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Healthcare Play Specialism

Course details
  • FdA
  • 2 Years
  • Full-time
  • 09/2025
  • Undergraduate
Course location
Nuneaton Campus
Awarded by:
University of West London

Course summary

If you love working with children and want to play a key role in their learning and development, then this course is for you. Play is a natural part of childhood and enables children to explore the world they live in through recreations. For children that undergo medical procedures, play is vital to them to help them make sense of what will happen to them.

The course is for anyone who wants to work with and support children, in a hospital or community setting, by helping to make the most of their stay by preparing them for the medical interventions they will experience. You will learn techniques of therapeutic play and how to support not only the child but their parents, siblings and wider family during this difficult time.

This course looks at therapeutic play with an aim to help you develop practical skills and knowledge by linking theory to practice. It integrates academic study with workplace experience, whilst working with a qualified mentor. You will be expected to complete 200 hours in a relevant placement (HPSET outlined) per year.

The Professional Body HPSET will visit at least twice during each year to provide support for students during their practical placements. The university APLT will also visit twice a year in order to ensure university requirements are being met and to discuss any academic issues that may arise or any changes to University regulations.

Once you successfully complete this course, you can register as a Healthcare Play Specialist with HPSET, the Healthcare Play Specialist Education Trust.

This course is validated by The University of West London.

Modules

Health and Social Care
Children and Young People Policy and Practice
Play and Recreation
Child Development
Reflective Skills and Practice Assessment
Children and Young People
Leadership and Management
Health in Children and Young People
The Child, Family and Society Enhancing Resilience in Children and Young People
Investigating Resources
Reflective Skills and Practice Assessment

Assessment method

Every assignment has both a formative and summative assessment which include assessments such as multiple-choice questions, reflective essays, essays, reports, presentations and writing an article for publication.

Qualified teacher status (QTS)

To work as a teacher at a state school in England or Wales, you will need to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS). This is offered on this course for the following level:

  • Course does not award QTS

How to apply

Apply by
29 January

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:
HCP5
Institution code:
N79
Campus name:
Nuneaton Campus
Campus Code:
N

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

Candidates for the Foundation Degree will have a minimum of a Level 3 qualification in Early Years or a related field with two years’ work experience. You will also need level 2 English and Maths qualification (GCSE level).

Historical entry grades data BETA

This section shows the range of grades students (with UK A-Levels or Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas) who received offers were previously accepted with (learn more). It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place. Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.

Not enough data available

We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

LocationFeeYear
England£5950Year 1
Northern Ireland£5950Year 1
Scotland£5950Year 1
Wales£5950Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.

Additional fee information

You should be prepared to cover travel costs to college and to your placement.

There are recommended core textbooks and other literature to support assignment writing, that you should purchase.

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