Senior Playworker Job Advertisement
Family Link provides fun and educational activities for children and young adults with complex disabilities. We are looking for committed, reliable, and experienced staff to join our team. Our Saturday and school holiday sessions offer engaging and creative activities for young people with learning, physical, and complex disabilities, including medical needs.
About the Role:
As a Senior Playworker, you will work closely with Play Leaders to deliver an engaging and stimulating programme of activities in a safe environment. You will mentor and support Playworkers, ensuring they receive the necessary guidance to provide high quality care and activities. Additionally, you will be responsible for supporting young people with complex behaviours, high medical needs, including hoisting, administering medication, and PEG feeding. This is a self-employed position, and you will be responsible for managing your own tax and National Insurance.
Locations: Saturday Club - The Astley Centre (Bromley)
Holiday club - Marjorie McClure School (Chislehurst)
Hours: 8:30am – 3:30pm (7 hours per session) Pay: £14 per hour
Reports to: Play Leader
Main Duties:
-
To work within a team environment to lead a range of activities which include arts and crafts, games, singing, dance and adapted activities.
-
To encourage an exciting and enjoyable atmosphere.
-
To attend to the young person's personal care where necessary; this may include assisting with meals, dressing, meeting personal care, depending on the young person’s individual needs.
-
Encourage young people to be independent and self-confident, maximising opportunities to reach their full potential.
-
Ensure positive relationships and open communication is maintained with parents/carers.
-
Participate in ongoing training, both internally and externally, as required to ensure compliance with Family Link’s regulations and best practices.
-
Treat the children and young adults as individuals and follow the advice of the parents/carers on how best to support them during the sessions.
-
Responding appropriately to emergencies.
-
Be approachable and supportive to both the young people you assist and the team members you work with.
-
Understanding of risk assessments and the ability to write and implement them effectively.
-
Able to teach, mentor, and support the development of others.
-
Ability to work effectively within a team and on your own.
-
To ensure that Family Links equipment is properly maintained and fit for purpose.
-
Maintain confidentiality and always comply with safeguarding and health & safety regulations.
-
Understand and follow Family Link’s policies and guidelines.
-
Ensure good health, care and safety is maintained for the young people. To report to the Play Leader and undertake other duties at their request.
Essential Skills:
-
A minimum of two years’ experience working with young people with disabilities.
-
Relevant childcare qualifications (e.g., NVQ Level 2+ or equivalent).
-
First Aid certification.
-
Safeguarding Children and Adults training.
-
Experience in PEG feeding, hoisting, and administering medication, or a willingness to undergo training.
- A responsible, caring, and compassionate attitude.
-
Fun and open-minded attitude to play.
-
Motivate and support others in their roles.
-
A genuine enthusiasm for the work of the charity. Desirable Skills:
-
Additional relevant qualifications in disability support or childcare.
-
Experience working in a playcentre or respite setting.
-
Makaton or other communication training.
Start Date: Immediate (Ideally April half term)
To Apply: Email your CV to
[email protected]
Family Link provides Saturday and holiday clubs in the London Borough of Bromley for 6–25-year-olds, with medical needs, physical, learning, and complex disabilities. Our staff have been highly trained to support young people’s care and health needs. The sessions run two Saturdays per month and 2-3 sessions per week in the school holidays. We provide a programme of activities that is suitable for each young person's individual needs. During our Saturday and holiday clubs we like to arrange external entertainers to provide additional variety, interest, and stimulation. In addition to our clubs, we run day trips to places of interest, such as bowling, theatre, cinema, and parks. We believe that these trips help to develop positive lifelong relationship skills, social skills, and confidence. It is not only young people that benefit from our services, but also an opportunity for their families/carers to receive well deserved respite. Family Link recognises the difficulty transitioning from child services to adult services especially for young people with disabilities. At Family Link we think it is important to avoid that transitioning period from child to adult services and ensure that young people can still meet with their peers in a friendly and engaging environment. We believe it is up to the young person to decide when they wish to leave, and usually by 25 years old they take their next chapter into adult services. Our mission: The provision of leisure opportunities for children and young people with disabilities; to provide a safe and fun environment.
