Hospital Play Specialist

• Christchurch Health Campus
• Hours of work are between 0800 - 1630, Monday - Friday negotiable as per FTE
• Fixed Term parental leave position 24 hours per week (0.6FTE) starting February 2025

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is dedicated to serving all New Zealanders. Through integration and collaboration, we’re building a health system underpinned by partnership, equity, sustainability, whānau-centred care, and excellence.

About the role

As a Hospital Play Specialist your role is based in the Activity Room (a licensed hospital based Early childhood service) and in the paediatric wards to support a diverse range of the paediatric patients with a variety of medical and health needs.

Our role as Hospital Play Specialists, is to work in partnership with the multidisciplinary team to support pēpē, tamariki and rangatahi and their whānau to whakatere (navigate) the hospital system. We do this by helping them to cope with hospitalisation, minimising associated stress and anxiety, building coping strategies and creating opportunities for participating in health care. We use play as a medium to achieve this outcome and to create ongoing learning opportunities.

We are looking for an experienced Hospital Play Specialist to come join our fun team in a fixed term, part time role. Salary is as per the PSA Allied, Public Health, Scientific and Technical Collective Agreement based on skills and experience.

About You

Key skills and attributes:

• Able to adapt and work effectively within a variety of situations with diverse individuals and groups
• Excellent knowledge of child development
• Strong organisational and time management skills
• Able to build quick rapport with tamariki and whānau, warm and sensitive in your approach
• Strong ability in assessing children using psychosocial assessment tools
• Competency with te ao Māori, tikanga, and te reo Māori or a commitment to starting your journey and taking ownership of your learning and growth
• Clear confident communicator, creative, reflective practitioner
• Strong self-care skills and sense of self
• A thorough understanding of MoE requirements for Early Childhood Services
• Growth mindset and willingness to learn
• Experience in initiatives which give effect to Te Tiriti principals and frameworks, and the application of Mātauranga Māori and Kaupapa Māori approaches, particularly as they apply in healthcare settings
• Supportive team player
• Likes to have fun!

Take advantage of this rare opportunity to mix your education background with a clinical focus and apply online today.

Working for Health New Zealand

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is ‘the weaving of wellnesses. We're dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of Aotearoa/New Zealand. The Equity Work Programme at Health NZ focuses on helping everyone in the health system think about equity when they do their work. It also promotes the cultural change needed for the whole system to reach equity in health outcomes.

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Health New Zealand are committed to being good employers and honouring our equal employment opportunity obligations.

Our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion

We want to see the real you in your application and welcome the real you on board if you come and work with us. Skills are gained across many areas of our life, not just in formal employment. If you can demonstrate the skills listed in the ad, but the experience was gained through whānau life, community or mahi aroha (volunteering) we encourage you to apply and share your story with us in your cover letter.

We particularly welcome applications from our diverse Māori, Pacific, disabled, and rainbow communities.

How to Apply

To view the position description and/or apply for the role please click “apply now.” All applications must be submitted through our online careers portal before 11:59pm on Sunday 19th January. If you have any questions about the role, please contact Alex Jay at Alexandra.jay@tewhatuora.govt.nz