview: Making Sense of Parent-child Relationships’ edited by Ben Grey, Palgrave texts in Counselling and Psychotherapy, expected July 2025

This 2 day training is a standalone training in using the principles of the MotC in child welfare practice, It is also a necessary introduction to learning to analyse, interpret and formally classify parenting interviews using the Meaning of the Child Interview (MotC) coding system (for which further training is needed)

The course is live online Monday 3rd November & Tuesday 4th November 2025

Course Tutors: Dr Ben Grey and colleagues

THIS COURSE IS live online via Zoom 10am – 4.30pm UK time

(recordings will be made available to participants where possible)

Course materials will be provided electronically.

The Meaning of the Child Interview (MotC) is a method of understanding the parent-child relationship, though evaluating the way parents think about their child. Formal use of the MotC makes use of a semi-structured interview in which parents talk about their child, their relationship with their child, and their parenting, which is then carefully analysed using a manualised system.   This course teaches the basic principles of how the MotC makes sense of parent-child relationships

Participants will gain sufficient understanding to develop a MotC informed practice – that is to use the principles of the MotC in their work, in terms of developing awareness and understanding of how parents talk and mentalise for their children & their caregiving, and the implications of this for the parent-child relationship. The course will be a mixture of direct teaching and looking at actual interviews with parents, and is a standalone course, as well as being the first stage of learning to administer, code and use the MotC. Further training is needed to use the MotC as a formal tool (MotC coding training).  For dates and further information about  click here.

For further information on the MotC please click here.

………..

‘The MotC training was pivotal in increasing my knowledge of both attachment and the assessment of psychological risks posed to a child by their parent.’

Barry Tilzey, Consultant Practice Development Lead – London Borough of Wandsworth

“The Meaning of the Child Interview has proved to be one of the most powerful and informative clinical tools used in our clinical practice, and has helped make sense of some very complex cases.  Dr Grey and Juliet Kesteven have a particularly engaging and effective teaching style, and a generous approach to sharing their extensive clinical and academic knowledge and experience.  I would highly recommend attending training / seminars at the Cambridge Centre for Attachment.”

Dr Emma Hunnisett, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Child and Family Psychology Clinic, Norwich

[For more testimonials, click here]

………..

Whilst the MotC has a solid foundation in academic research and psychological theory, particularly in the area of attachment and reflective functioning, it requires neither an academic background nor a psychological qualification to learn to use.  It has been successfully taught to social workers, family centre workers, therapists, psychologists and psychiatrists alike.  Learning to classify parenting interviews using the MotC does require commitment and self motivation to make use of the email tuition and practice, as it needs to be learned by ‘doing’ as well as by attending face-to-face training.  It requires a willingness to engage with the theoretical content, but as a means to understanding particular parent-child relationships, rather than in the abstract.