ApprenticeshipHealth Play Specialist Apprenticeship
- 2026
- 2027
Course overview
Gain the knowledge, skills and behaviours necessary to practice as a health play specialist, supporting infants, children and young people through their healthcare journey.
The Health Care Play Specialism foundation degree provides a supportive and practice‑focused route into a specialist profession that makes a real difference to children, young people and their families. This course introduces you to the principles of therapeutic play, child development, emotional wellbeing, and professional care environments, helping you build the confidence and competence required for safe and effective practice.
Across the programme, you'll explore how therapeutic play supports children coping with illness, treatment, hospitalisation, and challenging life events. Through expert teaching, simulation, and guided practice hours, you'll learn how to assess children’s needs, plan meaningful play interventions, and work collaboratively within multidisciplinary healthcare teams.
You'll be taught by an experienced team of health play specialists, nurses, and child‑health practitioners, ensuring your learning is grounded in the realities of modern healthcare. Strong links with NHS trusts and healthcare partners mean your placements and learning experiences are designed to reflect current professional standards and employer expectations.
By combining academic knowledge with hands‑on practical experience, this foundation degree prepares you for a rewarding career supporting children’s emotional wellbeing. Whether you aim to progress into the health play specialist role, continue to further study, or build a broader career in children’s healthcare, the course equips you with the specialist and transferable skills needed to succeed.
Any questions?
Contact the apprenticeships team
Email:
For employers
Apprenticeships can add value at all levels of your business:
- Upskill your staff with industry relevant qualifications.
- Drive an increase in productivity.
- Promote long-term loyalty and reduce staff turnover.
- Reduce the cost of qualifications and training.
- Develop staff with a minimum of interruption to day-to-day operations.
- Offer genuine opportunities for personal development.
For apprentices
Here's what a higher or degree apprenticeship can offer you:
- A combination of on-the-job and academic study which is relevant and applied.
- A continued wage and contract of employment which includes all the same benefits as any employee.
- A higher or degree qualification which is recognised, transferrable and the same level as if achieved through traditional study routes.
- A debt free future with zero tuition fees. (Please note, as apprenticeships are funded by employers, apprentices are not eligible to apply for Student Loans Company loans)
- An opportunity to develop new skills and progress within your industry.
What does this course lead to?
Graduates are well prepared for a rewarding career supporting children and young people in healthcare settings. Most students progress into the health play specialist role, working within hospitals, community health services, and paediatric units to deliver therapeutic play that reduces anxiety, supports understanding, and enhances emotional wellbeing.
The specialist skills developed on the course also open doors to a range of wider child‑health and support roles, including positions within children’s hospitals, hospices, community healthcare teams, mental health services, and charitable organisations working with children and families.
Many graduates use this degree as a platform for further professional development, progressing into roles such as senior health play specialist, paediatric support worker, child‑development practitioner, or continuing to higher‑level study in areas such as child health, nursing, play therapy, psychology, or wellbeing services.
Who is this course for?
This course is ideal for individuals who are passionate about supporting children and young people during challenging health‑related experiences. It is particularly suited to those who want to work in a caring, hands‑on role that uses therapeutic play to reduce anxiety, promote understanding, and support emotional wellbeing.
Applicants should enjoy working within multidisciplinary teams, communicating with children and families, and developing specialist skills that make a meaningful difference in healthcare environments. The course is well‑suited to people who are compassionate, creative, reflective, and motivated to build a professional career in child‑health settings.
It is also an excellent pathway for those already working in healthcare, early years, or education who wish to develop specialist expertise and progress into the Health Play Specialist profession.
Facilities
Our award-winning teaching building, The Spark is centred around students and offers a stimulating study environment with flexible learning spaces.
Away from studying, why not try out the gyms, fitness studios and sports halls in our £28 million Sports Complex, or watch a blockbuster film at our student-run cinema with Dolby Atmos audio.
Come to an open day
Fancy a sneak peek? Take a look around!
Meet the team
The University cannot guarantee any particular members of staff will teach specific aspects of the course in the future, but will endeavour to ensure the teaching team maintains their balance of experience and qualifications.
What you'll study
Core modules
Developing Reflective Practice
The syllabus for this module will reflect the developmental journey that underpins the world of direct practice within the Health Play Specialist environment. This module will directly draw upon your practice experiences through Work-Based Learning: subject to an agreed contract of learning. This contract will recognise, encourage, and embrace the true potential of your professional aspirations at this stage in your development.
Evidence-Based Practice In Healthcare
You will learn from this module skills in investigating therapeutic play and recreation in healthcare. This will include investigating the appropriateness of different activities and resources used in play and recreation. To enable this, you will develop study skills relating to Information gathering, locating sources of evidence, and critically evaluating evidence.
