Healthy Child Practitioner

• Suffolk County Council
• Address: Treehouse Family Hub, 251 Clapgate Lane, Ipswich IP3 0RH - Community Based 
• Salary: £28,598 - £33,699 per annum, pro-rata if part time
• Hours: 37 hours per week - Flexible working options available 
• Contract: Fixed term or Secondment for 1 year

Make a Real Difference in Suffolk

At Suffolk County Council, we're passionate about creating brighter futures for children and families. As a Healthy Child Practitioner, you'll play a vital role in supporting children from pregnancy to age five, helping them get the best possible start in life. You'll join a forward-thinking, supportive team that values collaboration, innovation, and diversity.

Reimagine what's possible for your career and your community.

Your role and responsibilities  

 As a Healthy Child Practitioner you will: 

• Work directly with families to support the social, emotional, physical, and intellectual development of children from pregnancy to age five, delivering the Healthy Child Programme and Children's Centre statutory framework.
• Empower parents to build strong bonds with their children and become positive role models and educators.
• Carry out developmental assessments, plan and deliver group sessions, and provide home visits for families on universal and universal plus pathways.
• Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to deliver evidence-based, universal and targeted services, following our Standard Operating Procedures and governance frameworks.

 You will need 

•  Experience working directly with children (under 5s) and families, supporting development, attachment, play, and learning.
• Strong assessment skills for children's health and developmental needs.
• Excellent communication, IT, and teamwork skills.
• A passion for making a difference and a commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and families.

You can view a full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile (docx). If you believe you can succeed in this role, apply. Even if you don't meet all requirements, still apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application. 

Why join us? 

• A welcoming, inclusive team that values your ideas and individuality.
• Career development opportunities, including induction, in-house training, and ongoing learning.
• Flexible and hybrid working options to support your work-life balance.
• The chance to make a real impact in your community.

 Empowering Everyone 

We're big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We're always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially male applicants and those from ethnic minority groups.  These groups are currently underrepresented in this service.

Please contact Jess Howard (she/her) for a casual conversation.  You can reach her by calling or emailing

If you want to apply for a secondment, read the secondment policy first. Make sure you get permission from your current manager before submitting your application. 

 How to apply

Step 1 - Read the Job and Person Profile (JPP) (docx).

Step 2 - Click 'Apply Now' to start your online application.

Step 3 - Upload a supporting statement answering the following questions below (no more than 400 words per question). You should use the Supporting Statement template.

• Question 1 - What makes you the ideal candidate for this role? Tell us about your skills and experience, and how they relate to the Healthy Child Practitioner position.
• Question 2 - How do you demonstrate your commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults?  Please provide specific examples.
• Question 3 - Describe how you listen, support, and motivate children, young people, and their families.  Share real-life situations where you've made a difference.
• Question 4 - How do you remain calm and effective in stressful situations?  Give an example of when you managed pressure successfully.
• Question 5 - Tell us about a time you worked effectively as part of a team. What was your role, and what did you contribute to the team's success?

We value authentic applications that showcase your genuine skills and experiences. Applications suspected of being generated by AI may be rejected. We encourage you to present your own work and ideas throughout the application process. 

If you require any reasonable adjustments to the application process before the next selection stage, please contact our Recruitment Team by emailing  or calling If you are invited to the next stage of selection, you will have another opportunity to request adjustments for the next stages of the process.  

Closing date: 11.30pm, 10 November 2025

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts. 

This role is mostly in the community, but you may also work from home sometimes. Additionally, you will have an office base. If you want to discuss how that might affect your work, please talk to the contact in the advert.