748 The role of children’s play in care, treatment and recovery – a new approach to systemic change (2025)

Results There is research to support the use of therapeutic play interventions to mitigate medical trauma in children (eStenman et al, 2019). ); support their psychological wellbeing during care (Haiat, Bar-Mor, & Shochat, 2003); and to help normalise their experience of healthcare (Koukourikos et al, 2015). Health play provision is inconsistent and generally inadequate for the level of need. A quarter of settings for children have no play specialists; a majority has only one or two, with equipment budgets of less than £500 pa. Many practitioners report being marginalized by multi-disciplinary teams, their role not properly understood.

There is no national standard or guidance for health play provision, and commissioning specifications are inconsistent. The accreditation and registration of health play specialists is managed by a voluntary organisation with minimal capacity for professional workforce development.

Conclusions For children’s healthcare to consistently follow NICE guidance on therapeutic play requires systemic change: new standards, guidance, workforce development, and a professional accreditation and registration system. Such a change program will engender culture change leading to new perspectives on children’s play and its role in healthcare.

In November 2022 Starlight and NHS England, with the National Association of Health Play Specialists and the Health Play Specialist Educational Trust, convened a cross-sector Taskforce on Children’s Play in Healthcare to consult, review and develop proposals and initiatives to bring the benefits of therapeutic play to more children who need it, potentially reducing their risks of medical trauma and improving their experience of healthcare.

References

1. NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (2021) Guideline on babies, children, and young people’s experience of healthcare, London: NICE.

2. Stenman K, Christofferson J, Alderfer M, Pierce J, Kelly C, Schifano E, Klaff S, Sciolla J, Deatrick J, Kazak A. Integrating play in trauma-informed care: Multidisciplinary paediatric healthcare provider perspectives. Psychological Services 2019;16(1):7–15

3. Haiat H, Bar-Mor G, Shochat M. The world of the child: a world of play even in the hospital. J Pediatr Nurs. 2003, Jun;18(3): 209–14.

4. Koukourikos K, Tzeha L, Pantelidou P, Tsaloglidou A. The importance of play during hospitalization of children. Mater Sociomed. 2015 Dec;27(6):438–41.

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