Play and Recreation for Healthcare
The module will provide you with a theoretical perspective on play and recreation. It will explore the historical development of play and recreation within hospitals and the valuable role of therapeutic play and recreation in healthcare settings. You will learn how therapeutic play can be used to help children understand their illness better and how you can help prepare them for treatment. You will also explore the right of the child to play for its own sake and how to provide an environment conducive to play.
Policy and Practice for Children and Young People
Students on this module will acquire theoretical knowledge of the relevant policy, guidelines, legislation and codes of conduct necessary for effective practice in the provision of therapeutic and recreational play as a healthcare play specialist.
The Developing Child
In this module you will get the opportunity to learn about the stages of child development with a focus on cognitive development, psycho-social and emotional theories, mental health, and the interaction between the environment and a child’s development.
Successful apprentices will graduate with a:FdSc Health Care Play Specialism
How you'll study
You will learn through a combination of directed learning, collaborative learning and guided learning. You will also make use of the University's online learning platform Solent Online Learning (SOL).You may be assessed by a combination of:
- Group presentations
- Individual presentations
- Essays
- Reports
- Case studies
- Portfolios
- End-point assessment
Students are assessed through a combination of academic assignments and occupational standards assessments. Coursework assignments can include presentations, essays, exams, case studies, practical assessments, and reflective accounts.
Apprentices area also expected to go through an end-point assessment within three months of completing the course.
Find out more
Fees and finance
Businesses with an annual payroll above £3million will be classed as a levy paying employer and will be able to use funds accrued in their digital apprenticeship service (DAS) account for payment of the training. Please contact us for guidance on fees if you are a non-levy employer which will cover at least 95% of the costs.
- The maximum funding drawdown for this course is: £15,000
Apprentices pay nothing towards their course fees
The course fees will be covered by your employer.
Optional Costs
While most course costs are covered by your tuition fees, some essential resources and optional extras may need to be paid for separately. For advice on budgeting and managing your money, please contact student.funding@solent.ac.uk.
The 2026/27 other costs are not yet available. For guidance, previous other costs were:
Compulsory costs
- Students are required to pay a one-off indexation fee to the Healthcare Play Specialist Education Trust (HPSET).
Optional costs
- One uniform will be provided but you may wish to purchase additional uniforms which cost in the region of £30.
Earn while you learn
As an apprentice you'll earn while working and studying towards your degree.
Graduation costs
There is no charge to attend graduation, but you will be required to pay for the rental of your academic gown (approximately £45 per graduate, depending on your award). You may also wish to purchase official photography packages, which range in price from £15 to £200+. Graduation is not compulsory, so if you prefer to have your award sent to you, there is no cost. Extra guest tickets will go on sale after results publication and will be sold on a first-come-first-served basis. The cost per ticket is currently £20. Please note, we do not guarantee there will be any extra tickets available to purchase.
Entry Requirements
To study for an apprenticeship, you must be employed and have a contract that will cover the duration of your apprenticeship.
All apprentice applications need to go through apprenticeships@solent.ac.uk in the first instance. Applicants will be expected to provide the following documents during the onboarding process:
- CV
- Job description
- English certificates - GCSE/GCE/Functional Skills*
- Level 3 qualification in health, childcare, or education
- Completed skills assessment (template provided by Solent's apprenticeships team)
- Passport/visa (showing access to public funds if non UK passport), or birth certificate
- Share code to show immigration status if applicable
Please note: if any certificates are from outside of the UK, you will need to have a Naric Equivalency Statement alongside the certificates.
* English delivery to achieve Functional Skills Level 2 can be provided for some courses and should be discussed at onboarding stage if you do not have English certificates at Grade 4/C and above.
Eligibility
To be eligible for an apprenticeship, you must:
- have a contract of employment that spans the length of the apprenticeship
- hold a UK passport, or if you are a non-UK national, have valid passport and Share code to demonstrate residency
- have lived in the UK for the past three years
- have access to public funds (residency status/visa status)
Ready to apply?
If you are an employer or a potential apprentice and would like to have an in-depth conversation with us about potential opportunities, please email apprenticeships@solent.ac.uk.
What is an apprenticeship?
An apprenticeship offers a unique blend of work experience and academic study. Candidates on an apprenticeship will work a paid job while simultaneously working towards a relevant qualification in their chosen field.
Apprentices are employees with a contract of employment that must cover the duration of the programme being studied. Apprentices have guaranteed time from their employer to complete their studies, at a minimum of six hours a week, known as off-the-job training hours. The University will provide each apprentice with a tracker to ensure these off the job hours are logged to demonstrate compliance with this funding rule.
Higher apprenticeships
Solent offers a diverse range of higher and degree apprenticeships, some of which will include an additional qualification that will be studied within the Apprenticeship Standard, eg: HNC, BA or BSc.
Our apprenticeships give employees the opportunity to upskill in their chosen field or retrain for a new career while working.
Employers will see an increase in knowledge and skills, improved productivity, and a boost in the expertise of the workforce.
Find out moreThinking of applying?
Visit us on campus and explore Solent University by registering for one of our apprenticeship events.
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