Playworker
Further Details

What is the work like?
Playworkers plan, organise and supervise play opportunities for children and young people in and out of the school setting. Working in teams, they may work with children ranging between the ages of 5 and 15, or with one particular age group.

The idea of spontaneous play is integral to playwork and all playwork settings aim to give children and young people choices about how to spend their leisure time, as well as providing children with a safe place to play freely.

Play should be fun, but it also helps children to learn and develop. Playworkers may find themselves involved in imaginative play, sports, drama, music, outdoor activities, cooking or creative activities. Playworkers enable children to experiment through play and learn more about themselves and the world around them. Play can help children to socialise and boost their confidence.
Playworkers supervise the children at all times to make sure that safety procedures are followed. They encourage fair and caring behaviour among the children and deal with any challenging behaviour, whilst also being there as a supportive adult to listen to any problems or worries a child may have.
Playworkers help to make sure that children have equipment they want for their play. They may set up and put away any equipment used, and give first aid if needed.
They may talk to parents, carers and sometimes to other professionals about the children.
Starting salaries vary because most playworkers are part time and are paid an hourly rate. Generally, salaries start between approximately £10,000 and £11,500 a year for a playworker with no experience.

Hours and environment

Most playwork is needed after school, at weekends and during school holidays. There are some full-time jobs but most are part time. Some are seasonal, for instance in the school holidays. Many playworkers work in more than one setting or job.
Playwork settings include schools, community centres, adventure playgrounds, church halls, play buses and leisure centres. Work can be indoors or outdoors, or a combination of both.
This is quite active work, and can be physically demanding. It can involve lifting, bending and carrying, and maybe running or dancing.

Salary and other benefits

These figures are only a guide, as actual rates of pay may vary, depending on the employer and where people live.

• Salaries start between approximately £10,000 and £11,500 a year for a playworker with no experience.
• Experienced playworkers earn between around £11,800 and £23,700.
• Senior managers may earn up to £35,000 or more.

These figures relate to full-time playworkers. However, the majority of playworkers work part time or for only part of the year. They earn between £5.00 and £12.00 an hour depending on levels of experience and training.

Skills and personal qualities

Playworkers should:

• be able to build good relationships with children, their parents and carers
• understand the needs of children and young people
• be good at listening to, and socialising with, children
• provide a stimulating environment
• be aware of health and safety issues, and provide a safe environment
• be able to work well as a member of a team
• have good communication skills
• be flexible and adaptable
• have a reasonable level of physical fitness.

Interests

It is important to:

• enjoy working with children from all walks of life
• have a genuine interest in child development through play.

Getting in

Employers include local authorities, voluntary and charitable organisations, and private companies.
Due to the National Childcare Strategy and other government initiatives, the playwork field is expanding rapidly and demand for playworkers is continuing to increase.
Vacancies are advertised in the local and national press, eg the Guardian, by individual schools and colleges, and in specialist publications, such as Nursery World Out Of School Supplement. Useful websites include www.LGjobs.com and www.childcarecareers.gov.uk.

Entry for young people

People do not need academic qualifications for this work, rather an interest in working with children. Voluntary work can be useful. The most common way to qualify as a playworker is to gain nationally recognised vocational qualifications whilst working in a play setting.
Entry to playwork is possible through a number of different routes, including A levels/H grades, AS levels, AVCEs/GSVQs III, a BTEC/SQA national award, or NVQs/SVQs.
There are a number of higher education courses available relating to playwork, including higher national certificates, higher national diplomas, a diploma in higher education and degrees. The qualifications required depend on the individual institutions.
Some courses are part time and some degrees can be completed by distance learning.
There may be Apprenticeships in playwork available for 16 to 24 year olds.
Apprenticeships which may be available in England are Young Apprenticeships, Pre-Apprenticeships, Apprenticeships and Advanced Apprenticeships. To find out which one is most appropriate log onto www.apprenticeships.org.uk or contact the local Connexions Partnership.

Apprenticeships may be different, depending on where people live. In Scotland they are Skillseekers - contact Careers Scotland www.careers-scotland.org.uk for further information; in Wales, Foundation and Modern Apprenticeships - contact Careers Wales www.careerswales.com; and in Northern Ireland, Modern Apprenticeships - contact COIU www.delni.gov.uk.

Entry for adults

The majority of playworkers are adults who have had some experience of working with children, either paid or voluntary, and go on to take vocational qualifications whilst working.
Mature candidates may be able to get on to an HNC, HND, DipHE or degree course without the usual entry qualifications. For experienced playworkers institutions may also take accreditation of prior experience into account.

Training

Increasingly, playworkers are taking nationally recognised qualifications which are listed in the National Qualifications Framework and available at Levels 2, 3 and 4:

• Level 2 qualifications, like the NVQ/SVQ Level 2 in Playwork, are aimed at playworkers who work under supervision.
• Level 3 qualifications, like the NVQ/SVQ Level 3 in Playwork, are aimed at experienced playworkers working in a supervisory category. There is a new Level 3 Certificate in Work with Children which is aimed towards experienced but unqualified playworkers.
• A large number of awarding bodies offer approved qualifications in playwork at Levels 2 and 3. Entry requirements vary.
• There is an NVQ/SVQ Level 4 in Early Years' Care and Education, which is suitable for playwork managers and playwork development officers.
• Employers usually provide training. A number of employers offer training that is endorsed by the National Network of Playwork Education and Training, part of SkillsActive.
• In Scotland, all people working with children should be working towards a recognised qualification.

Getting on

With experience and the right qualifications playworkers may progress to become play setting managers or supervisors. They may choose to specialise in playwork training, play development or play therapy. Some playworkers become consultants, trainers or development workers.
It is possible to become self-employed, and set up and manage an after-school club.
There may also be opportunities to move into other kinds of work with children.

Related jobs

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

Further information

Children's Play Information Service, National Children's Bureau, 8 Wakley Street, London EC1V 7QE. 020 7843 6303. Website: www.ncb.org.uk
The Playwork Unit in SkillsActive, Castlewood House, 77-91 New Oxford Street, London WC1A 1PX. 020 7632 2000. Website: www.playwork.org.uk and www.skillsactive.com
SkillsActive Scotland, Division of Media, Culture & Leisure Management, Glasgow Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow G4 0BA. 0141 331 8484. Website: www.playwork.org.uk and www.skillsactive.com
Qualifications Curriculum Authority, 83 Piccadilly, London W1J 8QA. 020 7509 5556. Website: www.qca.org.uk
Scottish Qualifications Authority, Hanover House, 24 Douglas Street, Glasgow G2 7NQ. 0845 279 1000. Website: www.sqa.org.uk
4Children, City Reach, 5 Greenwich View Place, London E14 9NN. 020 7512 2112. Website: www.4children.org.uk

Further reading

Working with young children - Connexions
Careers Working with Children and Young People - Kogan Page
Playwork: Play and Care for Children 5-15 - Thomson Learning
What is play? - Children's Play information Service

Magazines/journals:

Nursery World Out of School Supplement
Playwords - Common Threads consultancy
Playtoday - Children's Play Council

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