Explore Play Wales
Today (17 September 2025) is World Patient Safety Day – a day to promote that every child has the right to safe, quality health care, from the very beginning.
Organised annually by the World Health Organization (WHO), one of the day’s objectives is to raise global awareness of safety risks in paediatric and newborn care in all health care settings, emphasising the specific needs of children and families.
To mark the day, we are sharing two of our recent publications that support those working with children of all ages in healthcare settings to provide opportunities for them to play. Both resources emphasise the positive impact of play on the wellbeing and experience of children and teenagers who are patients in hospitals and other healthcare settings.
Play in healthcare – an information sheet explaining why it is important to provide children in healthcare settings with different spaces and opportunities for play, including playrooms, spaces for older children and outdoor spaces. It explores the different health play interventions that can support children and their families in developing a better understanding of their illness and treatment. The information sheet also includes descriptions of the various skilled and specialised roles of the health play workforce.
Focus on play: play in healthcare – a briefing aimed at those who support the wellbeing of children and teenagers who are patients in hospital or community settings, such as children’s hospices. Endorsed by Starlight Children’s Foundation, it explains how play has been proven to have a positive impact on the wellbeing of children and teenagers in healthcare settings, and their ability to cope with fear, pain and treatment. The briefing also describes the economic benefits of providing play in healthcare settings and outlines the state of health play in Wales.