This is a collaborative group established in 2024 which is facilitated by the South West SIC ODN on behalf of the South West Women’s & Children’s Networks and the South West Children & Young People’s Transformation Programme.
The group is open to all colleagues across the region to focus on the development of South West Play Services. The first meeting was held in September 2024 and welcomed over 40 attendees, including play teams, nurses, managers, and ODN colleagues.
The group was set up in order to try to address regional challenges in accessing play services, as highlighted in the 2021 SW SIC ODN Service Reviews, and it builds on ongoing work with Play Teams within the Optimising MRI Pathways for Children Working Group.
Contact us to learn more about our work with regional play teams.
Purpose and aims of the Group
The Play Well Toolkit
National standards for play in healthcare were published in 2025. These were co-produced by Starlight & NHS England and were written as part of a shared mission to transform children’s health and care. The Play Well Tool Kit includes 3 components:
- Guidelines for commissioning and designing health play services
- Recommended standards for health play services
- A quality checklist for health play services
The ODN are working with play teams to support them to align to these standards of practice.
