Health Play Specialist: Sponsorship Available

King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Job Summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Qualified and Registered Health Play Specialist to join our Play and Youth Team in the department of Child Health, led by a Health Play Specialist Team Co-Ordinator.

Are you passionate about making a difference in health care through play?

Do you champion the power of play to support babies, children and young people to feel safe, understood and empowered?

This is an exciting role where you can apply your skills in providing therapeutic play, preparation, distraction therapy and normalised play to babies, children and young people.

You should have strong communication and interpersonal skills, with a high degree of empathy, understanding, diplomacy, honesty, integrity and sensitivity.

You will need to have experience of working within a multi-disciplinary team, maintaining confidentiality throughout. You must be able to accurately document all patient interventions on the patient’s electronic notes.

You will need the Health Play Specialist qualification and be a registered Health Play Specialist.Applications from 2nd year Health Play Specialist students will be accepted.

You will need an understanding and ability to work with addition and complex needs.

 

Main duties of the job

The post holder must be a registered and qualified Health Play Specialist, holding the foundation degree in Health Play Specialism or the Edxcel certificate or diploma as a Hospital Play Specialist.

They will work as part of the Play & Youth team to deliver a high standard of service, promoting play activities, therapeutic play sessions in the preparation of babies, children and young people (BCYP) for procedures, examinations and inventions.

To be responsible for the assessment, planning, implementation and the evaluation of play strategies which encompass the developmental and emotional needs of the BCYP and their families or carers within the hospital setting.

To adhere to the safeguarding policy and guidance within the Trust to ensure the safety of BCYP within the organisation.

To respect the individuality, values, cultural and religious diversity of BCYP and their families, and contribute to the provision of a service sensitive to these needs.

To support and participate in the delivery of training and education on the importance and impact therapeutic play intervention has on BCYP to the multi-disciplinary team (MDT).

Be responsible for acting in such a manner as to uphold and enhance the good standard and reputation of Play (Acknowledgement – SoHPS Code of Professional Conduct Standards)

Person Specification

Core

Essential

  • Foundation Degree (FDA) in Health Play Specialism / Edexcel Certificate in Hospital Play Specialism . Registered with Society of Health Play Specialists. Documented evidence of Continuing Professional Development
  • Skills and knowledge in the planning and implementation of individual therapeutic play programmes to include preparation for procedures, distraction therapy and post procedural play.
  • Knowledge and understanding of safeguarding, policies and procedures.
  • Theoretical knowledge and understanding of child development and effects of hospitalisation on children, young people and their families

Desirable

  • Competence in IT skills

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Closing Date: 29 January 2026

To apply for this job please visit apps.trac.jobs.