The Play Education Department comprises a team
of Play Therapists and Creative Arts Therapists, working at Monash Medical
Centre Clayton and Dandenong Hospital. There is also a Family/Patient
Resource Coordinator based in the Children’s Cancer Centre at Monash.
All therapists are tertiary qualified, experienced and skilled Early
Childhood Education Specialists or Creative Arts Therapists.
The team of therapists provide play, developmental, art and recreational
therapy programs and procedural pain management programs to children and
adolescents on the Paediatric wards, in new born services (NICU and Special
Care Unit), the Children’s Cancer Centre, the Paediatric Renal Day Treatment
and by referral for paediatric in-patients in other areas of the hospital
where paediatric patients are admitted.
Therapeutic programs are implemented with children from birth to 18 years.
Volunteers are an important part of the Play Education Department team
providing support in the playrooms, studio and preparation areas. They are
guided by the Play and Creative Arts Therapists.
The Hospital Awareness Program is also run by the Play Education Department
and is a community outreach program aimed at reducing the fear of
hospitalisation for young children. It is available as a fee—for-service
excursion visit for child care, kindergarten and junior primary school
students 4 – 8 years and is available for booking Mon/Wed/Thur/Fri.
