Play Therapist

To ensure the delivery of high-quality specialist therapeutic support
through Play Therapy and Child-Parent Relationship Therapy, to
children and their families under the care of ellenor including bereaved
children, children with life-limiting conditions and oncology needs and
children of adult patients.

To undertake assessments and use specialist skills and knowledge,
working within a person-centred approach, to implement
group/individual sessions in a range of formats as appropriate to meet
the needs of the service users.




Clinical Responsibilities:

To lead on the development of the Play Therapy Service to ensure
that we are providing high quality care and support to children
and their families

To provide Play Therapy to children under the care of ellenor. This
will include face-to-face sessions, remote sessions, and in some
circumstances will include visiting clients in their homes, place of
education, or in community settings

To deliver Child-Parent Relationship Therapy to children and their
families under the care of ellenor

To receive, manage and triage Play Therapy referrals from
across ellenor's services and from other sources as deemed
appropriate

To complete all administrative functions of the Play Therapy
Service to a high standard including record-keeping, managing
new referrals, booking and completing assessments

To ensure all records are completed correctly and in a timely
manner in line with the Clinical Documentation Policy

To maintain regular contact with those who are on the waiting list
to ensure high levels of client-care and service are provided

To have full responsibility for managing a caseload as
appropriate including children and families with highly complex
emotional and psychosocial needs

To arrange, manage and complete assessments of prospective
clients as necessary

To receive regular supervision in line with BAPT
recommendations

To work closely with other members of the organisation including
Creative Therapists, Counsellors, Family Support, our Children's
Team, our Wellbeing Team, and wider teams within the
organisation, as required, to ensure the needs of children and
their families are met and that they are provided with high quality
holistic care

To support in the delivery and facilitation of (therapeutic) group
sessions where required

To support in the delivery and facilitation of training sessions and
workshops to different audiences where required




To provide evening and weekend sessions where necessary

To work flexibly across different locations where required

To support in the development and delivery of wider initiatives within the
organisation linked to the care and support of children and their families

To lead on the delivery and facilitation of carer and bereavement support
initiatives including GEMS Days, Remembering Day etc (includes
occasional weekend working)

To undertake various initiatives to raise awareness of the Play Therapy
Service within ellenor and the wider local community

To demonstrate the ability to reflect and respond to the emotional content
of clients' individualised modes of communication, including auditory,
visual, kinaesthetic, verbal and non-verbal aspects of the patient's
expression and to identify appropriate therapeutic strategies

To employ highly developed clinical skills and specialist Play/Art Therapy
techniques when establishing therapeutic relationships with referred
clients

To adapt practice to meet individual client's circumstances, including due
regard for cultural differences

To implement differential intervention programmes based on evidence from
assessment

To ensure that clients and carers are involved in the planning of their care
wherever possible

To ensure that there is an appropriate plan of support in place for each
child which is clearly documented and evaluated

To form effective working relationships with other professionals in multiprofessional
settings e.g. health, education, social services and all
referring agents

To ensure a good level of clinical effectiveness by use of evidence-based
practice and outcome measures, and regular attendance and engagement
at Clinical Supervision

To work flexibly to help facilitate groups for children and parents outside
core office hours

To be vigilant regarding safeguarding issues and ensure that the
Organisation's Safeguarding policy is followed when appropriate

To maintain sensitivity at all times to the emotional needs of the client and
their carers. In particular when imparting potentially distressing
information, dealing with family trauma and following child protection
protocols

To promote reflection on practice with peers and mentors and identify own
strengths and development needs

To be responsible for managing and reviewing equipment needs within the
service




To take responsibility for maintaining a safe and healthy therapeutic area

To share information with others where required, observing data
protection guidelines

To be involved in the training and education of staff at ellenor and external
organisations as appropriate, on therapeutic and bereavement issues

Where necessary, to ensure clients are referred on to services that
potentially may more appropriately meet their emotional, psychological or
spiritual needs

To support the Children's Service with services of remembrance,
bereavement days for children and other family days

To provide support to volunteers within your service area, including
through mentoring, line management and/or supervision as appropriate

