Starlight

Holding down sick children for treatment causes trauma, says Starlight report

New research from Starlight reveals the urgent need for play in healthcare to prevent trauma in children.

A new report launched today by Starlight warns that holding children down for medical treatment is causing avoidable trauma and long-term mental health problems.

To mark the start of Play in Healthcare Week 2025 (13–19 October), Causes of Trauma from Children’s Healthcare, highlights that restraint during routine procedures, such as blood tests or vaccinations, is often overused or incorrectly applied, leaving children distressed and fearful of future healthcare experiences.

Research findings

Starlight commissioned two polls of over 1,000 parents and 500 children, alongside surveys with healthcare and health play professionals. Key findings include:

  • 1 in 9 children (11%) said being held down during treatment made them feel worried or upset.
  • Nearly 1 in 10 parents (9%) reported their child now feels negatively about healthcare because of being held down.
  • 4 in 5 healthcare professionals (80%) have witnessed restraint being used.
  • 1.4 million children in the UK could be at risk of trauma or mental health problems as a result.

The power of play in preventing trauma

The report shows that access to health play specialists can significantly reduce the need for restraint. When asked about play:

  • 2 in 5 children (39%) said they were not given the opportunity to play in hospital.
  • Of those who did, 8 in 10 (78%) said play helped them feel calm and supported.

Healthcare is there to heal. But sometimes, healthcare causes trauma for children. Our report reveals a worrying reliance on holding children down, something that, in most cases, can be avoided when play is used effectively.

Play helps children understand their treatment, reduces fear, and builds trust. It saves resources and staff time, yet play and the health play professionals who deliver it still lack the recognition and funding they deserve. Play is not a luxury, it prevents trauma.

Cathy Gilman, Chief Executive of Starlight

Read the full report

To learn more about how therapeutic play can improve children’s healthcare and mental health outcomes, download Starlight’s full Causes of Trauma from Children’s Healthcare report.

Watch our Causes of Trauma webinar 

More than 40 health professionals and experts in the health play and child development fields joined Starlight for a discussion which included presentations from a mother with lived experience Parvina Khan and Lucy Bray, Professor in Child Health Literacy in the Faculty of Health, Social Care and Medicine at Edge Hill University who worked in acute children's nursing for over 20 years.