Job summary
- Main area
- Play Service
- Grade
- 3
- Contract
- Fixed term: 10 months (Maternity Cover)
- Hours
- Part time - 22.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 411-COR-25-7253044-A
- Employer
- Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Alder Hey
- Town
- Liverpool
- Salary
- £24,625 - £25,674 Pro Rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 14/07/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Play Leader
3
Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust is a provider of specialist health care and has a presence in community outreach sites and, in collaboration with other providers, our clinicians help deliver care closer to patients’ homes by holding local clinics at locations from Cumbria to Shropshire, in Wales and the Isle of Man. The Trust also provides inpatient care for children with complex mental health needs at our Sunflower House building newly relocated, and opened on the hospital site.
We currently have more than 4,000 staff working across our community and hospital sites. We’re also a teaching and training hospital providing education and training to around 540 medical and over 500 nursing and allied health professional students each year.
As black and minority ethnic (BME) employees are currently under-represented in this area, we particularly welcome applications from members of our BME communities. All appointments will be made on merit.
You can expect a warm welcome at Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust, our staff are friendly and welcoming. We listen to each other and work together to embed our Trusts values and behaviours. At Alder Hey we appreciate our staff and reward them with an outstanding benefits package including:
- Great flexible working opportunities
- Lease car scheme and Home Electronics Scheme
- Generous annual leave and pension scheme
- Extensive staff health and well-being programmes
Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Play Leader to join our Therapeutic and Specialised Play Service at Alder Hey Specialist Children's Hospital. This post is advertised as Band 3, 22.5 hours per week, on a fixed term/Secondment contract for 10 months to cover a maternity leave. You must be able to demonstrate excellent communication skills and have the ability to support others. It is essential that you can prioritise and manage your own workload whilst supporting your colleagues and the multi-disciplinary team. Excellent knowledge of child development is essential, as is experience of working with a wide range of ages.
The successful candidate will work closely with babies, children, young people and their their families and strive to make the hospital journey as pleasant as possible.
Applicants will need to possess a childcare qualification level 3 or equivalent, this is an essential criteria for this post. The Post holder will ensure that the needs of the patients are placed at the centre of care delivery. The post holder will work practically within their clinical area/team, taking responsibility for the provision of play on a day-to-day basis.
The post holder will be expected to work closely with the Play Service Manager and Deputy Health Play Specialist to ensure that service provision meets service needs.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will be a member of the play department providing inclusive play service throughout the hospital.
To work within the structure of the play department referring to the health play specialist (HPS), Health Play Service Manager, Health Play Service deputy or Senior Health Play specialist (SHPS) when necessary.
The post holder will be expected to work in all areas as required.
The post holder will hold a level 3 play or equivalent qualification with 2 years work experience in a play/childcare setting.
Working for our organisation
As one of Europe’s biggest and busiest children’s hospitals, at Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust, we treat everything from common illnesses to highly complex and specialist conditions. In addition to our main hospital site, we offer paediatric services at a number of community sites and hold local clinics across Merseyside, Cumbria, Shropshire, Wales and the Isle of Man. We also provide specialist inpatient care for children with complex mental health needs in our recently relocated and newly opened state of the art facility.
Alder Hey has a thriving research portfolio and leads research into children’s medicines, infection, inflammation and oncology. We are becoming recognised as one of the world’s leaders in children’s healthcare and research. We contribute to public health, lead cutting-edge research and teach the next generation of children’s specialists. Alongside this is our Innovation Hub, a dedicated space where clinicians and industries can come together to create new products and technologies.
We know that a children’s hospital is different and that our job is more than just treating an illness. To us, every child is an individual. As well as giving them the very best care, we set out to make them feel happy, safe and confident as they play, learn and grow. At Alder Hey we are here to look after a child and their family and that includes mums, dads, brothers and sisters.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
· Create an interesting, stimulating and fun environment, where babies, children and Young People and their siblings can play normally to fulfil their emotional, social and development needs.
· Organise activities at the bedside or within the play areas that encourages children and young people to engage with activities
· Use your knowledge and understanding of baby and child development when selecting play and recreational activities to support the baby’s, child’s/young person’s level of development through normalising and developmental play.
· To respect the individuality, values, cultural and religious diversity of children and young people and their families and contribute to the provision of a service sensitive to these needs.
· Provide play distraction before, during and after medical procedures in line with the play team referral process.
· To support and promote the rights of the child in terms of privacy and dignity
· Maintain a clean and safe child focussed environment adhering to trust health and safety policies. Continually risk assessing areas and resources.
Be responsible for the safety and wellbeing of the patient in their care. Escalate medical or social concerns to the appropriate member of staff.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- NVQ 3 or Level 3 Diploma or certificate in Child Care or Child Development or equivalent knowledge and skills gained through any combination of alternative study, employment or voluntary work.
Desirable criteria
- Training/qualification that supports role i.e. sensory play, disability awareness, arts/crafts
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of working with BCYPF in a childcare setting
- Experience of play based activities to support BYCY developmental needs
- Experience of Play In Hospital
- Experience of devising and implementing play programmes
- Experience of complex needs
- Supervision of childcare students/ability to teach about own role
Desirable criteria
- Other relevant to role
Knowledge and skills
Essential criteria
- Knowledge of child development
- Knowledge of play in hospital
- Knowledge of policy and procedure/best practice including infection control/health and safety
- Able to prioritise own workload
- Team Player
Desirable criteria
- Other relevant to role
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Application numbers
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Justine Makin
- Job title
- Play Service Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07379840089
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