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Play Worker

Bolton Council

Bolton£25,583Closes: 24/05/2026

Grade C SCP 5 £25,583p/a- £15,211.51 Pro rata.
Contract: 2x 22 hours per week(average: 18 hours Term Time, 37 hours Holidays) Permanent
Essential Requirement: 17+, DBS
Essential Qualification: Professional qualification at Level 2 in Early Years, Child Care or Play Work (or equivalent)
Interview date: TBC
For further information about this role, contact Joanne King Joanne.king@bolton.gov.uk

Unfortunately, we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)
We embrace AI to enhance our operations and to innovate our services. However, we value human talent and are looking for passionate individuals to join our organisation. Please ensure you personally complete your application and read all the instructions carefully to maximise your chances of success.

Applications that rely too heavily on AI may be rejected during shortlisting, however we understand that AI may be used as a reasonable adjustment, if using AI to support your application, please give a brief explanation why to help ensure fair selection process.
Ask us about flexible working options to fit with your work/life balance - #HappytoTalkFlexible

The Role
No two days are the same in this rewarding, hands-on role. As a Play Worker, you’ll be at the heart of creating fun, safe and inspiring experiences for children and young people. This is more than just a jobit’s a chance to make a real difference. You’ll help create an inclusive environment where every child feels supported, confident and able to thrive, while delivering engaging activities and supporting individual needs.
The role requires the successful candidate to work on our after school club sessions which are typically 3.15pm-5.45pm term time and 1 or 2 junior youth club sessions which run 6.15pm-8.45pm week day evenings. The service also requires the successful candidate to work full time, day time hours in the school holidays.
One of the roles requires applicants to have a qualification in Early Years as this is run at our Ofsted Registered Child Care provision at Castle Hill.

About You
You’re passionate about working with children and young people and bring a warm, approachable and patient attitude. You know how to create a fun, safe and inclusive environment where every child can thrive. A strong team player with excellent communication skills, you’re reliable, flexible and ready to get stuck inincluding evenings and weekends. You’re also open to learning and development, with a willingness to undertake training as needed.

About Us
This is your opportunity to join us at an exciting time as we have strong ambitions for the borough.

Bolton is a great place to work. We are a welcoming organisation that wants to contribute to a place where people feel active, connected and prosperous. We are passionate about improving the outcomes and experience of Bolton people. We want Bolton to be a vibrant place built on strong cohesive communities, successful businesses and healthy, engaged residents.

As an employer we want to thank our employees for their hard work and commitment, by giving them the opportunity to access a range of exclusive rewards and benefits, including discounts and exclusive gym membership prices and salary sacrifice schemes. In addition, we offer a generous annual leave allowance, flexible work opportunities, access to a Pension Scheme, as well as a range of employee wellbeing and support services.

Our Values are really important to us, read all about them below, along with all our great staff benefits, the job description/person specification for the role and the important legal bits, and our Top Tips too.

Ready to apply? Then please click Apply and explain how you meet the points on the person specification.

Within Greater Manchester, local authorities have made a commitment to improve the employment opportunities for people with disabilities, care leavers, carers, and ex-military personnel. Please see greater.jobs for further information before you apply.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable adults and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) clearance - this post is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (amended in 2013). Employment offers are conditional subject to satisfactory clearances. For roles where a criminal records check from the DBS is required, this includes satisfactory clearance of this check. The possession of a criminal record will not necessarily bar an individual from working with us. This will depend on the nature of the position and the circumstances and background of an individual’s offence/s. Information provided by you or the DBS will be dealt with in a confidential manner and in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice which can be viewed here. Bolton Council’s policy on the Employment of Ex-Offenders is available here.

This post is a designated customer facing role under the fluency duty and requires a specified level of spoken English as per the person specification.

This organisation has signed up to the Greater Manchester Continuous Service Commitment. That means we will recognise your continuous or ‘unbroken’ service in any Greater Manchester local authority or NHS organisation that has signed the commitment, Transport for Greater Manchester, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service or Greater Manchester Combined Authority, giving you access to our service-related benefits. Please see the home page of greater.jobs for more information.

For more information about working for Bolton Council, please see greater.jobs; for advice and support with your application, contact recruitment@bolton.gov.uk


Supporting Documents

Playworker JD
Privacy and Cookie Policy
Top Tips
Staff Benefits
Our Values & Behaviours
Documents for DBS
Documents for Right to Work