Job summary
Leeds
Childrens Hospital is excited to announce this exciting opportunity which
recognise the true value the play service brings to children; teenagers and
their families care journeys.
Following
recent recommendations and
developments with NHSE Play staff should have the same access to training and
continuing professional development (CPD) as other clinical support staff and
allied health professionals. Mentoring students and taking part in CPD are
registration requirements for health play specialists and these should be
seen as core elements of the service that are essential for maintaining
standards. Services should be designed to ensure there is capacity and
availability for training and mentoring.
An
exciting internal opportunity has arisen for a motivated registered Health
Play Specialist to step into the role of Clinical Educator within the Play
Service at Leeds Childrens Hospital. This newly created Band 5 role offers a
unique blend of clinical excellence and educational leadership. You will
continue high-quality therapeutic and developmental play delivery for
children and young people, while taking a lead role in supporting the
induction, training and professional development of colleagues, students and
volunteers. If you are passionate about play, child centred care and helping
others to grow, we would love to hear from you.
Expected Shortlisting
Date
10/12/2025
Planned Interview
Date
17/12/2025
Main duties of the job
In
addition to clinical play duties the post holder will lead in the mentorship,
support and development of qualified and registered Health Play Specialists,
Health Play Leaders, students and volunteers within the play team. They will
plan, deliver and evaluate learning sessions and workshops in play practice,
child development and communication. The post holder will contribute to
service improvement, audit and quality initiatives and will be enthusiastic
about developing and delivering learning for others. They need to have an
ability to work within professional and ethical boundaries, maintaining SoHPS
registration and accountability with a competent understanding of emotional
resilience, self-care and supervision in an emotionally demanding
environment. They will need a strong understanding of learning styles,
reflective practice and feedback models to support colleagues in their
learning and development aims.
This
role combines direct clinical work with an educational focus, ensuring that
evidence-based play practice and child development principles are embedded
across the multi-disciplinary team.
About us
Leeds
Childrens hospital offers a wide range of treatment and care for children
from birth to young adulthood and beyond.
Our
ambition is to be a globally recognised, leading provider of healthcare for
children and young people; engaging with our patients and their families to
make our services and their experience the best they can be. Our holistic
approach focuses on ensuring that children receive the best possible clinical
care whilst supporting them to live their best life and to achieve their key
milestones.
We
are a large highly developed play service that works over the childrens
hospital.
Our
Play Service Vision is
To
be a play service that will provide therapeutic, specialised and
developmental work, with areas of outstanding preparation and distraction
play for all children and young people at Leeds Childrens Hospital. Taking
into consideration their culture, gender and all-round individual needs.
Leeds
Teaching Hospitals is committed to our process of redeploying 'at risk'
members of our existing workforce to new roles. As such, all our job adverts
are subject to this policy and we reserve the right to close, delay or remove
adverts while this process is completed. If you do experience a delay in the
shortlisting stage of the recruitment cycle, please bear with us while this
process is completed, and contact the named contact if you have any
questions.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To
lead and model specialised and therapeutic play interventions that meets the
emotional needs of infant, children and young people (0-16).
The
post holder will work autonomously to plan and provide high quality
therapeutic/specialised programmes of play within the clinical setting; to
prepare children for hospital admission and for medical and nursing
treatments, and to alleviate the effects of repeated or long-term
hospitalisation. The post holder will work as part of the multidisciplinary
team at the Leeds Childrens Hospital, and with the wider hospital play team,
to assess and meet the childs individual emotional needs and promote psychological
well-being.
In
addition to clinical play duties the post holder will lead in the mentorship,
support and development of qualified and registered Health Play Specialists,
Health Play Leaders, students and volunteers within the play team. They will
plan, deliver and evaluate learning sessions and workshops in play practice,
child development and communication. The post holder will contribute to
service improvement, audit and quality initiatives and will be enthusiastic
about developing and delivering learning for others. They need to have an
ability to work within professional and ethical boundaries, maintaining SoHPS
registration and accountability with a competent understanding of emotional
resilience, self-care and supervision in an emotionally demanding
environment. They will need a strong understanding of learning styles,
reflective practice and feedback models to support colleagues in their
learning and development aims.
This
role combines direct clinical work with an educational focus, ensuring that
evidence-based play practice and child development principles are embedded
across the multi-disciplinary team.
The
jobholder will work within the childrens hospital play team, working with
children and young people across the childrens hospital and their families.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To
lead and model specialised and therapeutic play interventions that meets the
emotional needs of infant, children and young people (0-16).
The
post holder will work autonomously to plan and provide high quality
therapeutic/specialised programmes of play within the clinical setting; to
prepare children for hospital admission and for medical and nursing
treatments, and to alleviate the effects of repeated or long-term
hospitalisation. The post holder will work as part of the multidisciplinary
team at the Leeds Childrens Hospital, and with the wider hospital play team,
to assess and meet the childs individual emotional needs and promote psychological
well-being.
In
addition to clinical play duties the post holder will lead in the mentorship,
support and development of qualified and registered Health Play Specialists,
Health Play Leaders, students and volunteers within the play team. They will
plan, deliver and evaluate learning sessions and workshops in play practice,
child development and communication. The post holder will contribute to
service improvement, audit and quality initiatives and will be enthusiastic
about developing and delivering learning for others. They need to have an
ability to work within professional and ethical boundaries, maintaining SoHPS
registration and accountability with a competent understanding of emotional
resilience, self-care and supervision in an emotionally demanding
environment. They will need a strong understanding of learning styles,
reflective practice and feedback models to support colleagues in their
learning and development aims.
This
role combines direct clinical work with an educational focus, ensuring that
evidence-based play practice and child development principles are embedded
across the multi-disciplinary team.
The
jobholder will work within the childrens hospital play team, working with
children and young people across the childrens hospital and their families.
Person Specification
Additional Requirements
Essential
- Able to fulfil Occupational Health requirements for the post (with reasonable adjustments if necessary) including clearance on blood borne viruses in compliance with Trust Policy
Skills & behaviours
Essential
- Experience working in a health care setting caring for children and their families
- Expert knowledge of preparation and distraction techniques
- Team working
- Good communication written and verbal skills
Desirable
- Effects of bereavement in children
- Experience working with children with long term conditions
Experience
Essential
- Insight into roles and responsibilities of post
Desirable
- Child development and related play development
Qualifications
Essential
- CACHE Diploma in childcare and education (level 3) or equivalent NVQ Level 3 Qualification (including NNEB)
- Foundation degree in healthcare play specialism or hospital play specialist qualification (Professional Diploma BTEC Level 4)
- Registered with the Society of Health Play Specialist
Person Specification
Additional Requirements
Essential
- Able to fulfil Occupational Health requirements for the post (with reasonable adjustments if necessary) including clearance on blood borne viruses in compliance with Trust Policy
Skills & behaviours
Essential
- Experience working in a health care setting caring for children and their families
- Expert knowledge of preparation and distraction techniques
- Team working
- Good communication written and verbal skills
Desirable
- Effects of bereavement in children
- Experience working with children with long term conditions
Experience
Essential
- Insight into roles and responsibilities of post
Desirable
- Child development and related play development
Qualifications
Essential
- CACHE Diploma in childcare and education (level 3) or equivalent NVQ Level 3 Qualification (including NNEB)
- Foundation degree in healthcare play specialism or hospital play specialist qualification (Professional Diploma BTEC Level 4)
- Registered with the Society of Health Play Specialist
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
