Play Services: about our Play Team ​

The Play team consists of Play Workers and Heath Play Specialists working as part of the multidisciplinary team in paediatrics with children aged 0-16 years. The play team facilitates and provides support to children and young people facing a wide range of challenging experiences related to healthcare and hospitalization. The play team provides emotional support to children and young people and their families.      

Health Play specialists

Are qualified professionals who work with children and young people to help them develop effective coping mechanisms. This can be through procedural play, procedural preparation, distraction, post procedural play. Health Play Specialists work alongside play workers to provide therapeutic play and the normalization of play in hospital.

Play workers

Support children and young people through play, providing play materials and appropriate activities to encourage the development and wellbeing of children during hospitalization.

The Play team cover the following areas; Tropical lagoon, Tropical bay, Children’s and Young People Paediatric Ambulatory Unit (CYPAU), outpatients and the Children’s Emergency Departments (CED) at Queen’s and King George hospitals.

Play Team new projects

• Brand new sensory room on Tropical Lagoon
• Young People’s forum
• Nominated for Pride of Essex award 2020
• Nominated for Best play team “Starlight Charity” 2020
• A Play Team Amazonwishlist

Read our news story where our Play Specialist Abbi describes setting up a new play service and starting work in our Children’s Emergency Department.

Contact us

Inpatients, outpatient patients and CYPAU

For any questions or referrals please email caroline.jenkins6@nhs.net or chantel.taylor@nhs.net  

Queen’s Children’s Emergency Department 

Abbi.spurdle@nhs.net.

King George Children’s Emergency Department

danielle.pearce2@nhs.net.

Follow us on Twitter @bhrut_playteam