Meg Jones replies:
Your NVQ level 3 will give you a good grounding in basic play, care, and education and you can build on this knowledge and experience to become a Hospital Play Specialist (HPS). Play therapists are employed by hospitals to support children - both in and out-patients - and their families. You need to have maturity in this work as it can be quite distressing working with sick children, some seriously ill. The course you need is the Professional Development Certificate in Hospital Play Specialism accredited by Edexcel. This is a one-year, part-time course consisting of one full day per week at college and 200 hours' practical experience in a hospital setting. There are also block weeks in college and on hospital play programmes. It is also a requirement of the course that a piece of research is carried out. There are currently 15 colleges around the country offering the Hospital Play Specialism training. For further information and a list of participating colleges, contact HPSET at PO Box 30, Bramhall, Stockport SK7 1FR or refer to the website on www.nahps.org.uk/ training.
* Meg Jones
NVQ assessor, childcare and early years consultant following 40 years as practioner, manager and trainer