Essential Information

• What is a playworker?
• What is the work like?
• What qualifications are needed?
• How can you find work?
• Other key information?

What is a playworker?

The role of the playworker is fun, varied, tiring, messy and noisy, but also very rewarding!

• Playworkers organise, plan and supervise play and activities for children and young people
aged 5 to 15, or specialise with one age group.
• They enable children to experiment and learn about themselves and the world around them.
• They arrange team games and sports, drama, music and other entertainments, supervise art and
craft activities, and in some cases take children on day trips and outings.
• They supervise the children at all times, and make sure that safety procedures are followed,
encouraging good behaviour and dealing with challenging behaviour.

Playworkers should:

• be able to build good relationships with children, their parents and carers
• have good listening, speaking, explaining and writing skills
• be patient, tolerant and able to work in a team
• be creative and imaginative
• have good organisation skills.

Due to the National Childcare Strategy (http://www.dfes.gov.uk/childcare/ ), the number of jobs
for playworkers is growing quickly. Employers include schools, nurseries, recruitment agencies,
local authorities, NHS hospitals, voluntary organisations and private companies.

No academic qualifications are needed. Playworkers can gain relevant qualifications on
short courses, NVQs/SVQs, and higher education courses.

With experience, playworkers can become supervisors or managers. There are opportunities to
become self-employed and set up and manage an after-school club.

With the right qualifications, they can specialise in play development, play training or play therapy.
Some playworkers become consultants.

There are also opportunities to move into related jobs such as teaching assistant or youth worker.

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What is the work like?

Most playwork is needed when schools are closed (eg after school clubs) - in the evenings, at
weekends and during school holidays. But some work, especially hospital playwork, is done during
the day. There are some full-time jobs but many more are part-time. Some are seasonal, for instance
in the school holidays.

Playwork takes place in various places – schools, nurseries, adventure playgrounds, community
centres, church halls, hospital playrooms, play buses or custom-built vans. Work can be indoors or
outdoors, or a combination of both.

This is quite active work, and can involve lifting, bending and carrying.

Playworkers plan, organise and supervise play opportunities for children and young people. Working
in teams, they may work with children aged 5 to 15, or with one particular age group.

They aim to give children opportunities, through playing, to experiment and learn about themselves
and the world around them. They learn teamwork, how to mix with others and it helps them to
become less shy. They can use their imaginations and develop their creative skills.

It is important to make sure that the play activities they organise are relevant for the children they are
working with:

• both male and female
• children with disabilities
• children from ethnic minority communities
• children from low-income families.

They plan each day's play and activities, and involve the children in planning what they are going to do.
Playworkers arrange team games and sports, introducing new games and activities when possible.

They also arrange drama, music and other entertainments, and supervise art and craft activities such
as face painting and collage. In some cases they take children on day trips and outings, for instance to
the seaside, zoos or country parks. They supervise the children at all times to make sure that safety
procedures are followed. They also encourage good behaviour in the children and deal with any
challenging behaviour.

Playworkers set up and put away any equipment used and give first aid if needed. At the end of each
day, they evaluate the day's activities and keep any records needed. They may talk to parents, carers
and sometimes to other professionals about the children. They are also there to listen to the children,
and must follow the correct procedures if they suspect anything like child abuse.

These figures are only a guide - salaries for playworkers vary a great deal.

• Playworkers' salaries start between £8,652 and £15,240 a year.
• Experienced playworkers earn from £11,115.
• The top salary would be around £20,364.

Many playworkers work part time or for only part of the year. They earn between £4.14 and £10 an
hour depending upon responsibilities.

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What qualifications are needed?

People do not need academic qualifications for this work. Many people start as volunteers and move
into part-time or full-time jobs as playworkers

There is a 15-hour course called 'Making Choices'. This can help people decide whether they want
to work with children, and if so in which area of work. The course is run over one to three weeks by
a range of organisations including colleges, local councils, training providers and voluntary bodies.

If they wish, people can take a higher education course relating to playwork:

• BTEC higher national diploma (HND) at the University of Plymouth. The course lasts two years full
time. Applicants need at least one A level/two H grades.

• Diploma of higher education (DipHE) at the University of Birmingham,
University of Northumbria (Newcastle) and University of East London. Courses last two years full
time.

Candidates need at least two A levels/three H grades.

• Degrees at the University of Northumbria (Newcastle), University of Wales College (Newport),
Leeds Metropolitan University, University of East London, and Cheltenham and Gloucester College
of Higher Education. Courses last three years full time. Distance learning degree courses are also
being introduced. Candidates need at least two A levels/three H grades.

Other qualifications may be accepted in place of A levels/H grades:
a relevant AVCE/GSVQ Level III, a BTEC/SQA national award, a Scottish Group Award (SGA) at
higher level or NVQ/SVQ Level 3.

Employers usually provide training. A number of employers offer training that is endorsed by SPRITO
(the national training organisation for sport, recreation and allied occupations).

Playworkers may work towards various qualifications. These include the CACHE Level 2 Certificate
in Playwork, City & Guilds Level 2 Progression Award in Playwork and an NVQ/SVQ Level 2 in
Playwork.

Senior playworkers can work towards the CACHE Level 3 Certificate of Professional Development
in Work with Children and Young People or NVQ/SVQ Level 3 in Playwork.

There is also an NVQ/SVQ Level 4 in Early Years Care and Education, which is suitable for
Playwork managers and playwork development officers.

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How can you find work?

There are numerous sources available to help you to identify jobs as a playworker, including our
message boards and our free online newsletters.

There are also a wide variety of education recruitment agencies (sometimes known as
‘Teaching Agencies’), who can help you to find work that suits.

Teaching Agencies

There are hundreds of recruitment agencies nationwide, dedicated to the task of helping to find you
work. Some agencies are well known national high street names such as Reed, Select Education,
Protocol and Celsian, however there are also many local agencies available too.

The standard of agencies can vary from area to area and it cannot be assumed that a national agency
will be any better at finding you work than a local agency. A guide to Teaching Agencies, the services
they offer and a comprehensive list can be found at: www.teachingagencies.co.uk

Alternatives to recruitment agencies include:

• Contact local schools directly
• Local jobs papers.
• National jobs papers such as the TES (Times Education Supplement), The Guardian or, The
Independent.
• Contacting your LEA (Local Education Authority
• Search online – see Great links

Other employers include local authorities, NHS hospitals, voluntary organisations and private
companies. Due to the National Childcare Strategy (see http://www.dfes.gov.uk/childcare/ ) the
number of jobs for playworkers is growing quickly.It is possible to work abroad, especially with
holiday companies.

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Related jobs

Art Therapist
Childminder
Hospital Play Specialist
Nursery Nurse
Play Therapist
Teaching Assistant
Youth and Community Worker


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Other Key information

Children's Play Information Service, National Children's Bureau, 8 Wakley Street, London,
EC1V 7QE. 020 7843 6303. Website: www.ncb.org.uk

SPRITO Playwork Unit, 24 Stephenson Way, London NW1 2HD. 020 7388 7755 ext 206.
Website: www.playwork.org.uk

SPRITO Scotland, Glasgow Caledonian University, Department of Leisure, Tourism and Hospitality,
1 Park Drive, Glasgow G3 6LP. 0141 337 4300. Website: www.playwork.org.uk


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