Job info	Job info details
Job title	Best Start Inclusion Practitioner - 37 hours
Strategic team/Directorate	Children's Services
Service	Education and SEND
Business unit	Best Start in Life and Family Hubs
Responsible to (day to day issues)	Early Language Consultant
Accountable to (line manager)	Head of Service Best Start in Life and Family Hubs
Salary grade	Grade F
JE ref	CSERV068

1. Key purpose of job

• To provide flexible, practical support to families, practitioners and partners to help identify, understand and respond to developmental needs at the earliest opportunity, across the Best Start Family Hub network and within the wider community.
• Work collaboratively with professionals across education, health, SEND and the voluntary and community sector to strengthen early support and improve developmental outcomes for children.
• Focus on early identification, practical family facing support and inclusive practice, helping families access timely help without waiting for diagnosis.
• This role complements existing SEND and early years services and does not replace statutory or case holding functions.

2. Anticipated outcomes of post

• Strengthen inclusive practice and workforce confidence across the Best Start Family Hub network.
• Improve access to coordinated early support for families through clear pathways and joined up partnership working.
• Improve early identification of children 0-5 with emerging additional needs.
• Increase parental confidence in understanding and responding to their child’s developmental needs.
• Support better developmental outcomes and smoother transitions into early education and school.

3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post

• As an Employee of Torbay Council all roles are expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. The Designated Senior Lead for Safeguarding is the Chief Executive and Director of Children’s Services.
• Provide direct, flexible support to families where there are emerging concerns about child development, inclusion or possible additional needs.
• Support the development and delivery of a clear and accessible Best Start Family Hub SEND offer for children aged 0–5, aligned with local priorities and promote this across the early years system.
• Support and empower families to understand concerns about their child’s development and to access appropriate help at the right time.
• Signpost families to relevant services, trusted community organisations, peer support networks and family support opportunities.
• Use evidence-based and evidence-informed tools and approaches to support early identification and contribute to their direct delivery to families to improve outcomes.
• Contribute to the development of local resources and tools to ensure information, advice and signposting is clear and accessible to families.
• Work with a range of partners across Torbay, ensuring that support is available to families without requiring a formal diagnosis before help can be accessed.
• Promote inclusive practice across the Best Start Family Hub network and support staff to confidently respond to a wide range of developmental and additional needs.
• Promote access to early education entitlements and inclusive opportunities for children with SEND, additional needs or emerging needs.
• Work collaboratively with health, education, SEND and community partners to provide coordinated support for children and families, through the Section 23 Notification process, with joined up planning and delivery within the Family Hubs using the graduated response.
• Contribute to the implementation of national and local inclusion standards and provide advice, coaching and informal support to staff across the Family Hub network on agreed localised tools and approaches.

4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post

• None.

5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post

• None.

6. Working environment and conditions of the post

• Normal working conditions.
• Working within the Family Hub and wider community.

7. Physical demands of the post

• Normal physical demands.

8. Specific resources used by the post

• Normal resources.

9. Key contacts and relationships

External

• Families, Local Early Years Providers, Schools, 0-19, Community Groups, Other Local Authorities, Family Hubs.

Internal

• Other Members of the Home Learning Environment and Early Years Team, Other Torbay Council Departments.

10. Other duties

• To undertake additional duties as required, commensurate with the level of the job.

