Play Specialist | Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Play Specialist | Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Employer:

The Great Western Hospitals NHS FT

Location:

Swindon, SN3 6BB

Pay:

Contract Type:

Permanent

Hours:

Disability Confident:

Yes

Closing Date:

19/03/2026

The post holder will be one of a team of play specialists.

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 Specialist’s main duties include providing 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.

To act as an advocate for the child and family

Encourage and support parents to participate in play with their children

To provide preparation for children undergoing treatment and medical procedures

Explain reasons for treatment or the nature of the illness on a level that the child can understand

Ensure that information given to the child/family is consistent and presented in a professional manner

Educate and empower parents as necessary on the benefits of play and how to facilitate appropriate play to enhance the child’s development and recovery

To work in conjunction with the Play Specialist team and Co‑ordinator to develop the provision of play

To apply evidence‑based practice to areas of your work

To use knowledge to select and apply appropriate techniques to facilitate children and young people to overcome difficulties with hospital admission and procedures

Assess, plan and implement play programmes for a varied client group

Select monitor and advise on play resources required to reflect the need of the client group

To provide emotional support for families when in crisis or under stress

To establish and maintain effective communication both verbal and written with all members of the multidisciplinary team throughout the hospital

To ensure all toys, play equipment and facilities are clean and safe, maintained to comply with Trust policies, and stored safely.

To attend clinics as requested to prepare the child psychologically for procedures and provide distraction therapy

Provide teaching sessions to other staff and students as required to promote an awareness of the therapeutic benefits of play and the effects of hospitalisation

Through play provide support to assist children in understanding and coping with serious illness, disability or death.

To demonstrate and apply knowledge of the effects of hospitalisation and illness on the child/family

To review and reflect on your own practice and attend an annual appraisal.

Recognise and respond appropriately to emergency situations

To provide supervision and support to junior team members This

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

Jobs are provided by the Find a Job Service from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).