Health play specialist
6.5K UK workers · typical pay £32,500 · entry route Bachelor's degree (Level 6). Projected growth of +7% to 2035.
Real Claude.ai usage mapped to this occupation's SOC group, Apr+May 2026, CC-BY. Claude users only; task times model-estimated; augment/automate is how AI is used, not a count of jobs lost. Method →
This role requires physical presence and high levels of emotional intelligence to support children in clinical settings. While AI might assist with administrative tasks like patient records or suggesting play activities, the core work of therapeutic interaction and physical supervision cannot be automated.
Cheaper therapeutic play would shift the service from a scarce resource for critical cases to a standard preventative care model for all hospitalised children.
Headcount grows +7%, a Jevons-pattern curve.
Change the scenario in the nav to reshape this curve.
UK employment share by region, SOC-joined to 6117.
No regional breakdown available: SOC below ONS reporting thresholds.
Majority-female role (100.0% women).
Five roles with transferable skills and better demand dynamics.
health-play-specialist · dataset 2026.03 · CC-BY-4.0