Play in Healthcare: Using Play to Promote Child Development and Wellbeing

The importance of play in children’s health and care services, both as a form of therapy and as a distraction, is often overlooked. This unique text promotes developmentally appropriate provision within healthcare settings for children and young people and provides an introduction to the underpinning knowledge and skills.

Covering core content – such as the role of play in child development, relevant anatomy and physiology, the concept of resilience, health promotion, developing appropriate provision and working in diverse healthcare settings – each chapter:

• makes links with the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework and the Children’s Workforce’s Common Core of Skills and Knowledge
• begins with an overview of the chapter objectives
• contains a variety of activities such as reflective exercises, case studies and practical tasks that will promote both skills and knowledge needed in the workplace.
• concludes with a selection of additional useful resources and further reading suggestions.

Designed for all healthcare professionals who work with children and young people, including those studying to become health play specialists and children’s nurses, this text provides practical examples of how all members of the multidisciplinary team can help to support children’s play.

Alison Tonkin is Programme Area Manager for Higher Education in Health and Social Care at Stanmore College, UK. She is a board member for the Play Specialist Education Trust and leads on the college’s foundation degree in Healthcare Play Specialism.