Job summary
Play Specialist- Band 4 37.5 hours - Permanent Please note that a Play Specialist degree is essential for this role
To provide a high quality and wide range of normal and therapeutic play activities to all children and young people based in the Paediatric Emergency Department and a variety of settings within the hospital environment.
To provide emotional support to children and their families, and to raise the general awareness and appreciation of the importance of play to a child's development and recovery.
To use theoretical knowledge and evidence based practice to assess, plan, implement and evaluate therapeutic play interventions, including distraction, preparation techniques and post procedural play.
Please note there will be an expectation to potentially work unsocial hours ( evenings & weekends)
Main duties of the job
To create a child focused environment where age and developmentally appropriate play can occur.
- To be a safe and effective practitioner able to provide high quality care to patients and support to relatives.
- To work within the multi-disciplinary team to provide continuing care to a group of patients from admission to discharge in the department.
- To participate in the teaching and supervision of junior staff and student learners as required. To maintain own personal development with support.
- To take a lead role in working with the MDT and Trust charity leads to organise social events and visits for children including parties and user engagement events
About us
Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust serves a community of 250,000 people across Tameside & Glossop. We provide a range of services both within the hospital and across our community for both adults and children.Our vision is to improve health outcomes for our population and influence wider determinants of health through collaboration with our health & care partners.
We have a clear set of values & behaviours which we expect all of our staff to demonstrate:
- Safety
- Care
- Respect
- Communication
- Learning
We believe that the best organisations are those that reflect the communities they serve. We are therefore seeking to improve the diversity of our workforce to make it truly representative of our local population.
We actively encourage applications irrespective of race, age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage & civil partnership, or pregnancy or maternity. Recognising those communities that are underrepresented within our workforce, we would particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian & minority ethnic candidates, LGBTQ+& Disabled people.
Benefits include; flexible working, 27-33 days annual leave plus bank holidays, sick pay, NHS Pension Scheme, free eye tests and health checks, gym discount, free bicycle loan scheme, salary sacrifice car scheme, support with stress, bereavement, relationships, finance, and much more.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To provide specialist knowledge and expertise to the play team and to colleagues throughout the Trust.
- To be able to provide a range of creative & imaginative play techniques to improve patients experience & wellbeing.
- To be able to work with babies, infants, children & young people using coping strategies in order to minimise distress & anxiety during clinical procedures.
- To work in partnership with other professionals to ensure that clinical procedures are planned & managed, enabling a consistent & compassionate approach by the team.
- To be able to guide the child & young persons understanding of their condition using a range of play interventions
- To enable the child or young person to learn the sensory & concrete information they need to prepare for lifestyle changes & any treatment or procedure.
- To be able to select & move between appropriate forms of verbal & non-verbal communication
- To organise and lead play programmes in the clinical areas.
- To accept referrals from members of the multidisciplinary team for specific play interventions.
- To ensure all play areas have a wide range of activities available and ensure a child friendly environment.
- To understand the importance of participation in training, supervision & mentoring
- To be able to recognise & respond appropriately to situations where it is necessary to share information to safeguard children & young people.
ADMINISTRATIVE / MANAGERIAL:
- To provide team leadership to the Band 2 Play Assistant
- To check all play equipment is safe and report any for repair or replacement to the Play Team Leader.
- To initiate developments within the play team in liaison with the Team Leader.
- To maintain accurate, contemporaneous, comprehensive, comprehensible and appropriate records in accordance with protocols & guidelines
- To work within the allocated budget.
HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT:
- To undertake training & education in mentorship in order to support multi-disciplinary staff development.
- To supervise junior colleagues and provide written reports to education providers.
- To provide appropriate educational packages to students allocated to the team and liaise with education providers as appropriate.
SECTION 2- KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
- Expert knowledge of child development.
- Expert knowledge of appropriate play interventions and therapies.
- Expert knowledge of the impact of illness and hospitalisation on the child and family.
- Excellent communication skills and ability to overcome communication barriers.
