11/02/2026
During my Level 5 placement in schools with Place2Be, one of the things that surprised me most was the power of simplicity.
I already understood how important play can be for children — how it can help them communicate when words feel too big or too unsafe. But what stayed with me was just how little was sometimes needed.
I was working with a young person where there was trauma beneath the surface — present, but hidden. Sessions felt careful, guarded. Then one day, we played a simple game of Snakes and Ladders.
No deep questions.
No pressure.
Just space to be.
And something shifted.
Through that simple game, the young person began to relax, come out of their shell, and talk openly. I was genuinely struck by how something so ordinary created enough safety for something so important to emerge.
It was a powerful reminder that, for children, connection doesn’t always come through words — sometimes it comes through presence, patience, and play.
This Children’s Mental Health Week, I’m reminded that creating space — rather than pushing for answers — is often where the real work begins.
