The next meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Play will take place on Wednesday 18 March 2026, from 17:00–18:30 in Committee Room 17, House of Commons.
Attendance is strictly by invitation only. Contact: appg@playengland.org.uk to express interest in attending.
This session will focus on Play Well: Health Play Services, exploring the role of therapeutic play in children’s healthcare and the contribution of specialist play teams across the NHS.
The meeting follows the Westminster Hall debate on Therapeutic Play and Children’s Healthcare held on 6 January 2026, which highlighted the importance of play in supporting children through treatment, reducing anxiety, improving clinical outcomes, and supporting family wellbeing.
The session will bring together practitioners, researchers and sector organisations working across healthcare, education and mental health to examine how play is embedded within hospital settings and how the specialist workforce supporting this work can be strengthened.
Discussions will include:
An overview of the NHS Play Well Toolkit, developed by Starlight, which supports hospitals and healthcare providers to embed play as a core part of children’s healthcare.
Discussion from the Society of Health Play Specialists (SoHPS) on workforce development and the skills needed to support therapeutic play across health settings.
Case studies from University College London Hospitals (UCLH) and Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) on the delivery of specialist health play services, including work in areas such as imaging, radiotherapy and youth services.
Perspectives on SEND play in healthcare from Jiraffe, highlighting approaches to supporting children with additional needs within hospital environments.
Contributions from Play Therapy UK on the Child Mental Health Charter, and the role of play-based approaches in supporting children’s mental health and emotional wellbeing.