invest in play: Support for families of children with special educational needs
Having a child with additional needs can make it more difficult for parents and children to build a strong connection. At the same time, stigma can prevent parents from asking for support. Many of the strategies that can help have been known for many years, but the challenge is ensuring that they reach the families who need them. It is invest in play’s mission to do exactly this.
The power of child-led play
At the heart of the invest in play programme is the concept of 15 minutes of child-led play each day. The child chooses the activity, the parent follows their lead and describes what they are doing.
Through the programme, parents learn how to use play and positive attention to strengthen their relationship with their child. They also develop strategies to support their child’s learning and social and emotional skills, create clear and predictable boundaries, and respond to strong emotions, both their own and their child’s.
Stronger Families
Designed for families with children aged 2–12, the programme can be delivered individually or in groups. It can be used as preventive support or as more targeted help for children experiencing difficulties, displaying challenging behaviour, or showing signs of ADHD and/or children who are autistic.
Throughout the programme, the focus is on strengthening parents’ confidence and sense of mastery. This helps create the close and positive relationships that give children strong foundations for wellbeing, development, and learning.
Materials are co-created with local communities to ensure they are culturally relevant. Dedicated modules support neurodivergent children and their families, while local professionals are trained to deliver the programme with quality and consistency.
The ambition goes beyond supporting parents. Because the strategies can be used by any caring adult in a child’s life, invest in play also aims to develop a programme for teachers and share a universal message: it is OK to ask for help with one of the most important and challenging jobs in the world, being a parent.
Geography: 8 countries
Amount: EUR 3.75 m
Collaborators: Local municipalities, communities, and trained professionals
Partnership since: 2023
About invest in Play
invest in Play is a global non-profit organisation that turns research into practical, culturally adapted, and neuroaffirmative support for caregivers. Its programmes help parents build strong, playful relationships with their children.