Play Assistant | Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Job in
Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S5, England, UK
Listing for:
The Great Western Hospitals NHS FT
Full Time
position
Listed on 2026-02-21
Job specializations:
-
Child Care/Nanny
Child Development/Support
Job Description & How to Apply Below
Position: Play Assistant | Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
The post holder will be one of a team of play specialists/assistants. You will work to ensure high quality play provision for patients and siblings. Prepare the child and family for treatments and procedures. Facilitate emotional support and help to establish coping strategies. The post will be predominantly in the children's unit, but also you may be required in other areas of the hospital where children are cared for.
A Play Assistant's main duties include implementing therapeutic and developmental play to help children cope with illness and hospitalisation, preparing them for medical procedures through age-appropriate explanations and play techniques, and supporting their emotional well‑being by reducing anxiety and distress. They also work to maintain cognitive, social and physical development during hospital stays, collaborate with families and healthcare teams to improve communication and involvement, and advocate for the child's needs to ensure a positive, child‑centered care experience.
Our STAR values – Service, Teamwork, Ambition and Respect – are a golden thread running through everything we do. These values serve as a guiding principle, driving us towards our vision of delivering great joined‑up services to our local community. Whether at home, in the community or within the hospital, our goal is to empower individuals to lead independent and healthier lives.
Play
Provision and Environment
Provide and maintain a safe, child‑friendly, welcoming environment that promotes play, normality and routine during hospital admission.Create, plan and implement individual and group play programmes, adapting activities to accommodate the child's medical needs, frequent interruptions and any physical, environmental or emotional limitations.Ensure the playroom and bedside play spaces support the child's well‑being, independence and emotional security.Assessment, Observation and Documentation
Assess each child's developmental, emotional and therapeutic play needs, adapting programmes accordingly.Observe, evaluate and document play sessions, contributing written play‑based observations to the child's overall assessment in line with Trust and professional standards.Identify anxieties related to treatment, procedures or safeguarding concerns and report promptly to Play Specialists or relevant professionals.Support for Children and Families
Provide emotional, practical and therapeutic support for children and their families during periods of stress or uncertainty.Play with and care for children when parents or carers are unable to be present.Act as an advocate for the child and family, ensuring dignity, confidentiality and sensitivity at all times.Communicate effectively with children, young people, families and staff using age‑appropriate, accessible language.Teamwork and Multi‑Disciplinary Collaboration
Participate as an active member of the multi‑disciplinary healthcare team, sharing relevant information to support the child's care.Work in partnership with staff, students and volunteers, offering guidance and modelling good practice in play.Support patient‑experience activities.Equality, Rights and Safeguarding
Respect the values, cultural backgrounds and religious beliefs of children and their families, ensuring inclusive and sensitive service delivery.Uphold and promote the Rights of the Child, as outlined by UNICEF.Recognise safeguarding concerns and respond appropriately following Trust procedures.Resources, Safety and Environment Management
Monitor play resources, identifying when equipment requires replacement or repair and informing senior staff or the Play Service Coordinator.Ensure all toys, equipment and play areas are cleaned, checked and maintained in compliance with Trust Health & Safety standards.Support safe movement of children, including assisting with buggies or wheelchairs, to enable participation in play.Assess and receive public toy donations, ensuring suitability and safety for the hospital environment.Professional DevelopmentGain experience and broaden knowledge of the hospitalised child's developmental, emotional and therapeutic needs.Reflect on personal practice through supervision and appraisal and maintain an up‑to‑date professional portfolio.Attend training and courses to maintain current knowledge and best practice in healthcare play.Participate in audits and contribute to service improvement initiatives.#J-18808-Ljbffr
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