...firstly, she's a Health Play Specialist who helps children navigate potentially scary and unsettling experiences in hospital through the power of play. Secondly, she’s run a half marathon in support of Starlight, raising £450!
Claire started her career in healthcare on the children’s ward as a nursery nurse, When the opportunity arose to train and qualify as a Play Specialist in 1999, Claire jumped at the chance.
Claire says a big part of her job is helping children understand what’s happening, giving them agency, which helps reduce fear and anxiety. Claire says: “It’s about normalising situations for children and families during scary times when people are talking around them instead of to them. Play is trying to make it that little bit better for everyone.”
Claire talks about an extreme example of miscommunication between professionals and a child about to have an MRI scan: “A big issue can be professionals using language that children don’t understand. So this little one heard he was dying when they had actually said was that they would put dye in his system so the machine could see inside his body. I’m lucky that I have that protected time to spend with children and can help them understand better what’s happening to them.”