Starlight Children's Foundation

Starlight Children's Foundation Starlight is the national children’s charity that exists to champion the importance of play.
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Offical page for Starlight Children's Foundation in the UK.

30/08/2026

This is Filly. 💫

She’s 13, she’s a Starlight Ambassador — and this weekend, she took to the CarFest stage and absolutely shone. 🌟

Full of confidence, personality and joy, Filly had the crowd with her, every step of the way.

Filly is a brilliant champion for something she knows matters: the power of play for children in healthcare. 💚

And seeing her up there, sharing her voice and inspiring thousands of people? Pure magic.

Filly, you were a STAR. 🌟

There’s a huge gap in children’s healthcare that most people don’t know exists. 👉Across the UK, 21 million children’s ho...
29/08/2026

There’s a huge gap in children’s healthcare that most people don’t know exists. 👉

Across the UK, 21 million children’s hospital admissions are supported by just 955 health play professionals - around one tenth of the recommended staffing level.

Why does this matter? Because for a child, healthcare isn’t just about the treatment they receive. It’s also about how they experience it.

Our new research reveals the scale of the gap, why play matters and what needs to change.

Swipe through to see what we found. ➡️

Our evidence shows that play can improve healthcare experiences and help make procedures smoother and faster, making our NHS more efficient.

We’re calling for all healthcare professionals who care for children to receive ❇️ Starlight’s Playful Approaches ❇️ training - from doctors and nurses, to radiographers and physiotherapists ✅

With the right training, the professionals already caring for children can transform children’s health through play. 💚⭐

28/08/2026

🌟 We’ve arrived at CarFest 2026! 🌟

The Starlight team is all set up at Silverstone and ready for three days of play, fun and family challenges. 🏁💜

🏎️ First stop? Our LEGO®️ Pit Box!

Build your own LEGO®️ car, put it to the test and you could be in with a chance of winning a LEGO®️ Ferrari worth over £400! 🏆

Then stick around for even more fun:

✨ LEGO®️ Walk challenge
✨ Tug of War
✨ Garden games
✨ And plenty more play throughout the weekend!

We’re here all weekend in StarFest, so come and find us, join the fun and discover why play is so important for children in hospital. 💜

📍 Find Starlight in StarFest
📸 Tag and in your photos
🏎️ Build it. Race it. Share it.

27/08/2026

For Olivia, play has been a light during some of her darkest days. 💚

At age eleven, Olivia has spent much of her life in and out of hospital after being diagnosed with a rare and serious skin condition as a baby.

Throughout it all, health play professionals have been there to help make difficult days that little bit easier.

But not every child has access to that support.

New research from Starlight reveals there is just one health play professional for every 22,061 child hospital admissions - around one tenth of the recommended staffing level.

The Government has committed to NHS trusts adopting the and Starlight Play Well Toolkit by 2027. Now we need to make sure that commitment leads to action.

Help more children like Olivia benefit from the power of play.

✍️ Add your name to Starlight’s open letter to the Secretary of State and help us call for action.

Healthcare professionals tell us there aren’t enough age-appropriate resources available for older children in hospital....
24/08/2026

Healthcare professionals tell us there aren’t enough age-appropriate resources available for older children in hospital.

That’s why we created the Play Well Box.

Designed for children aged 10 and over, the Play Well Box contains games, activities and resources that reflect their interests and help provide distraction from distress, anxiety and negative thoughts.

By engaging young people in play that’s right for their age, we can help them feel included, heard and supported during what can be a difficult time.

Play also creates opportunities for connection, helping healthcare professionals build trust and relationships that can make a child’s healthcare journey feel less overwhelming.

Find out how the Play Well Box is helping to support children’s wellbeing through the power of play.: https://ow.ly/rQi650Zb6Jc

⏳ Just 7 days to go until CarFest!The countdown is on and we can't wait to be back at one of the UK's biggest family fes...
21/08/2026

⏳ Just 7 days to go until CarFest!

The countdown is on and we can't wait to be back at one of the UK's biggest family festivals.

Come and find the Starlight team for fun activities, playful experiences and a chance to learn how play helps seriously ill children cope with the challenges of healthcare.

Every smile, every game and every moment of play helps shine a light on the difference play can make for children and families.

Who's joining us at CarFest this year?

A little play can make a big difference when a child is in hospital. 💙🩺We’re delighted to announce our new partnership w...
19/08/2026

A little play can make a big difference when a child is in hospital. 💙🩺

We’re delighted to announce our new partnership with WHSmith helping more children access the power of play during hospital visits and stays.

Through the partnership, children can buy the new Little Doctor play set in participating WHSmith hospital stores, with £1 from every sale donated to Starlight. WHSmith is also donating play sets to Starlight for hospital wards.

Being able to play doctor gives children the chance to explore and practise what happens in healthcare, helping them feel more in control, understand unfamiliar experiences and reduce fear and anxiety.

Because when children have the opportunity to play, they can feel more like themselves – even in hospital. 🌟

You can read more here: https://tinyurl.com/2s54kcjs

Thank you WHSmith for helping us put play at the heart of children’s healthcare. 🫶

💚 Play can change a child’s healthcare experience.For many children, healthcare can feel overwhelming and frightening. F...
17/08/2026

💚 Play can change a child’s healthcare experience.

For many children, healthcare can feel overwhelming and frightening. For children with additional needs, those challenges can be even greater.

That’s why health play is so important. Through tools like VR, play-based preparation and therapeutic activities, children can better understand what’s happening, feel more in control and build confidence ahead of procedures and treatments.

As Laura says:

"Healthcare can be a scary world for all children. For children with additional needs, it can be even scarier. Starlight research and evidence show how health play can prepare children for surgery and other procedures and build their resilience."

When children feel supported, informed and empowered, healthcare experiences improve — and so can health outcomes.

🌟 Happy International Youth Day! 🌟Today, we’re celebrating the incredible young people who help shape Starlight’s work t...
12/08/2026

🌟 Happy International Youth Day! 🌟

Today, we’re celebrating the incredible young people who help shape Starlight’s work through our Youth Panel.

Made up of 14–17-year-olds from across the UK, many with their own experiences of healthcare, our Youth Panel brings valuable insight, creativity and lived experience to everything we do. From reviewing resources like the Play Well Box to helping judge the Health Play Innovation Awards, their voices help ensure young people’s needs are at the heart of our work.

Young people are experts in their own experiences. By listening to them, we can create healthcare environments that are more fun, supportive and less stressful for children and young people.

Thank you to our Youth Panel members for sharing your ideas, challenging us to do better and helping shape the future of play in healthcare.

Address

The Ark, 201 Talgarth Road
London
W68BJ

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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