Hi, my name is Beth Whatman.
I am a mum to two boys and a music teacher. When my beautiful eldest son, Rufus, was born with autism, I quickly became aware that there was nowhere locally for families such as mine, who need support and a welcoming and nurturing space to bring our children to. With the support of my family, I decided to rent a tiny premises in Tenterden High Street, which we turned into a magical sensory room. I held my baby & toddler music classes here too and we combined this with SEN sessions, support groups, activities for both neurodivergent and neurotypical children and even school holiday craft and baking sessions. Within six months, we moved to a slightly bigger premises but it soon became clear that we needed to take a HUGE step and find our forever home as many of our sessions were full and our waiting lists were growing longer and longer. We had a dream and needed the help of our community to make it happen…and it did! We crowdfunded almost £26,000 and the support really was incredible.
Fast forward to now, THE EMBASSY!
We believe our play centre stands out as a truly special and a much needed space not just for children to play, but for families to feel seen, supported, and included.
As Kent’s first fully inclusive play centre and family support hub, our mission goes beyond fun, it’s about creating a safe, welcoming space where every child and family feels they belong. Our centre was born out of a real need for accessible, judgement-free play that supports all types of development and family circumstances.
We offer a wide range of facilities including:
Sensory rooms for calming and stimulation. These sensory rooms were designed by an occupational therapist and are the perfect mix of sensory regulation and fun. Our calm sensory room is available for adult private hire as well as children and is completely free of charge.
Soft play for physical development and safe energy release. Our space themed soft play was designed by Soft Brick who created the perfect inclusive soft play. It’s easy to navigate, meaning all children can enjoy this area!
Role play areas that encourage imagination and social skills. This area was created by my lovely mum and its very well loved by all! We have a ‘home from home’ section, where the children can play in the kitchen, the dolls room or even relax in the living room! Not forgetting the role play safari! Full of wonderful large zoo animals, the children can pretend to be vets and zoo keepers!
Educational learning corner. We focus on fun learning here, where the children can read, colour, write and practice those fine motor skills with messy play.
A volunteer-run café that brings the community together! This is the perfect space for the parents to sit and chat whilst their children explore! You may sometimes see some of our lovely volunteers reading to the children here or a craft activity set up too!
Our “Rules of Play” are clearly communicated to every visitor, both on-site and online, with a focus on creating a respectful, safe, and inclusive environment for all children—regardless of ability, background, or needs. These rules are designed to be simple, supportive, and easy to understand for both adults and children, including visual guides for neurodivergent visitors.
We are proud to have a 5-star EHO rating, reflecting our outstanding hygiene and food safety standards in our café, and the commitment of our volunteer team to maintaining clean, safe facilities.
More than just a play centre, we are a lifeline for many families who may not feel welcome or comfortable in traditional settings. We’ve created a space that not only understands difference—but celebrates it.
