Play Worker

This is an exciting opportunity to join our dynamic Play Team at GOSH as a Play Worker working across the team and supporting our Out of Hours Activities.

Play is integral to the wellbeing of children, young people and families, and this post will see you use your knowledge of play and child development to provide normalising play opportunities, promoting a positive patient experience.

The role of the Play Worker enhances children and young people's hospital experiences. You will do this by bringing your creative skills, enthusiasm, and passion to deliver meaningful play opportunities, both for inpatients, siblings and their families.

You will provide high quality, holistic play for all children and young people across the Trust, enabling them to feel safe and at ease within the hospital environment. A typical day will see you working as part of the play team within ward areas, as well as supporting play sessions and activities, that take place during the day, evenings and weekends.

Access to play is vital, and you will play a pivotal role in this.

You will work flexibly with other Play Workers within the team and ensure that all children and young people have appropriate access to play whilst at the hospital and offer opportunities to play that reflects diversity and inclusivity.

You will be required to work evenings and weekends. An example working week might be Tuesday-Saturday 11am-7pm, or Sunday-Thursday 11am-7pm.

Main duties of the job

o To plan, organise and facilitate opportunities to play for individuals and small groups of children / and young people, and siblings, during the day, in the evenings and at weekends.o Actively promote sessions across multiple staff teams.o Plan for uncertainty and adapt play sessions to meet the needs of the child/young person, be flexible in your approach and seek guidance where necessary.o Assist in the creation of a caring and safe play environment for children / young people.o Create opportunities for co- production of play sessions, working alongside the Young People's Forum (YPF) and YPF Coordinator.o Be ready with a range of activities which encourage independence, and wellbeing.o Provide the opportunity for parents, patients, and siblings to both play together, and spend time independently of each other.o Support the toy and resource cleaning and safely play policy - routinely in line with the department's infection control policy and cleaning schedules.o Manage resources,
thinking about sustainability, and adaptation- and regularly stock check.o Work flexibly across the Play team, and areas within the hospital.o To communicate appropriately with children, young people / families, and all members of the multidisciplinary team.o Ensure that activity data is maintained in accordance with systems set up and Trust standards.

GOSH is committed to recruiting the best person for the job, based solely on their ability and individual merit as measured against the criteria for the role; through a process that is fair, open, consistent and free from bias and discrimination.

We are committed to being a diverse and inclusive employer and foster a culture where all staff are valued, respected and acknowledged. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, age, disability status or length of time spent unemployed.

We particularly welcome applications from BAME communities, people with disabilities and/or long-term health conditions and LGBT+ community members.

We have policies and procedures in place to ensure that all applicants and employees are treated fairly and consistently. We are proud to be accredited as a Disability Confident Employer, a member of Business Disability Forum and a Stonewall Diversity Champion.

We have active and Executive supported BAME, LGBT+ and Allies, Disability and Long-Term Health Conditions and Women's staff networks. Staff networks are employee-led groups formed around interests, issues and a common bond or background. Staff network members create a positive and inclusive work environment at Great Ormond Street Hospital by actively contributing to the Trust's mission, values and efforts specific to inclusion. All of our staff networks are open to any employee.