Play & Activities Co-Ordinator

Job description

Job responsibilities

Dimensions and Limits of Authority

Work involves both reactive and proactive elements of play and activities

Personal accountability is ensured through adherence to the Safer Working Practice for Children and Vulnerable Young Adults

Able to support induction for new staff, students & volunteers in own area of competence

To refer to clinical staff for advice/ guidance should they be concerned about a child whilst carrying out play/activities

Able to carry out extended competencies i.e. employing the use of specialist equipment within play and activities

Able to instruct staff members on the use of specialist equipment within the Play Department

Safe handling of money in the form of a pleo card, responsible for ensuring correct documentation of money spent and sending receipts to Team Leader to evidence

Qualifications and skills level

Minimum functional skills level 2 in English & Maths

Minimum Level 3 qualification in one of the following: Play Work/Play Specialism/NNEB/ Youth Work or relevant other

Proven experience of working with children and young people with complex health needs

Effective interpersonal and intermediate communication skills

PART 2: MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Play Service operates a 7-day service and as such, this role requires working flexibly as required

To organise and provide all play and activities within the Play Department across the in-house Hospice and the community

To ensure all play and activities are responsive to a childs/young persons individual developmental, social, spiritual and cultural needs

To have an awareness of play activities within schools and other care settings and to be able to use such awareness to link with themes and activities within the play service

To offer support to siblings visiting or residing in the hospice

To liaise with the fundraising and communications teams, and the administration team in relation to all external requests for information, external visits and activities that will involve children and young people

To support the Play & Activities Team Leader in conjunction with the administration team in coordinating all in-house visits by external individuals/performers or companies providing entertainment for the CYP

To have knowledge of the specialist equipment used with CYP in play and activities and can provide instruction on the use of such equipment

To share responsibility within the Hospice to maintain a safe but homely environment taking account of health and safety, including infection control and risk assessments

To be aware and working to Safeguarding and Prevention of Children and Vulnerable Young Adults policies and procedures

To comply with moving and handling policies and procedures

To participate in hospice special interest groups

To be able to undertake the mental, physical and emotional demands of the role, whilst at the same time taking care to safeguard their own health and safety as well as fellow care team members, children, young people and their family

To have responsibility for liaison with the communications and care admin teams to update the Parents and organisation Facebook page with relevant updates, information and activities

1. Responsibility for Clinical Governance and Quality

To actively complete clinical incident documentation in accordance with no blame and whistle-blowing policy

To carry out and update risk assessments including undertaking risk reviewer training

To adhere and comply with all Hospice policies and procedures

2. Personal Professional Development & Responsibilities

To take responsibility for maintaining his/her own professional development, meeting with the line manager for regular appraisals, identifying and agreeing personal targets

To be proactive in identifying ways of improving practice and developing new ideas

To participate in hospice special interest groups and assists in the organisation of relevant activities

To ensure the economical and appropriate use of all resources within the play department

To maintain appropriate client records, ensuring they are stored securely and confidentially

To be fully involved in the process of preventing and controlling infections

3. General Claire House Requirements

Adhere to and comply with organisational policies, procedures and guidelines at all times

Implement risk management strategies (including reporting, registering risk and learning), taking all reasonable steps to manage and promote a safe and healthy working environment which is free from discrimination

Implement Health and Safety regulations through risk assessment. Maintain a constant awareness of health, welfare and safety issues affecting colleagues, service users, volunteers, visitors and themselves, reporting any accidents or faults in line with organisational policy.

Participate fully in Health and Safety training

Comply with the organisational policy on confidentiality and the Data Protection Act 1998 relating to information held manually or on computerised systems

Respect the confidentiality and privacy of children, young adults, volunteers & staff at all times

Participate in personal training, development and appraisal, and attend all relevant training courses as required

Take part in organisational research

Embrace the positive volunteer culture which Claire House strives to create.

The post holder must act at all times in a professional and responsible manner and have due regard to confidentiality and Health & Safety legislation.

This is an outline job description and should not be regarded as an inflexible specification. Responsibilities will be reviewed periodically in line with service priorities and duties may change or new duties be introduced after consultation with the post holder. As a term of your employment you may be required to undertake such other duties, such as link roles, and/or hours of work as may reasonably be required, commensurate with your general level of responsibility with the organisation, at your initial place of work or at any other of the Claire House establishments.

DBS Level: Enhanced with child and adult barred list

Our working premises are no smoking areas.

Person Specification

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Positive attitude
• Flexible willing and able to cover a range of shifts across a 7-day service.
• Professional manner
• Supportive of colleagues, children and families
• Ability to work using own initiative
• Approachable, fair and consistent
• Motivated
• Good time management skills
• Honest and trustworthy
• Enthusiastic

Special Circumstances/Additional Requirements

Essential

• Car driver

Desirable

• Mini-bus Driver

Skills & Abilities

Essential

• Good communication skills
• Good interpersonal and team working skills
• Competent in planning and delivering all activities and play relevant to the needs of CYP with complex health needs and learning disabilities
• Good organisational skills and ability to prioritise work load
• Relates well with families and other healthcare professionals
• Competent in recognising own scope of practice and when to refer to a registered practitioner
• Ability to record information in a concise, legible and accurate manner
• Good IT skills

Desirable

• Familiar with and experience of interaction with social platforms
• Experience of supporting volunteers

Experience

Essential

• Proven experience within a hospice/hospital play environment
• Knowledge and experience of planning and delivering play and activities for CYP with complex health care needs & learning disabilities
• Understanding of specific needs of children/ young people with life limiting/ threatening conditions
• Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary Team
• Experience of working in partnership with families

Desirable

• Experience of undertaking risk assessment
• Sensory impairment awareness
• Working with and supporting Young Adults
• Play/ Art therapy (introductory level)
• Autism awareness
• Story massage

Qualifications

Essential

• Minimum functional skills level 2 English & Maths
• Minimum Level 3 qualification in one of the following; Play Work/Play Specialism/NNEB/ Youth Work/ Special Educational Needs & Disability (SEND) or relevant other

Desirable

• Specialist musical training
• Specialist communication: Makaton/ BSL
• Food hygiene level 2
• Paediatric First Aid

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Claire House

Address

Clatterbridge Road

Bebington

Wirral

Merseyside

CH63 4JD

Employer's website

https://www.clairehouse.org.uk (Opens in a new tab)