Emergency Department - Play Specialist

Job overview

Play Specialist (Emergency Department) - Wexham Park Hospital

The Play Specialist will provide therapeutic play support to children of all ages within the Paediatric Emergency Department, ensuring their emotional, developmental, and social needs are met in a safe and supportive environment.

The post holder will:

Create opportunities for play that help maintain a child’s connection with home and family while easing adjustment to an unfamiliar and often distressing hospital setting.

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the needs of children in hospital, and act as a resource to staff and students by sharing expertise in therapeutic play.

Use play as a developmental aid to encourage normal growth and learning during hospital admission.

Contribute to the assessment of care needs and assist in the implementation of tailored care programmes.

Support children in understanding and coping with medical procedures and equipment through play, reducing fear and anxiety.

Maintain accurate and timely documentation of all interventions and activities.

This role is essential in helping children feel safe, supported, and empowered throughout their hospital journey.

Main duties of the job

Here are some of the key purposes of a play specialist:

• Reducing Anxiety and Stress: Through play, they help children express their feelings, understand their experiences, and alleviate fear or anxiety related to medical treatments or hospitalisation.
• Distraction and Comfort: During medical procedures, they engage children in play or activities that distract them from pain or discomfort, making the experience less frightening.
• Promoting Development: Play specialists provide age-appropriate activities to encourage cognitive, emotional, and physical development, even in hospital environments.
• Education and Preparation: They prepare children for medical treatments by using dolls, toys, or drawings to explain what's going to happen in a way the child can understand.  This helps demystify the process and reduces fear.
• Emotional Expression: Play is a natural way for children to express their emotions. Play specialists use therapeutic play to allow children to process and express feelings like fear, anger, or confusion.
• Family Support: They also offer guidance and support to parents and caregivers, helping them understand their child’s emotional needs and providing strategies to support their child during stressful times.

In essence, a play specialist ensures that children's emotional well-being is maintained during difficult times, helping them to adjust, cope, and even heal through play.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For a full list of responsibilities and tasks associated with this role, please refer to the job description/person specification attached to this vacancy.