Sandwell Council
Best Start in Life Inclusion Practitioner
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Best Start in Life Inclusion Practitioner
Grade/Salary: Band E - £31,537 - £36,363
Contract Type: Fixed Term (until 31 March 2029)
Hours: Full-time (secondments welcome)
Location: Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council
Sandwell Council is seeking seven passionate and experienced Best Start in Life Inclusion Practitioners to support children aged 0-5 with developmental, additional, or emerging needs and their families. Based within one of our seven Best Start Family Hubs, you will play a key role in ensuring children receive the right support at the earliest opportunity, particularly those who are not accessing early years provision or entitlements and those requiring support with their transition into Reception. Working closely with families, early years providers, schools, and partner agencies, you will help identify and respond to children's needs without reliance on formal diagnosis, complementing existing SEND services and improving outcomes for children across the borough.
In this role you will:
- Provide direct, flexible support to identify and respond to emerging additional needs in children aged 0-5.
- Work in partnership with parents and carers, providing support through home visits and agreed interventions.
- Support children's development through coaching, modelling good practice, and working alongside parents, carers, early years settings, childminders, and schools.
- Assess, plan, and deliver individual and group activity programmes that meet children's developmental needs.
- Develop and produce high-quality resources that demonstrate effective strategies and interventions for children with additional needs.
- Deliver training and support to individuals and groups within early years settings, community groups, and partner services.
- Coordinate provision and ensure appropriate support programmes are in place for children with additional needs.
- Make timely referrals and work collaboratively with Inclusion Support, Children's Services, Early Years Settings, Local Authority teams, NHS services, and other partners.
- Complete reports and documentation to a consistently high standard, meeting statutory and organizational deadlines.
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Attributes that you would bring to the role:
- NNEB, BTEC, or NVQ Level 3 in Childcare and Education (or equivalent or higher qualification related to Child Development/Education).
- A minimum of two years post-qualification experience of direct work with children aged 0-5 with SEND.
- Experience of working with children with SEND within early years settings.
- Experience of supporting or delivering training to parents and carers.
- Recent practical experience of implementing effective strategies and interventions that improve outcomes for children's development.
- Strong communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to engage positively and empathetically with parents and carers.
- The ability to work collaboratively with a wide range of professionals and services to secure the best outcomes for children and families.
Closing date: Friday 7th August 2026 - 17:00PM
Shortlisting: 12th August 2026
Planned interview date: 19th August 2026
To find out more, please visit our careers page: We Are Sandwell – We Are Sandwell
Please submit a CV and supporting statement to Sheona Grey on sheona_grey@sandwell.gov.uk
Click here to find out more about our One Team Framework: Values and Behaviours
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We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should a high number of applications be received. Applicants are therefore strongly encouraged to apply as soon as possible.
If you are an internal candidate and currently at risk, please let the recruiting manager know.
We place equality, diversity, and inclusion at the core of who we are and how we lead, where every voice matters. At Sandwell, we recognize and value the richness that comes from diverse lived experiences, perspectives, backgrounds, and identities. This diversity makes us a stronger and more effective council.
We welcome applications from all backgrounds and are committed to building a workplace where everyone feels they belong, are treated fairly, and have the opportunity to thrive. Creating an environment where colleagues feel respected, supported, and able to contribute fully is central to our culture and the way we work. We are committed to ensuring that all applicants and employees have equitable access to opportunities. Reasonable adjustments are available throughout the recruitment process and within the workplace so that everyone has the support they need to perform at their best and succeed in their role.
If you have any questions relating to equality, diversity, and inclusion, you can contact the EDI Team at EDI_Team@sandwell.gov.uk.
If you wish to apply as Care Leaver or a Disability Confident candidate, please make sure to state this when submitting your CV.
If you have a disability and require assistance in submitting your CV, please contact sheona_grey@sandwell.gov.uk
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