Every child deserves the chance to play, learn and grow in a safe and supportive environment. At CrossReach, our play sessions give children the freedom to explore, discover and develop new skills, while offering families a space to connect and feel supported. As a Play Practitioner, you’ll play a key role in making this happen.

Children learn, heal and grow through play. Whether it’s a toddler giggling during messy play or an older child exploring their imagination through storytelling, you’ll help shape moments that build confidence and connection. Families come to us looking for support, and through play you’ll create safe spaces where they can bond, feel nurtured and thrive together.

What you’ll be doing

• Plan and lead sessions that spark curiosity, joy and learning
• Adapt activities for babies, toddlers and older children
• Build trusting relationships with children and families
• Work with a supportive team to reflect, share ideas and improve the service
• Ensure children’s voices are heard and shape what we do

What we’re looking forWe’re looking for someone with experience in childcare, play, early years or community settings, who feels confident planning and running sessions for different age groups. You’ll bring a playful, creative spirit with the confidence to join in the fun, along with an understanding of child development and attachment. Ideally, you’ll hold an HNC/SVQ 3 in Childcare, Play or a related subject, but if you’re still working towards it, we’ll support you on that journey.

HoursThe hours for this post will be two full days and two half days: Tuesdays 9am5pm, Wednesdays 2pm6pm, Thursdays 9am5pm and Fridays 9am1pm, although some flexibility may be required.

Why this role mattersFor the children, it’s about adventure, discovery and belonging. For families, it’s about feeling supported and connected. And for you, it’s about knowing that every day, through play, you’re making a lasting difference.

This role requires membership of the PVG Scheme and a respect for our Christian ethos.

Apply today and be part of a team where play changes lives.

We also offer you a range of benefits that you would expect from an organisation that support others.

Firstly, there is access to a wide range of exclusive retail and leisure discounts through our rewards scheme and the Blue Light Discount card. We also ensure that your future and that of your loved ones is secured with a generous contributory pension plan and death in service benefit. Balancing work and family are made easier with our suite of enhanced family friendly policies and your health and wellness are prioritised with access to our health cash plan, giving you cash back for a wide range of health treatments. We even have access to a care concierge service to assist you with life's challenges, providing invaluable support when you need it most.

But we also know that your training and development is important to you, and as well as a contribution to your professional membership fees, we are keen to support you in making the right steps to learn, grow and develop in ways that are right for you.

CrossReach has been at the forefront of high quality social care for over 150 years, providing loving care to people of all ages and supporting them to live life to the full whatever their circumstances. During that time, we have worked hard to understand the needs of the people who turn to us for help and with them have been at the forefront of pioneering services which have literally changed thousands of lives for the better.

Today we are one of the largest social care providers in Scotland, with experience across a broad range of services. We are still growing, learning, and improving, thanks to the incredible people we have the privilege to support, and all those who support us. We are part of the Church of Scotland and aim to provide social care services and specialist resources in Christ’s name to further the caring work of the Church to people in challenging circumstances.

As we do our work in Christ’s name you must be respectful of our Christian Ethos and be able to work within it.

This post requires you to be a member of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme and undertake the necessary vetting checks. You will also be required to be registered with SSSC and it is your professional responsibility to ensure that you meet the standards and criteria for registration.

We have a legal obligation to ensure that we do not employ any worker who has not been granted the relevant permission to work in the UK. This permission is without exception granted by UK Visas and Immigrations. We are required to check the entitlement to work in the UK of all prospective employees, regardless of nationality or job category.

We are committed to ensuring that we attract, retain, and develop the very best people to build a diverse and talented team and we recognise that every individual’s unique background, experience and ability contributes to our success. We aim to create an inclusive and inspiring environment where individuals feel valued and respected and where people can belong, thrive and be their very best, whoever they are.

If you have any queries regarding this role or our recruitment process, please contact the Recruitment team on .uk

Please note: We reserve the right to close this advert prior to the closing date. Therefore, please make sure you complete and submit your application at an early stage.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES

Application Process: Please apply for this post by completing the application process on Jobtrain. You can find out more about our recruitment process here

CV Upload: DO NOT upload a CV as this will not be used for shortlisting purposes.

Deadline: Posts close at midnight on the indicated date.

Application Assistance: For help completing an application through Jobtrain, please click here

Accessibility : To view our recruitment accessibility statement, please click here

Communication: Please note that most of our communication is via email; therefore, please ensure you enter your email address accurately and ensure that “Jobtrian” and “CrossReach” are marked as safe email address. However, we will at times also call you or send you a text message.

Check Email Regularly: Please check your email regularly (including junk folders) and also your Jobtrain account for updates.Support Hub: