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Category: Families
The therapeutic powers of play: play therapy as a mental health treatment
5 December 2023
In this lecture Siobhán Prendiville (Children’s Therapy Centre in Ireland) talks about the therapeutic powers of play and highlights how well Play Therapy sits within a neurosequential approach to psychotherapy. This presentation was recorded on 7th September 2023 as part of the PEDAL Play Conference, an event which brought together play researchers, policymakers, and practitioners […]
Public health campaigns: supporting infant mental health through encouraging playful interactions
5 December 2023
In this lecture Margaret Gallagher (NSPCC) and Alex Spragg (Better Start Bradford) talk about how two public health campaigns supported infant mental health through encouraging playful interactions. This presentation was recorded on 7th September 2023 as part of the PEDAL Play Conference, an event which brought together play researchers, policymakers, and practitioners spotlighting the benefits […]
A vision for happy, healthy childhoods in the UK
5 December 2023
In this keynote lecture Helen Hayes (Shadow Children’s Minister and Labour MP forDulwich & West Norwood) shares Labour’s vision for childhood. This presentation was recorded on 7th September 2023 as part of the PEDAL Play Conference, an event which brought together play researchers, policymakers, and practitioners spotlighting the benefits of play on mental health in […]
Play in the face of adversity
1 November 2023
Read our paper for the Scottish Children's Commissioner about the value of play for children in the asylum seeking system.
All Work and No Play? Busting the Binary in Majority World Settings
21 June 2023
In this Play Piece, Stephen discusses whether work and play are different, and the value of play as distinct from work.
Infant Mental Health Awareness Week 2023: Understanding Infant Mental Health
13 June 2023
In this short animation for Infant Mental Health Awareness Week 2023, PEDAL’s Senior Policy Fellow Sally Hogg explains what we mean by ‘mental health’ in infancy and early childhood. You can also find more information and useful resources for supporting children’s mental health in the early years by clicking here.
Understanding and supporting mental health in infancy and early childhood: A PEDAL and UNICEF UK Toolkit
14 April 2023
There is widespread concern about babies’, children’s and young people’s mental health in the UK, particularly after the pandemic. Surveys of children, young people, parents, grandparents and teachers all reveal worries about mental health. Significant evidence shows us that the foundations for lifelong mental health are laid during pregnancy and the earliest years of life. Thankfully, this is more widely […]
Narrative Matters: ‘Encanto’ and intergenerational trauma
20 September 2022
Read a summary of Sydney Conroy's publication about how themes in Encanto might support children's mental health.
Children bouncing back: How families can use play to help children transition to post-lockdown life
6 July 2022
How can families use play to support their children as they transition to post-lockdown life?