- Ability to care for children with complex needs and psychological issues.
- Recognise the socio-cultural & environmental issues that influence children, young people & their families
SECTION 3- EFFORT AND ENVIRONMENT
- Combination of sitting, standing and walking.
- Occasionally required to write reports.
- Occasionally exposed to distressing situations.
- Regularly required to move play equipment.
- Regularly exposed to bodily fluids.
- Intense concentration required for some play interventions and therapies.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To provide specialist knowledge and expertise to the play team and to colleagues throughout the Trust.
- To be able to provide a range of creative & imaginative play techniques to improve patients experience & wellbeing.
- To be able to work with babies, infants, children & young people using coping strategies in order to minimise distress & anxiety during clinical procedures.
- To work in partnership with other professionals to ensure that clinical procedures are planned & managed, enabling a consistent & compassionate approach by the team.
- To be able to guide the child & young persons understanding of their condition using a range of play interventions
- To enable the child or young person to learn the sensory & concrete information they need to prepare for lifestyle changes & any treatment or procedure.
- To be able to select & move between appropriate forms of verbal & non-verbal communication
- To organise and lead play programmes in the clinical areas.
- To accept referrals from members of the multidisciplinary team for specific play interventions.
- To ensure all play areas have a wide range of activities available and ensure a child friendly environment.
- To understand the importance of participation in training, supervision & mentoring
- To be able to recognise & respond appropriately to situations where it is necessary to share information to safeguard children & young people.
ADMINISTRATIVE / MANAGERIAL:
- To provide team leadership to the Band 2 Play Assistant
- To check all play equipment is safe and report any for repair or replacement to the Play Team Leader.
- To initiate developments within the play team in liaison with the Team Leader.
- To maintain accurate, contemporaneous, comprehensive, comprehensible and appropriate records in accordance with protocols & guidelines
- To work within the allocated budget.
HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT:
- To undertake training & education in mentorship in order to support multi-disciplinary staff development.
- To supervise junior colleagues and provide written reports to education providers.
- To provide appropriate educational packages to students allocated to the team and liaise with education providers as appropriate.
SECTION 2- KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
- Expert knowledge of child development.
- Expert knowledge of appropriate play interventions and therapies.
- Expert knowledge of the impact of illness and hospitalisation on the child and family.
- Excellent communication skills and ability to overcome communication barriers.
- Ability to care for children with complex needs and psychological issues.
- Recognise the socio-cultural & environmental issues that influence children, young people & their families
SECTION 3- EFFORT AND ENVIRONMENT
- Combination of sitting, standing and walking.
- Occasionally required to write reports.
- Occasionally exposed to distressing situations.
- Regularly required to move play equipment.
- Regularly exposed to bodily fluids.
- Intense concentration required for some play interventions and therapies.
Person Specification
Qualifications and Experience
Essential
- Level 3 childcare qualification
- Hospital Play Specialist Foundation Degree
- Experience working with children in hospital within a play team
- Experience of providing therapeutic, preparatory and distractive play to children aged 0 - 16 years
- Experience of working with parents and families
Desirable
- Current registration with HPSET
- Experience of MDT working
Skills and Knowledge
Essential
- Expert knowledge of the play needs of a child in hospital
- Able to handle sensitive issues
- Knowledge & experience of safeguarding
- Good knowledge of risk management
- Excellent communication skills
- Able to supervise students
Person Specification
Qualifications and Experience
Essential
- Level 3 childcare qualification
- Hospital Play Specialist Foundation Degree
- Experience working with children in hospital within a play team
- Experience of providing therapeutic, preparatory and distractive play to children aged 0 - 16 years
- Experience of working with parents and families
Desirable
- Current registration with HPSET
- Experience of MDT working
Skills and Knowledge
Essential
- Expert knowledge of the play needs of a child in hospital
- Able to handle sensitive issues
- Knowledge & experience of safeguarding
- Good knowledge of risk management
- Excellent communication skills
- Able to supervise students
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
