Senior Playworker
A Senior Playworker has the same role as a Playworker in supporting children’s play, and at the same time takes on additional responsibility for the setting.
The extra responsibilities might include supervising volunteers and playworkers, handling budgets or representing the setting in meetings with other professionals.
The role involves working together with management, your team, children and families to create a safe, inclusive and high quality play environment that meets the need of the children and young people, aged 3 to 14 years, who attend the setting.
Your location of work may include a wide range of settings, such as:
- Out of school childcare
- Staffed adventure playgrounds
- Peripatetic Playwork projects
- Holiday playschemes
You’ll encourage children to use their imagination and make opportunities for them to create new and different spaces for playing; places big and small, inside, or out, that are attractive and offer freedom to play in a safe environment.
You’ll work as part of a team, liaise with parents and advocate for children's right to play in their community. This means, observing and recording children’s development and plan activities to support their continued learning and development.
To be successful in this role, you’ll need:
- A caring and patient nature
- To be enthusiastic, creative and take on board new ideas
- Good communication, including verbal and listening skills
- The ability to make and maintain accurate records
- Confidence around children and adults
- To create new opportunities for playing
- To be able to adapt to changing situations
- To encourage children’s independence
- To be able to assess risks involved and intervening where necessary
- The ability to give direction to other members of the team
- Experience of working in the Playwork sector
- Leadership and management skills
- Minimum Playwork level 3 qualification
The Playwork Principles help explain the roles and responsibilities.
Find out more information on qualifications for this role with Play Wales.
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