Senior Children's Play Specialist - Paediatrics

The Senior Children's Play Specialist is responsible for the play service provided for children and their families whilst in hospital.

The post holder will be responsible for alleviating the fears and anxieties of the effects of hospitalisation on children and young people by providing emotional support and continuity of care both before and after invasive procedures.

They will provide a high quality and wide range of normal and therapeutic play activities to children in 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.

The post holder is responsible for managing the work of the play team, and they will participate in the teaching and supervision of junior staff and student learners as required.

Main duties of the job

Responsible for creating an environment in which play occurs naturally at all times

Coordinate play in all areas where paediatric patients are present

Familiarise the child/young person with strange apparatus and procedures to help to reduce stress and anxiety and to help the child/young person to understand his/her treatment, procedure and/or illness

Support children/young people using distraction therapy before, during and following painful or unpleasant treatment / procedures.

Observe the child/young person's developmental and emotional level and report observations to appropriate staff.

We are committed to being an inclusive and diverse employer. We strive to employ people who reflect the communities we serve, and aim to create an inclusive culture where everyone can reach their full potential. Whatever your race, ethnicity, belief, generation, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, disability or experience, you'll appreciate the opportunities we give you to work in an inclusive atmosphere. We welcome applications from people of diverse backgrounds, perspectives and experiences to build on the progress we've achieved to make our Trust diverse and the best place to work. We celebrate the diversity of thought, viewpoints and ideas that help us overcome challenges and embrace new possibilities. We have signed the Armed Forces Covenant Pledge and have a commitment to the Armed Forces Community.

We are dedicated to using our Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) approach as our shared organisation model of change to enhance our services and ensure excellence in patient care.