Health play specialist

You'll typically work in a hospital, hospice, clinic or community healthcare setting and will use play activities to build relationships with children and young people, helping them prepare for operations, procedures and treatments and understand what to expect. Your aim is to reduce anxiety, distress and fear, helping to create a positive healthcare experience.

Your work will be underpinned by a combination of theoretical knowledge and evidence-based practice, allowing you to assess, plan, implement, review and evaluate therapeutic play programmes that provide emotional and developmental support to children (from birth) and young people.

You'll also support parents, carers and the wider family, including siblings, and will offer advice on how they can use play to help children and young people make sense of their healthcare experiences.

What do health play specialists do?

As a health play specialist, you'll need to:

• create a welcoming, safe and inclusive environment that encourages children and young people to engage in play
• plan and deliver therapeutic play activities tailored to their age, developmental stage and individual needs
• use play to prepare them for medical procedures, investigations and treatments, helping to reduce anxiety and distress
• use distraction, relaxation and other play-based techniques to support them during procedures and help them cope with pain
• support their emotional, social and developmental needs through play, helping them develop, maintain or regain skills affected by illness or treatment
• assess their play needs and emotional wellbeing, documenting observations and interventions and monitoring progress
• work closely with doctors, nurses and allied health professionals as part of a multidisciplinary team, sharing observations and contributing to care plans
• advocate for children and young people, helping them communicate their wishes, concerns and experiences to the healthcare team
• support parents, carers and siblings, advising them on how play can help children understand and cope with illness, treatment and hospitalisation
• promote the importance of play within healthcare settings and contribute to improving children's experiences of care.

In senior roles, you may also need to:

• manage junior staff, such as health play assistants, and supervise students on placement
• manage the department's budget, selecting and purchasing a range of appropriate toys for the ward/department
• oversee the planning, evaluation and audit of play services and practice.

What salary can I expect as a health play specialist?

• Qualified health play specialists typically earn between £28,392 and £31,157 (Band 4 of the NHS Agenda for Change (AfC) Pay Rates).
• Salaries can rise to between £32,073 and £39,043 for senior health play specialist roles (Band 5).
• Team leaders, play service leads and managers may earn between £39,959 and £48,117 (Band 6).

Salaries and working conditions outside the NHS may vary.

Income figures are intended as a guide only.

How many hours does a health play specialist work?

You'll usually work a 37.5 hour week. Some posts include evening, weekend and bank holiday working, depending on the needs of the service.

Part-time jobs are available.

How do you become a health play specialist?

You'll need to complete either a healthcare play specialism foundation degree or a Level 5 health play specialist apprenticeship, which combines paid work with study.

Foundation degree courses usually take two years and combine academic study with workplace learning and clinical placements.

To get a place on a course, you'll typically need:

• a Level 3 qualification in childcare, playwork or a related field
• at least two years' experience working with children after gaining your Level 3 qualification
• GCSE English at grade 4/C or above (or equivalent Level 2 literacy qualification). Some course providers and employers may also require GCSE maths or an equivalent qualification
• evidence of continuous professional development
• evidence of current or recent, regular, relevant employment in the sector.

As part of the course, you'll need to complete at least 200 hours of clinical placement experience each year. If you're not already employed in a healthcare setting, you'll usually need to arrange a placement before starting the course. You'll also need confirmation that a health play specialist registered with the Society of Health Play Specialists (SoHPS) will act as your mentor throughout the programme.

Entry requirements vary between providers, so check individual course requirements before applying. Take a look at SoHPS to see what a typical play specialist is like.

For both the foundation degree and apprenticeship, you'll need to pass an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Successful completion of the programme allows you to apply for registration with SoHPS.

Key skills for a health play specialist

You'll need:

• communication and listening skills to build trust with children, young people and their families
• relationship-building skills to help children feel safe and supported in healthcare settings
• observation and assessment skills to identify, monitor and evaluate children's emotional, developmental and play needs
• creativity to develop engaging play activities that support children's wellbeing and understanding
• adaptability and flexibility to tailor play activities and communication methods to individual children
• an understanding of safeguarding, confidentiality and child-centred care when working with children and vulnerable young people
• collaborative working skills to contribute to multidisciplinary healthcare teams and support patient care plans.

Health play specialist work experience

Relevant work experience in childcare is essential. Most healthcare play specialism courses require at least two years' experience working with children after gaining a Level 3 qualification. This experience can be gained through paid employment or voluntary work.

Relevant experience can include working as a health play assistant in a hospital, hospice or clinic, which may be possible with a relevant Level 3 childcare qualification. Alternatively, work as a nursery nurse, teaching assistant, learning mentor or youth worker can also be useful.

Experience of supporting children and young people through creative activities, such as art, drama or music, can also be relevant.

Try to arrange voluntary work or work shadowing alongside a registered health play specialist in a hospital, hospice or other healthcare setting. This can help you gain an insight into the role and demonstrate your commitment when applying for training.

Find out more about the different kinds of work experience and internships that are available.

Who employs health play specialists?

Most health play specialists are employed by the NHS. You'll typically work in a children's hospital or in children's services within a general hospital, supporting patients in settings such as inpatient wards, intensive care units, neonatal units, outpatient clinics and surgical departments.

There are also opportunities to work in private hospitals, hospices, community health teams, community paediatric services and specialist children's centres. Some roles involve supporting children and young people in their homes.

The health play specialism is a relatively small profession compared with many other healthcare occupations, and job opportunities can be limited. Most vacancies are found in larger towns and cities with children's hospitals or major teaching hospitals, although opportunities also exist in smaller hospitals, hospices and community services.

Look for job vacancies at:

• HealthJobsUK
• NHS Jobs
• NHS jobs in Wales
• NHSScotland Jobs
• Society of Health Play Specialists

You can also search for jobs on the websites of individual hospital trusts.

Job titles vary between employers. As well as 'registered health play specialist', vacancies may be advertised as 'health play specialist', 'hospital play specialist' or simply 'play specialist'.

Where can a career as a health play specialist lead?

Career progression is typically based on experience, continuing professional development (CPD) and a willingness to take on additional responsibilities. You may progress to senior health play specialist and team leader roles before moving into play service management or service development positions. Opportunities for promotion may depend on the availability of specialist posts and your willingness to relocate or work in different healthcare settings.

Although registration with SoHPS is voluntary, many health play specialists choose to register to demonstrate their commitment to professional standards and CPD. To maintain and develop their knowledge, health play specialists take part in activities such as:

• training courses
• conferences
• networking events
• research
• peer discussion and independent study.

Working closely with multidisciplinary healthcare teams will help you develop specialist knowledge and expertise in areas such as oncology, intensive care, surgery, neonatal care or palliative care. With experience, you can also train to become an SoHPS mentor and support students undertaking health play specialism training.

With substantial experience and additional qualifications, there may be opportunities to move into higher education, training or professional development roles, supporting the training and development of future health play specialists.