Play Specialist
Are you looking for a workplace where you’re welcomed each day by supportive & friendly colleagues?
Where you’re part of a dedicated team?
Where your work contributes to delivering the highest quality care, and every day ends with the knowledge that you’ve made a meaningful difference to a child or young person?
If your answer is yes, then Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice might just be the perfect place for you.
Join our Family Support Team as a Play Specialist and bring more than just your skills, bring your purpose.
We’re looking for someone who’s driven by a genuine desire to make a difference. You take ownership of your work, act with integrity, and show up as your authentic self. You value individuality, your own and others’ and thrive in a team that celebrates diversity, creativity, and compassion.
About us:
Our vision at Bluebell Wood is for every baby, child and young person with a life limiting condition to access specialist palliative care, where and when they need it. You will join our fantastic team where we all play our part in achieving our vision and creating an incredible culture for everyone.
Our services
Our uncompromisable support services are wide-ranging and bespoke to each family. We provide symptom management, end-of-life care, post-death care, short breaks, counselling, sibling support groups, music therapy, home visits and more.
We support families across a large geographical area, including South Yorkshire, North Nottinghamshire, North Derbyshire and parts of North Lincolnshire. The hospice is easily accessible from Barnsley, Rotherham, Doncaster, Sheffield and North Notts. We have free secure on-site parking for families, staff and volunteers to use.
Every year we need to raise £6.7m to keep our doors open and only around 17% of our income comes from government sources, the rest must be raised through fundraising activity.
The role:
To work as part of our Family Support Team to plan, develop and lead a wide range of therapeutic play opportunities for babies, children and young people with complex, life shortening illnesses to support developmental, therapeutic and palliative care needs in a range of environments.
The requirements:
To fulfil the role effectively you will be a creative individual who fosters an inclusive approach in all that you do to meet the needs of babies, children and young people. You will have experience of working with children and young people who have complex needs, offering bespoke support as an integral part of the service offer.
About you:
Our values underpin what we do and how we do it.
To succeed in this role, we are looking for someone who will embody our values, work confidently with key attention to detail, engage with everyone in our hospice, and has an absolute willingness to learn.
In return, we can offer you a fantastic working environment and the following benefits:
• 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays with the option to buy and sell
• Employee assistance programme – including mental health care and out of hours GP access
• A commitment to your professional development
• Matched pension scheme of 5% of salary
• Bluebell Wood enhanced maternity and paternity pay (unrelated to NHS conditions)
• Enhanced night shift pay.
• Free parking on main site
• Subsidised lunch
• Free tea and coffee
• Cycle to work scheme
• Eligible for NHS Blue Light Card
• Access to rewards portal
If you are passionate about making a difference, we cannot wait to hear from you.
To join our team and contribute to the exceptional care at Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice Apply Now
If you would like to have an informal chat about the role, please do contact Sarah Duffy (Head of Family Support) on 01909 393 271, or email sarah.duffy@bluebellwood.org
How to apply:
Please follow the above link to the full job ad, where you will find full details of how to apply, the job description, person specification and application form.
Closing date: 03.11.2025
Interviews: 19.11.2025
We are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive workplace that reflects the communities we support, and welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds, regardless of gender, sex, ethnicity, race, religion, education, socioeconomic background, disability, or sexual orientation.
We will do everything we can to accommodate any needs throughout our recruitment process.
What else we will need, or you need to know:
• Proof that you have the right to work in the UK. Unfortunately, we cannot support visa sponsorship including Skilled Worker visas and UK Health Worker visas.
• Any successful applicant will require a health check
• An Enhanced DBS Check
• Two references
• All offers of employment are conditional upon satisfactory completion of pre-employment checks.
To apply, please follow the link HERE.