Play Assistant | Havens Hospices

Havens Hospices; Thundersley; On-site; GBP 12,000 - 16,000; Part time

Job summary

A children's hospice organization in Thundersley seeks a Play Specialist to create engaging play and activity sessions for children, particularly those with special educational needs. This part-time role (16 hours/week) requires availability for shifts across the week, including evenings and weekends. Key responsibilities include planning safe activities, supporting emotional growth, and collaborating with parents and professionals to enhance children's developmental experiences.

Benefits

Competitive salary package

Supportive working environment

Qualifications

• Experience planning and leading play sessions for children.
• Ability to create a safe and inclusive environment.
• Skill in supporting emotional and developmental needs.

Responsibilities

• Plan and lead play activities promoting wellbeing.
• Create a nurturing environment for children.
• Support parents in engaging with their children.

Skills

Emotional development promotion

Inclusive engagement

Assessment skills

Communication skills

Team collaboration

Job description

Overview

Are you passionate about creating fun, meaningful experiences for children and young people? We’re looking for someone who can help plan, lead, and support play and activity sessions that are engaging, inclusive, and tailored to each child’s age, needs, and background—especially those with special educational needs (SEN).

This is a part time role, 16 hours per week. Candidates would need to be available for shifts across Monday to Sunday, and be available during evenings, weekends and bank holidays, on a rostered basis.

Responsibilities

• Planning and leading play activities that promote emotional, social, and developmental wellbeing.
• Creating a safe, inclusive, and nurturing environment where children and young people feel supported and empowered to express themselves.
• Supporting parents and carers to build confidence in engaging and playing with their child, helping to strengthen those vital early bonds.
• You’ll also contribute to play assessments, helping to identify the individual developmental and emotional needs of each child. Working closely with other professionals, you’ll assist in the planning and delivery of tailored play programmes that form part of each child’s wider holistic care.

About Havens Hospices

At Havens Hospices, we care for children, young people and adults with complex or incurable conditions. Our specialist Care Teams can support them and their family living throughout illness, death and bereavement in the comfort of their own home and through our hospice services, Fair Havens and Little Havens.

Working at Havens Hospices allows you to give the gift of time to patients and families, creating memories. Although you may not be giving direct care to our patients, your contribution will have an immediate effect on our care services.

What you’ll receive

In return for your expertise and passion, you will receive a competitive salary package, and most of all, by making the most of every day you work at Havens Hospices you’ll be helping us continue ‘Making every day count’ for those who need us most.

Commitment to safeguarding

At Havens Hospices we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our employees and patients and expect all colleagues to share this commitment.

Equal opportunities

We value diversity and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

Additional responsibilities

• Help to provide an environment in which play always occurs naturally.
• Help to provide an attractive, child-orientated environment including the Children and Young People’s own work.
• Encourage play to maintain the child/young person’s link with family and home and to help the child/young person to adjust to the hospice situation.
• Facilitate active play for children with special needs
• Provide appropriate play that promotes growth and development (social, emotional, physical, and cognitive)
• Help familiarise children and young people with unfamiliar surroundings to reduce stress and anxiety.
• Assist the Play Therapist in supporting children/young people who are experiencing death and bereavement helping children and young people to understand and explore grief and loss through play.
• Encourage parents/carer’s, siblings, and all members of staff to participate in play.
• Ensure that a range of activities are available for other staff to utilise in the absence of the play specialist
• Observe and assess the child/young person’s anxieties and communicate these to the appropriate staff.
• Establish effective communication with all members of the multidisciplinary team.
• Contribute to the written care plan of each child/young person and document interventions in the child/young person’s records.

This advert closes on Tuesday 6 Jan 2026