Other Information

• All staff must commit to the Workplace Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Practice and Policy.
• Torbay Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo the checks appropriate to the post applied for.
• The post holder is expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures and are aware that the Chief Executive and the Director for Childrens Services are the Safeguarding Leads for the Council.
• This post is based at Electric House and the Family Hubs but the post holder may be required to move their base to any other location within the Council at a future date.
• As this post meets the requirements in respect of exempted questions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, all applicants who are offered employment will be subject to a criminal record check (Disclosure) from the Disclosure & Barring Service before the appointment is confirmed. This will include details of ALL cautions, reprimands or final warnings as well as convictions, whether “spent” or “unspent”. Criminal convictions will only be taken into account when they are relevant to the post.
• The Council operates a Smoke-Free Policy and the post-holder is prohibited from smoking in any of the Council's buildings (including Council owned and Council leased buildings, but excluding designated areas in residential schemes), enclosed spaces within the curtilage of buildings, and Council vehicles. The Council does not permit smoking breaks within work time, however, in services where the flexi-scheme is in operation, employees may take reasonable break times outside of core hours, in accordance with flexi-time arrangements. Employees should follow the flexi-scheme procedure for agreeing time away from their duties in the normal manner with their immediate colleagues and line manager, with break start and finish times being recorded, as with any other break-time arrangement. 
• The post-holder is expected to familiarise themselves with and adhere to all relevant Council Policies and Procedures.
• The post-holder must comply with the Council’s Health and Safety requirements as outlined in the H&S policy appropriate to the role.
• The post-holder must be committed to the Council’s Core Values for employees – “Torbay Council employees are committed to being forward thinking, people orientated and adaptable - always with integrity”. Evidence will be sought during the probation and appraisal processes.
• If this post is customer facing, it will require the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.
• If you are required to access a government system such as HMRC, DWP or The Public services network (PSN) as part of your role with the Council you will be required to complete a basic disclose with your line manager before you can access these systems. Your manager will be required to complete a verification form that confirms your identity, nationality and immigration status, employment history and unspent convictions (third party).
• If you are required to use your own vehicle on Council business or drive a council vehicle you will be asked to provide information on any driving endorsements by accessing gov.uk/view-driving-licence and providing a code to your Line Manager in order to share your driving licence information with the Council.

Person Specification

Note for Candidate

All Candidates

The supporting statement on your application form will be used to assess ability to meet the essential requirements of the role, so you should explain how you meet each of the numbered essential requirements within your supporting statement. In a competitive situation, the desirable criteria may be taken into consideration, so you are encouraged to show how you also meet each of the desirable criteria.

Candidates who consider that they have a disability

Reasonable adjustments will be made to the job, job requirements or recruitment process for candidates with a disability.

If you consider yourself to have a disability you should indicate this on your application form, providing any information you would like us to take into account with regard to your disability in order to offer a fair selection interview.

Where ever possible and reasonable we will make adjustments and offer alternatives to help you through the application and selection process.

If you have indicated that you have a disability on your application form you will be guaranteed an interview if you clearly demonstrate in your supporting evidence how you broadly meet the essential requirements of the role.

Job info	Job info details
Job Title	Best Start Inclusion Practitioner - 37 hours
Strategic team/Directorate	Children's Services
Service	Education and SEND
Business unit	Best Start in Life and Family Hubs

Skills and effectiveness

Essential skills and effectiveness

• Ability to communicate clearly and sensitively with parents, carers and professionals.
• Ability to work on own initiative and also as part of a team.
• Ability to organise and prioritise work with minimum supervision.
• Ability to use professional judgement and work collaboratively in a range of situations.
• Ability to observe children’s development and identify emerging concerns.
• Ability to maintain accurate records and contribute to monitoring and evaluation.
• Willingness to share expertise, skills and knowledge and work as part of a multi professional team.
• To demonstrate a commitment to inclusion, equality and improving outcomes for children and families.
• Ability to use data and intelligence to identify and target areas of work.
• This role requires the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.

Desirable skills and effectiveness

• Effective ICT skills.

Knowledge

Essential knowledge

• Strong knowledge of child development from birth to age 5, in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage Guidance.
• Understanding of SEND in the early years, including early identification and inclusive practice.
• Knowledge of local SEND systems, pathways and services.
• Understanding of the role of Best Start Family Hubs in supporting children and families.
• Knowledge of evidence-based practice in early years.
• A sound working knowledge of safeguarding practice and the local offer.

Desirable knowledge

• An understanding of the current SEND, Family Hubs and Children Services National and local policy drivers.

Experience and achievements

Essential experience and achievements

• Experience of working with families providing child development support in the early years, either in a Family Hub, health service, early help team, childcare setting, school or community group.
• Experience of modelling or promoting inclusive practice in an early years, family support, education or health context.
• Experience of supporting children with emerging additional needs and/or SEND.
• Experience of multi-agency working.

Desirable experience and achievements

• Experience of delivering group-based or parent-child interventions.

Qualifications/professional memberships

Essential qualifications/professional memberships

• NVQ Level 3 (or equivalent) in Early Years and Childcare or related field.

Desirable qualifications/professional memberships

• Relevant NVQ Level 4 or higher qualification in Early Years and Childcare or related field.
• Evidence of work related up to date continual professional development.

Other requirements

Other requirements of the job role

• Demonstrates a commitment to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people.
• Ability to travel efficiently around the Bay.
• Ability to accommodate flexible working.
• Ability to accommodate occasional home-working.