Play and Health in Childhood: A Rights-based Approach

This text emphasizes the importance of play in a child's health and development, stating that the child's right to health and development cannot be satisfied without also fulfilling their right to play. It defines and discusses childhood, play, health, and human rights, and how play interacts with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. It provides examples of best practice from various settings and incorporates the voices of children as they imagine a future where play is central to their lives.

Format: Hardback
Length: 222 pages
Publication date: 08 September 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This text takes a rights-based approach to the interdependence of play and health in childhood, arguing that the child's right to health and development cannot be satisfied without also fulfilling their right to play. The authors, Whitaker and Tonkin, draw on theory and real-life 'case stories' from practice and family life to present what is known about the benefits of play and its potential to address the pressing health needs of the youngest generation. They define and discuss the concepts of childhood, play, health, and human rights before exploring how play interacts with the four fundamental principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child: non-discrimination, best interests, life, survival, and development, and inclusion and participation.

The book then investigates how practitioners can advocate for the child's right to play to meet all their health and development needs. It provides numerous examples of best practice from a range of settings, including hospitals, schools, community initiatives, charities, and families, and incorporates the voices of children as they imagine a future in which play is elevated to a central position in their lives, allowing for the achievement of lifelong health and happiness.

Exploring children's rights from a practical perspective, this accessible book is essential reading for students and practitioners in healthcare, social work, community work, early years, and education. It sheds light on the importance of play in promoting children's well-being and contributes to a better understanding of the role of practitioners in supporting children's rights to play and health.

Weight: 620g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032316307