Playworker of the Year: A Playworker who embodies the Playwork Principles and has gone above and beyond to provide an excellent service for children, parents/carers and the local community.

Below are anonymised nominations for the shortlisted Playworkers. The panel were originally going to shortlist 3 Playworkers for this award but due to an overwhelming number of nominations and high scores across the board in this category we have decided to take 7 of these to the public vote.

Please read the descriptions below and cast your vote for the winner here.

My boys have been attending for over 10 years and Playworker 1 has continually improved year on year. It is impressive how after all this time she is willing to further her knowledge and offers exceptional care and opportunities to the children. My boys love that they spend the majority of their time outdoors whether it’s going to the allotment to plant or pick fruits and vegetables or going on a hike with a packed lunch to see the countryside and all it offers (even a Llama this summer). The boys love a fire to toast marshmallows or being given the freedom to climb trees and wade through streams. Playworker 1 gets stuck in with her own puddle suit and wellies and thoroughly enjoys the adventures as much as the kids. I don’t know how she does it or how she finds the time but she always finds interesting things to keep my boys busy in the holidays and they absolutely love her and the days they attend the club. As a parent I can go to work knowing they are safe but not being stuck in a hall bored.

Playworker 1 has made a massive leap in Playwork. Her setting continues to grow and the children have so many wonderful opportunities while at the club.

Playworker 1 takes me to the woods and we see the sheep and cows. I like painting conkers with mud and jumping in the stream. I love picking apples and getting seaweed to put on the mud to help the trees grow. Playworker 1 is funny.

Playworker 2 goes the extra mile. Playworker 2 will drop the children home to their door. If parents are struggling to pick the children up. They are a great listener and has time and respect for the children.

Playworker 2 enriches play and makes sure it is a fun place to be. They have had a difficult year with constant hospital appointment but never complains and never let ‘s the children see how some days are a real struggle.

Playworker 2 always has a smile and is so caring with the children, she treats them like her own.

Playworker 3 always goes above and beyond for the children. She organises daily outings for the children during holiday clubs and ensures the club is a home from home environment. She designs, arranges and leads the schedules. She has always put in a huge effort to create action packed activities and is very reliable, friendly and loved by all the children. She is amazingly organised and always prepared for a change in the weather and will change activities accordingly.

Playworker 3  is so lovely and my little girl love’s attending the setting, they make everything so fun.

They work really hard to keep all of the children in their care happy and entertained. The children are welcomed with warmth and calmness and they never want to leave at home time.

Playworker 4 attends to every part of her role with the children’s needs, enjoyment, and wellbeing in mind. A natural leader and encourages her team members to facilitate exciting activities for the children and supervise their play in a meaningful and hands-off way. When one of our team members asked to use the setting to host a coffee morning for Macmillan (a charity very close to their heart for a very recent reason) she not only supported the team member and volunteered to lend a hand on the day, but rallied local businesses to take part by donating prizes for a raffle she organised.

The children adore her, and it’s very obvious she cares about each of them a lot.

Playworker 4  is keen to ensure all children are included; she has experience with children with ALN that she draws on to best support children in our care.

Playworker 5 fully embodies the Playwork Principles in all areas of her work. She is extremely reliable and always goes above and beyond in her role as a Playworker. She plans and implements a wide range of fun, engaging and exciting activities and play opportunities for the children at the club. They include arts and crafts, games, quizzes and themed sessions. The children particularly love it when she organises a karaoke session!

She is warm, caring, bubbly, patient and above all lots of fun! She is very inclusive and always ensures that other cultures, beliefs and festivals are included in her planning. She has been the driving force behind the strong use of Welsh at the Club. She supports other members of staff to use Welsh throughout the setting. She has created a Welsh file (Dysgu Cymraeg) for each of the playrooms.

Playworker 5 also supports a child with additional medical needs. She undertook the necessary training to enable the child to attend the club. She works closely with the management team, the child’s parent’s, the school and the medical team to ensure the child’s needs are met. She has an excellent rapport with the child and ensures that they have the same opportunities as all the other children at the club.

Playworker 6 makes everything so much fun and is so friendly and approachable, she is always so nice and shows pure joy looking after the kids. Always takes time to chat and feedback on what my son has been up to at club.

I would not have been able to go back to work and progress without the help of Playworker 6. I always know that my little boy is getting all of the support and comfort he needs whilst he is in her care at the After School Club. She really takes the time to understand my little boy and his personality; he has a speech delay and I feel like even with this barrier he can overcome anything with the help of Playworker 6 at his side with us.

Playworker 7 has been a fantastic help for my daughter. They have always gone above and beyond to make sure she is well looked after. After a bad experience with another childcare provider, I was left to feel like an awful parent. I doubted myself and became very anxious. Playworker 7 put my mind at rest and help me realise I wasn’t an awful parent and my child was completely normal.

Cast your vote for the winner here.