Early Years Practitioner

Job Introduction

Early Years Practitioner – Inclusion Support SEND

Are you committed to transforming life chances by holding children and young people at the heart of everything you do? Our ambition in Solihull is for all our children and young people to have access to a high quality, inclusive education which empowers them to lead independent and successful lives. We want you to help us make this happen.

We are looking for two full time Early Years Practitioners to join our Early Years Team to support families and settings to meet the needs of children with SEND. We need people with a real passion and enthusiasm to help shape the future of our services and the lives of young children.

About the Role

The Early Years' Team brings together the statutory and non-statutory duties in relation to improving outcomes and reducing inequalities for all young children aged 0-5 into a single team.

Our service focuses upon building the quality capacity of early years' providers across the maintained, private, voluntary and independent sector, whilst creating the flexibility to provide an early help offer and higher level of intervention for those children with the most complex needs through support in both homes and their setting.

Key responsibilities include:

• Ensuring children in Early Years' settings achieve positive outcomes and transfer effectively into early education.
• Empowering educational settings to develop inclusive practice and environments and confidently support children with additional needs (including SEND)
• Taking a lead role in ensuring individual children have their needs identified and assessed early and receive the holistic support they need to respond to these.

About You

To be successful in this role, you will need to demonstrate:

• A relevant professional qualification in early years / education / health therapies equivalent to Level 4, OR equivalent experience in a relevant field.
• Evidence of continual professional development e.g. SEND qualification or training, Early Years SENCO training
• Experience of holistic assessment, planning and review of support for children with additional needs/SEND
• Experience of multi-agency working and working across organisational boundaries

This rewarding role will challenge you and your ability to support parents and staff and communicate and explain complex decisions and processes to settings and parents.

Our Offer to You

Our offices are based in central Solihull within walking distance of shops and local amenities, however, much of your role will be working in early years settings, including schools. You will also have the option of working from home when completing report writing, visit notes and preparing for training or visits.

We also offer:

• A range of flexible working options, including flexi –time scheme
• A comprehensive training and development programme
• Generous annual leave entitlements with opportunity to buy up to 10 days additional leave per year
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme – a 24 hour independent, free and confidential advice and support service
• Family and carer friendly policies
• Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme
• Employee benefits including subsidised travel passes, Cycle 2 Work Scheme and staff discounts.

Contact Us

To apply, click the link. Your application should be in your own words and reflect your own personal experiences.

For further information or an informal discussion regarding this role, please contact:

Lisa Morris, Early Years Team Manager, on Tel: or Mobile: or via email at

Or

Jane Glassey, Early Years Lead – SEND, on Tel:

The closing date for applications is 5 November 25.

Interviews will be held on 14 November 25.

Further Information

Please note we are not accept CVs for this opportunity.

An online search will be carried out for all shortlisted candidates.

This post will require a Disclosure and Barring check for regulated activity with children.

This post is a full-time post which requires regular daily travel across the borough of Solihull. This is an essential car user post as the demands of the job make it operationally essential and there is a contractual requirement to make a suitable vehicle available to ensure the requirements of the job can be carried out effectively.

Applicants must be able to drive, have a driving licence and have access to a vehicle, however for disabled applicants, reasonable adjustments will be made where required.

This post if covered by the Fluency Duty, as outlined in the Code of Practice on the English language requirements for public sector workers.

Solihull Council has a responsibility for, and a commitment to, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and requires all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Solihull Council is proud to be an Equal Opportunities Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees - a place where we can all be ourselves and succeed on merit.