Play Specialist

at  Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust

To provide specialist knowledge and expertise to the play team and to colleagues throughout the Trust. To be able to provide a range of creative & imaginative play techniques to improve patients experience & wellbeing. To be able to work with babies, infants, children & young people using coping strategies in order to minimise distress & anxiety during clinical procedures. To work in partnership with other professionals to ensure that clinical procedures are planned & managed, enabling a consistent & compassionate approach by the team.
To be able to guide the child & young persons understanding of their condition using a range of play interventions To enable the child or young person to learn the sensory & concrete information they need to prepare for lifestyle changes & any treatment or procedure. To be able to select & move between appropriate forms of verbal & non-verbal communication To organise and lead play programmes in the clinical areas. To accept referrals from members of the multidisciplinary team for specific play interventions. To ensure all play areas have a wide range of activities available and ensure a child friendly environment.
To understand the importance of participation in training, supervision & mentoring To be able to recognise & respond appropriately to situations where it is necessary to share information to safeguard children & young people. ADMINISTRATIVE / MANAGERIAL: To provide team leadership to the Band 2 Play Assistant To check all play equipment is safe and report any for repair or replacement to the Play Team Leader. To initiate developments within the play team in liaison with the Team Leader. To maintain accurate, contemporaneous, comprehensive, comprehensible and appropriate records in accordance with protocols & guidelines To work within the allocated budget.
HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT: To undertake training & education in mentorship in order to support multi-disciplinary staff development. To supervise junior colleagues and provide written reports to education providers. To provide appropriate educational packages to students allocated to the team and liaise with education providers as appropriate. SECTION 2- KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS Expert knowledge of child development.
Expert knowledge of appropriate play interventions and therapies. Expert knowledge of the impact of illness and hospitalisation on the child and family. Excellent communication skills and ability to overcome communication barriers. Ability to care for children with complex needs and psychological issues.
Recognise the socio-cultural & environmental issues that influence children, young people & their families SECTION 3- EFFORT AND ENVIRONMENT Combination of sitting, standing and walking. Occasionally required to write reports. Occasionally exposed to distressing situations. Regularly required to move play equipment.
Regularly exposed to bodily fluids. Intense concentration required for some play interventions and therapies

Please refer the Job description for details