2026 – Dates for your diaries

Therapeutic Play Leads Development Group Meetings:

23rd January 2026 – 1pm until 2pm

27th February 2026 – 11am until 12pm

27th February 2026 – 11am until 12pm

If you work as a Play Lead/Manager within a healthcare setting and are interested in joining this group, please email admin@sohps.org.uk

Scottish Spring Study Day – Online

This will be held on 26th March 2026 – Collaborative Working between Play Staff and the MDT

SoHPS Annual Conference – UCLH – London

Friday 26th June 2026 – The theme is “Children at the Heart of Healthcare – How play is improving outcomes and experiences”

Northern Study Day – Leeds Printworks

Friday 2nd October 2026 – Details to follow

Play In Healthcare Week

Starts Monday 5th October 2026 – Theme is “Celebrating how play is improving outcomes and experiences”

Afternoon Workshop and Evening Lecture

Wednesday 25th November 2026 – Details to follow in the Summer

Past events – thank you for attending

2025 – Dates for your Diaries

15th October 2025 – 12:00 – 1:30pm

Implementing the Play Well toolkit for children’s play in healthcare – Webinar

As part of the Play in Healthcare Week events, the Society of Health Play Specialists will be co-delivering a live webinar with colleagues from NHSE, Starlight, ODN’s and GIRFT. This will be an opportunity to learn more about the new Play Well Toolkit and how you can use it within your healthcare setting or teams.
Board members speaking on the panel will be Irene O’Donnell, Steph Fairbain, Penelope Hart-Spencer and Tina Clegg.

You can sign up for this free event at: Playing Well Tickets, Wed, Oct 15, 2025 at 12:00 PM | Eventbrite

10th October 2025 – 9:30am – 4pm

Northern Study Day – Leeds City College Printworks Campus

CPD AUDIT 2025

All registrants due to submit their CPD Profile in 2025 are reminded that their Profile Form needs to cover the 3 years preceding submission:

Year 1: 01 April 2022 – 31 March 2023

Year 2: 01 April 2023 – 31 March 2024

Year 3: 01 April 2024 – 31 March 2025

Each year of data should run sequentially. It will be necessary to empty the form of any previously submitted data in order to enter your new evidence for the required time period.

15th March 2025

Spring Study Day

12th June 2025

SoHPS National Conference – UCLH, Euston Road, London

Please email admin@sohps.org.uk to register interest.

10th October 2025

Northern Study Day – Details TBC

13th to 19th October 2025

Play in Healthcare Week

30 years of PIHW – Details to follow

26th November 2025

Hugh Jolly Lecture – Details TBC

Please email admin@sohps.org.uk to register interest.

27 November 2024

Hugh Jolly afternoon workshop and evening lecture

2.30pm till 4pm

Application of rights based participation using the Lundy Model:

  • Basic introduction to children’s rights
  • Article 12 of UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
  • Introduction to Lundy Model of Participation
  • Activities to include looking at overlaying the Lundy Model over existing practice and exploring challenges to meaningful participation

This event will take place on Teams. Cost is £20 for registered Health Play Specialists and £30 for everyone else.

7.00pm till 8.00pm

Learn more about Dragons of Afterlands. This is an AR game which improves communication skills and enhances wellbeing through the unique cooperative Challenges designed by psychologists.

This event will take place on Teams and is free to all participants.

Please email admin@sohps.org.uk to register interest in either or both of these events.

Hugh Jolly Memorial Lecture and workshop

November

Play in Hospital Week 2022: ‘Play for resilience and good Mental Health’

The theme highlights the importance of play for everyone’s health. Children, young people, and families all benefit from play in healthcare, and as play practitioners taking some time to play will help you too!

Spring masterclass 2022: ‘Helping children and young people with disabilities and anxiety have a positive hospital experience’.

Recorded webcast: ‘Caring for babies with long term healthcare needs’ – Purchase your copy of the pre-recorded webcast here

 

 

 

Event Calendar