Play Leader; XR

Weare looking for a Play Specialist / Play leader to work over Paediatric Wards/settings to work as part of a team of Hospital Play specialists/ Play Leaders to provide high quality,holistic play service for children and their families. To ensure all children have appropriate access to play whilst in hospital, plan play programmes enabling children and young people to understand, accept and co-ordinate with treatment.

Youwould need to show an enthusiastic manor , be dynamic, while motivated, atall times

Thispost will look to develop and support current Play Services as well asleading in good practice.

Youwill need to have experience of working with families sensitively under stress/pressure.

Youwill be required to work closely and effectively as part of the play team andwith all multi professional teams within all wider teams / departments while holding excellent written and communication skills.

Dueto the specialists skills needed within this role it is desirable that youhold a Health Play Specialist qualification

Expected Shortlisting Date

16/03/2026

Planned Interview Date

23/03/2026

Workingas part of the play team and service you will ensure planned and supervised play/activities are provided for children and young people on the wards, clinic, and other environments where children are treated. Consider the complex needs of children within the hospital environment.

Prepare children for treatments and procedures.

Alleviate anxiety related to clinical procedures or situations through diversionaloccupation.

Ensure toys and play equipment are safe and appropriate for the age/developmental stage of each child/young person and appropriate stock is maintained.

Ensurethe ward environment is child friendly and stimulating.

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 tomake 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.

Leeds Childrens Hospital operates 27 highly specialist services, which constitutes around 67% of the hospitals total activity. More than 62,000 outpatient appointments are held each year and there are approximately 22,600 inpatient episodes. As a specialist centre, the Childrens Hospital also runs outreach clinics at 22 hospitals across the North of England.

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.

Tolead the play service that meets the emotional needs of children and young people (0-16) within the hospital environment.

Thepost holder will use structured/specialised play to prepare children for any surgical, medical or nursing procedure and the use of distraction during procedures. The post holder will alleviate the effects of hospitalisation by providing emotional support and continuity of care for individual children.

The post holder will ensure the clinical area is stimulating and a child friendly environment with appropriate information displays. The post holder will ensure that the environment is safe.

The jobholder will work within the childrens hospital play team, working with children and young people across the childrens hospital and their families

To lead, plan and provide therapeutic and specialised programmes of play in the hospital setting

To assess the childs emotional and psychological well-being and work as part of a multidisciplinary team to meettheir individual needs

To work with children and their families and help them understand their medical and nursing treatment

To alleviate anxiety related to clinical procedures or situations through the use of preparation and distraction techniques to facilitate coping mechanisms and emotional well-being.

To design tools and techniques for preparation or distraction to prepare individual children for a range of procedures; evaluate their effectiveness, and change where necessary

To document observations of play,and the effectiveness of interventions

To provide supervision and supportto Play Leaders working across the childrens hospital and ensure that programmes of play are consistent across the hospital setting while leadingin developing a variety of good practice within the speciality.

To liaise lead and develop resources to help best meet the needs of individual children.

To ensure toys and play equipment are safe, well maintained, and…