The Play Specialist is a professional with an educational background in psychology or pedagogical sciences who provides hospitalized or at home inpatient children with structured play programs. In the UK, the Play Specialist is called and certified as “Healthcare Play Specialist”, while in the US this role is labeled as “Certified Child Life Specialist”. This professionalism has not been institutionally recognized yet in many countries (e.g., Italy).
Published in Chapter:
Play Specialist-Based Intervention in the COVID-19 Era: Crisis and Opportunities of Change – An Experience From Italy
Giulia Perasso (Porto dei Piccoli, Italy), Giulia Boldrini (Porto dei Piccoli, Italy), Alice Maggiore (Porto dei Piccoli, Italy), Chiara Allegri (Porto dei Piccoli, Italy), and Gloria Camurati (Porto dei Piccoli, Italy)
Copyright: © 2021
|Pages: 20
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-7998-7275-7.ch021
Abstract
The present chapter provides insights about the play specialist-based intervention for children with a wide range of pathologies. Telematic adaptations of pedagogical interventions are needed in order to overcome the obstacles given by pandemic emergency and social isolation. The chapter offers a literature review around the role of the play specialist, providing definitions, historical evolution, and outcomes on children's wellbeing. Plus, results from a research around parental wellbeing after the telematic play specialist-based adaptation are displayed and discussed. Finally, qualitative outcomes from parent and educator interviews over the telematic intervention are presented.