ChIPPA-2 + I-ChIPPA Combined Training

Complete your ChIPPA-2 and I-ChIPPA training together and halve your supervision commitment.

Both assessments examine a child’s ability to self-initiate and sustain pretend play — the ChIPPA-2 as the standardised, norm-referenced measure, and the I-ChIPPA as its culturally responsive counterpart for Australian Aboriginal children developed in consultation with communities and Elders in North West Australia.

Participants complete all online modules for both trainings in full — 6 self-study modules for ChIPPA-2 and 5 for I-ChIPPA, each with quizzes to check understanding. In the combined training, instead of completing 10 hours of supervision for each assessment (as is required in the single ChIPPA-2 and IChIPPA training), you will complete a total of 10 hours of supervision to strengthen your understanding of both the ChIPPA-2 and I-ChIPPA. Supervision sessions include scoring and interpreting videos across both assessments in the same small-group Zoom sessions.

What are these assessment?

This combined course covers training in both the ChIPPA-2 and the I-ChIPPA.

The ChIPPA-2 is a norm-referenced, standardised assessment of the quality of a child’s ability to spontaneously self-initiate their own play, for children aged 3 years to 7 years 11 months. It assesses the quality, complexity and organisation of a child’s play through their elaborateness of play, ability to use objects as symbols, and capacity to initiate their own play. The Clinical Observations form adds further detail on time spent in play, use of play scripts and narrative, character involvement, enjoyment, and the ability to play beyond the literal use of materials. Raw scores can be compared to standard scores, showing where a child’s play ability sits relative to peers their age (and for some age groups, gender). The ChIPPA-2 is suitable when there are concerns about a child’s play ability, social competence, language, narrative language, self-regulation, or ability to engage in learning.

The I-ChIPPA is a culturally responsive version of the ChIPPA-2 for Australian Aboriginal children, developed through consultation with communities and Elders in North West Australia. It is for children aged 4 to 7 years 11 months and focuses on the same core play abilities — elaborateness, symbolic object use, and self-initiation — but can be administered with pairs of children as well as individually. When administered in pairs, it includes the Play Partner Scale (developed by Alma Dender), which accounts for the influence of a play partner. Rather than norm scores, the I-ChIPPA produces a descriptive account of a child’s play, since comparing children to one another is not culturally responsive in many communities. Findings can be used to guide significant adults in a child’s life on supporting their play development. The authors encourage users to defer to community Elders on how the assessment is administered, which materials are used, and whether the assessment’s name itself needs to change for a given community.

How is the training organised?

This training has 3 sections:

• Two sets of Modules for self-study (11 Modules all up): 6 modules for the ChIPPA-2 and 5 modules for the IChIPPA. These modules take you through the manuals and assessment, as well as adding more information on play themes and research underpinning the ChIPPA-2. After each module there is a short quiz to complete.

• 10 hours of combined ChIPPA-2 and I-ChIPPA supervision sessions over Zoom (1-2 hours per session) in small groups of no more than 5 people, plus the trainer, to score and interpret videos of ChIPPA-2/I-ChIPPA assessments. You will be invited to share at least one video of yourself administering a ChIPPA-2/I-ChIPPA. All people in the group will be involved in scoring and interpreting at least 5 ChIPPA-2/I-ChIPPA assessments. (If your are unable to provide videos for privacy or workplace reasons, you are still able to complete the training and videos will be provided for you.)

Do I need to have a ChIPPA-2 and I-ChIPPA Kit?

Yes — for this combined training you’ll need both the ChIPPA-2 Kit and the I-ChIPPA Kit.

• If you have the original ChIPPA Kit (pre-2019), you’ll need to purchase the ChIPPA-2 Manual and updated ChIPPA-2 Scoring Booklets (for 3-year-olds, and for 4–7-year-olds), published in late 2019. These are included in the ChIPPA-2 Kit.
• If you already have a ChIPPA-2 Kit, you only need to add the I-ChIPPA Supplement, rather than the full I-ChIPPA Kit.
• If you’re starting from scratch, you’ll need the ChIPPA-2 Kit and I-ChIPPA Supplement, rather than the full I-ChIPPA kit.

If you already have a ChIPPA kit and wish to purchase the new manual and scoring sheets separately, contact Jessica Stagnitti via the contact form.

As you work through Modules 3 and 4 of the ChIPPA-2 training, it would be helpful to have a ChIPPA-2 Scoring Booklet for 3-year-old children and a ChIPPA-2 Scoring Booklet for 4 – 7-year-old children. The new Manual and new Scoring Booklets are included in the purchase of the ChIPPA-2 Kit. 

Below is more detailed information on the training.