Senior Childcare Practitioner

We are looking for a qualified Senior Childcare Practitioner to join our Team in Stonehaven.

This is a part time role of 12 hours / week covering Tuesdays and Thursdays after school and Saturday from approximately 9.30am-3,30pm. Additional hours to be discussed.

The salary is £10.70/hour.

**Full Job Description**:
The Senior Childcare Practitioner is responsible to the Services Manager, or a nominated line manager within the service They are to deliver a high standard of quality care to children with Additional Support Needs. They will have knowledge and understanding of Pre Birth to Three and Curriculum for Excellence and be able to enhance this with quality assurance, monitoring, observations and self-evaluation. As per the Scottish Social Services Council Qualification (SSSC), you must hold a childcare practice qualification, and have or be working towards SVQ 4.
- **Specific Responsibilities’ Include**:_
- Plan learning experiences to accommodate the age and stage of development of the children attending.
- Working with the Manager and staff to maintain compliance with all aspects of the regulatory framework and best practice guidelines. Promoting high standards of quality within the setting regarding the environment and resources, experiences offered to children and planning.
- Maintaining records for quality assurance, sharing information with parents and carers, staff, and regulatory bodies as required, including individual files for each child that are maintained to a high standard and contain all information required, including regular communication with parents.
- Supervision of staff employed or assigned to each setting, ensuring ratios are maintained; staff rotas are compiled and communicated to them, staff have duties assigned, and have appropriate support and supervision.
- Ensuring resources are available and used effectively including staff, space, play and learning resources and highlighting any shortages to the Lead Practitioner.
- Liaising with other staff employed within the service to ensure a high standard of cleanliness is maintained within each service, and all aspects of Health and Safety are maintained, including regular risk assessments, fire drills and security.
- Promoting the services available to parents, potential referrers and stakeholders including local authority, health, and employability services through presentations, media and printed material.
- Ensuring that the care and learning is monitored in relation to stated objectives and that the effectiveness is regularly assessed through evaluation involving service users to inform continuous improvement and development plans.
- **E**nsuring that the service is non-discriminatory with respect to gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, religion or disability.
- Having knowledge and understanding of allocating team duties, including rotas, covering for short term absences and assisting in the maintenance of a booking system.
- Taking responsibility as required of any of the services in the Service Managers absence, including allocating duties, supervising the team, organising any changes to bookings, and dealing with emergency situations should they arise.
- To undertake training, both in house and externally, and engage completely with our training hub Azilo, and encourage all team members to do so maintaining required levels for good practice and CPD
- Any other relevant duties as agreed by the Management Team.

The job remit is a broad picture of the post at the date of preparation. It is not an exhaustive list of all possible duties and it is recognised that jobs change and evolve.
- **Personal Specifications**:_

**Essential**:

- A good standard of education and hold a relevant professional qualification required for a lead practitioner role.
- Knowledge of the legal documentation and frameworks relevant to the role.
- Previous experience of implementation of the Curriculum for Excellence, Pre-Birth to Three, GIRFEC and monitoring against SHANARI outcomes.
- Member of PVG scheme for children, SSSC Registered.
- Experience of evaluation to defined outcomes
- Effective communicator, verbal and written, to a wide range of people including children, parents, staff, regulatory bodies, senior officials and members of the local community, through conversation, reports, and written information.
- Experience of implementing systems for continual improvement.

**Desirable**:

- Experience of supervising a team within a registered service.
- Experience of liaison with other agencies at a senior level and interagency work.

**Further information**:

- **Period of appointment**:The appointment is permanent
- **Salary**:£11.50 per hour
- **Hours of work**:12hrs per week (plus additional hours during school holidays)
- **Holidays**:37 paid days pro rata including Public Holidays
- **Pension**: The FCSS Pension scheme is a Flexible Retirement Plan, with The Pensions Trust. On appointment you will be automatically enrolled but follow