To be proactive in communicating and liaising with the staff members
within the workplace to ensure that the staff can make appropriate
referrals

To attend and contribute to MDT meetings, including the Children's MDT
and the Bereavement MDT

To work in line with the Organisation's Strategic Plan


Administration:

To provide statistics and reports as required

To attend meetings as necessary, encouraging communication and aiding
liaison both internally and externally

To maintain up to date and accurate case notes in line with professional
standards and local ellenor policies

To hold client records securely and always maintain confidentiality

Development, Education and Training:

To provide support and appropriate training in relation to therapeutic skills
to staff and volunteers working with children

Conduct workshops for training purposes when requested

To maintain professional registration and ensure continuing professional
development in accordance with requirements of professional registering
body

Be responsible for ongoing professional development through internal and
external development opportunities

Keep supervision and CPD activities up to date and work alongside a
professional development plan as appropriate and to ensure Standards of
Proficiency for BAPT

Keep up to date with developments within play therapy and related fields
in accordance with BAPT regulations




Attend appropriate meetings of professional associations or other
appropriate bodies

Quality, Audit and research:

To actively contribute and take part in any quality measuring systems that
the organisation may put in place with regard to the area of your expertise

To contribute to the development of therapeutic services at ellenor,
including having involvement in evaluation, research and audit or services
and their delivery

To be aware of new developments in palliative care

To participate in inter-disciplinary audit projects

To participate in the organisations Clinical Governance programme

Professional Conduct

Each Registered Professional is responsible for his/her own actions and
practice and is accountable to patients and those close to them for the care
he/she administers he/she must abide by the appropriate code of
professional conduct

Always maintain a high degree of professionalism, including when working
in challenging situations

Health and Safety:

The post holder has responsibility to take reasonable care of self and
others in relation to managing risk, health and safety and will be required
to work within the appropriate policies and procedures

General:

Adapts and develops in line with the changing needs of the role

Acts as an ambassador for ellenor in order to raise the profile of the
organisation at a local, regional and national level, as required

To maintain up to date mandatory and essential to role training

Works flexibly across sites and departments from time to time as may be
requested by their managers

Undertakes other duties commensurate with the seniority of the post as
may be requested by their managers

To follow all policies and procedures

The work within own professional Code of Conduct at all times

To be aware of the CLEAR staff values of ellenor and to behave as a fit
representative

Ma/MSc in Play Therapy

Qualification in Child-Parent Relationship Therapy, or a willingness
to complete the training

Registered as a Play Therapist with British Association for Play
Therapist BAPT or PTUK




Previous experience of delivering Play Therapy sessions to children,
ideally within a family service setting

Previous experience of working within a multi-disciplinary setting

Experience of working with children with complex needs

Experience of working with bereaved children and families




Ability to assess, develop, implement and evaluate Play Therapy
in the community and hospice setting

An understanding of hospice philosophy and end of life care,
including understanding of the impact of illness, bereavement and
complex needs on the whole family

Excellent organisation, group event-planning and eventfacilitation
skills (GEMS Days)

Good IT skills including the ability to use and learn Microsoft
packages, different IT systems/programs




Knowledge of the theory and practice of Play Therapy

Excellent communication skills and the ability to communicate
effectively through verbal and non-verbal expression using a range
of therapeutic person-centred skills, with people with diverse
communication needs

Ability to develop and maintain effective interprofessional
relationships

Understanding of the importance of safeguarding, and knowledge of
relevant practice and procedures

Ability to use experience to teach Play Therapy skills to others
(families, professionals) to aid in facilitating communication

Ability to maintain strong personal and professional/therapeutic
boundaries

To show understanding of other therapeutic disciplines and
willingness to collaborate where appropriate (e.g. Counselling, Art
Therapy, Music Therapy)

Ability to work independently as well as part of a team

Ability to work in an anti-discriminatory way, valuing diversity in
children, young people and adults.

Ability to maintain strong personal and professional/therapeutic
boundaries

Approachable, empathic, compassionate, self-aware and open to
further growth and development

Ability to show initiative

Flexible and ready to work some evenings and weekends

Must be able to engage with children effectively during activities

Full driving license and access to a car is required