Job overview
Join Our Team and Make a Difference!
This role is all about bringing joy, comfort, and creativity to children and young people during their hospital stay. You’ll support play and therapeutic activities tailored to each child’s individual needs, helping them feel safe and cared for while aligning with their overall care plan.
As part of the team, you’ll work under the guidance of a Registered Health Play Specialist Lead, carrying out hands-on tasks that promote the health, development, and emotional well-being of infants and children within the unit.
You’ll play a key role in the smooth running of the playroom, ensuring every child has access to fun, meaningful activities that brighten their day. Collaboration is at the heart of this position—you’ll work closely with the multi-disciplinary team across the Woodlands Unit to create a positive, supportive environment for every family.
Main duties of the job
You’ll work closely with the play team to deliver high-quality, individualized care that meets the unique needs of each infant, child, or young person in a supportive, family-centred environment.
Maintaining accurate patient records will be an important part of your role, ensuring every detail is captured with care. You’ll also play a vital part in safeguarding well-being by promptly reporting any changes in a patient’s condition to the nurse in charge.
Working for our organisation
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.
Our values
We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and creating a culture that values differences.
Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
To support the registered health play specialist with providing high standard individualised care of the paediatric patient.
To maintain accurate records
To report any changes in the patients condition to the nurse in charge
To ensure a safe play environment on a daily basis
Please make sure you read the Job Description and Person Specification attached.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
1. NNEB/BTEC/NVQ/CACHE Childcare Level 3
Experience
Essential criteria
2. demonstrate good knowledge of the well child physical, psychological and social development
Desirable criteria
3. Experience within the hospital setting. Experience of working with children with special needs including those with challenging behaviours.
Knowledge
Essential criteria
4. understanding the need of confidentiality awareness
5. SEND
Desirable criteria
6. CAMHS Knowledge
communication
Essential criteria
7. Good written and verbal communication skills
8. good interpersonal skills
Desirable criteria
9. ability to communicate sensitively with families under stress and in crisis
Skills
Essential criteria
10. Ability to meet the physical needs of the well child
11. Good IT skills
12. able to work flexible hours and weekends according to need of clinical area
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
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.