People, place, policy and practice for play
Conformity with the call and work programme: There is a significant shortage of researchers in Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy in Europe. Only five European countries offer PhDs in Occupational Therapy, while none offer PhDs in Occupational Science, which severely restricts professional education and practice and ultimately impacts patients, and families, who receive occupational therapy services. Therefore, the societal challenge for improving health professions training and knowledge in evidence-based practice is a priority for the profession. This European Joint Doctorates programme responds to this challenge in Occupational Therapy career development across Europe through the study of play from an occupational science perspective. The overall research goal is to develop new knowledge on the occupation of play and play deprivation, the impact of physical, socio-cultural, and policy environments on play provision, and the development of innovative solutions to address barriers and provide solutions to play provision in diverse community settings to benefit children, families, and communities. The P4Play programme address four areas of play: play occupation, policy, places and practice. The EJD will establish the first innovative trans-European Occupational Therapy doctoral training programme dedicated to play occupation, participation, policy and practice. The fundamental aim is to develop a sustainable doctoral programme that delivers ambitious and high-quality graduates to drive innovative research and practice in occupational science and therapy. Increasing occupational therapist’s ability to be consumers and producers of research is vital to transform therapy practice so that it is research-informed and evidence-based. The overall goal is to build the capacity of therapists to develop creative solutions towards social transformation.