Health Play Specialist (Band 4)

NHS; Cardiff; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading health service in Cardiff is seeking a qualified Health Play Specialist (Band 4) to join the Therapeutic and Specialised Play Service. The successful candidate will provide an inclusive service, utilizing clinical skills to assess and support children aged 0-18 during their healthcare journey. Key responsibilities include therapeutic play, distraction, and emotional support across hospital departments. This full-time role requires registration with SoHPS and relevant experience in healthcare settings.

Qualifications

• Registered Health Play Specialist with experience in healthcare for children.
• Knowledge of SoHPS Code of Professional Conduct.
• Ability to manage complex health and emotional needs.

Responsibilities

• Provide an accessible and inclusive therapeutic service.
• Assess patient needs for therapeutic play and emotional support.
• Work flexibly across departments responding to patients' needs.

Skills

Communication with children

Rapport-building

IT Skills (Excel, Word)

Time management

Reflective practice

Education

FdA Healthcare Play Specialism

Registered Health Play Specialist

Basic Secondary Education (5 GCSEs)

NVQ Level 3 in Child Care/Play Work

Job description

Health Play Specialist (Band 4)

The closing date is 08 December 2025

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a qualified and registered Health Play Specialist (band 4) to join our Therapeutic and Specialised Play Service working within the Acute Child Health Directorate at the Noah's Ark Children's Hospital for Wales (NACHfW).

This role will initially be working within the Surgical Play Team as that is where our current needs sit, however, we work flexibly across the hospital responding to support patients needs as they arise, therefore, this base may change as required with guidance from the Play Service Manager.

You will need to be registered with the Society of Health Play Specialists (SoHPS) and have experience working either in the Acute Hospital setting or in the community.

Your experience needs to be with children/young people from 0-18yrs.

This position is full time (37.5hrs) Monday - Friday 8am - 4pm, working throughout the Children's Hospital, with an unpaid 30 minutes lunch break.

The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; English and/or Welsh speakers are equally welcome to apply.

Main duties of the job

To provide an accessible and inclusive service to meet the needs of the patient populations' accessing the Therapeutic and Specialised Play Service within Noah's Ark Children's Hospital for Wales (NACHfW).

To utilise a range of clinical skills, experience and knowledge to assess patient need allowing for appropriate prioritization of therapeutic play preparation, distraction, and emotional support for babies, children and young people (BCYP) as needs present.

Please see Job Description and Person Specification for further details.

About us

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board is one of the largest Integrated Health Boards in the UK, employing over 17,000 staff, providing over 100 specialist services. Working across 6 hospital sites, we have a diverse range of career opportunities to offer. Serving over 500,000 people living in Cardiff and the Vale, we are focussed on the health and care needs of our local population whilst working with our partners to develop regional services. Together we are committed to improving health outcomes for everyone, delivering excellent care and support.

Our mission is "Living Well, Caring Well, Working Together", and our vision is that every person's chance of leading a healthy life should be equal. Our 10-year transformation and improvement strategy, Shaping Our Future Wellbeing, is our chance to work collaboratively with the public and our workforce to make our health board more sustainable for the future.

Job responsibilities

You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents or please click Apply now to view in Trac.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• FdA Healthcare Play Specialism, Edex / BTEC in Specialised play for the sick child, previous HPSC/ HPSEB, or international equivalent.
• Registered Health Play Specialist with Society of Health Play Specialists (SoHPS)
• Knowledge and understanding of the SoHPS Code of Professional Conduct and Professional Standards.
• Basic Secondary Education up to 5 GCSE level or beyond, including English and Math's (GCSE Grade A* - C)
• NVQ, CACHE, NNEB (Level 3) in Child Care/Play Work or Diploma in Children and Young Peoples Workforce or Early Childhood Studies (BA)
• Training in; Guided Imagery, Adolescent Development, Teaching/Coaching

Experience

• Previous experience of working with BCYP in a health care setting providing preparation, distraction and post procedural interventions.
• Previous experience of working with BCYP including individual and group work.
• Previous experience in adapting to specific communication needs when working with BCYP.
• Knowledge and awareness of the emotional and personal impact of the work and the ability to self-manage or seek help appropriately.
• Knowledge of SoHPS Guidelines for Professional Practice.
• Knowledge and application of therapeutic assessments and interventions to support BCYP cope with and understand their healthcare journey.
• Documented evidence of Continuing Professional Development
• Experience of supervision of staff and/or volunteers
• Post qualifying, experience of working with BCYP in a health care setting, in a variety of clinical areas and/or vast experience in specialised field.
• Knowledge of the principles and application of clinical governance.
• Experience working with children with complex health and/or learning disabilities.

Skills and Attributes

• Ability to build a good rapport and communicate with babies, children and young people, parents/carers, and families to support during hospital journey.
• Ability to navigate difficult conversations and support those with communication difficulties.
• To demonstrate a good level of self-awareness and the ability to be a reflective practitioner.
• Demonstrable IT Skills to include excel, word and creating presentations.
• Ability to understand and adhere to professional boundaries
• Ability to work both independently and in a team environment.
• Ability to relate to and support the wider MDT in the care of BCYP during their healthcare journey.
• Welsh Language Skills are desirable levels 1 to 5 in understanding, speaking, reading, and writing in Welsh
• Ability to assess risks and manage risk benefit analysis, sharing this information in an effective way.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, utilising time management and organisation skills.

Other

• Demonstratable CPD in line with expectations of SoHPS registration.
• Enhanced DBS clearance including an Adults and Childrens Barred List check

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.

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board