My Ohana
Early Years Key Worker - IKEA Reading
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Keyworker – Early Years Practitioner
Location: IKEA Reading
Hours: 30 hours per week, Monday–Sunday on a rota basis
Salary: £14.46 per hour
Reports to: Crèche Manager
Role Purpose
As an IKEA Key Worker, you will be responsible for providing high-quality care and engaging play experiences for children aged 3–10 years, whilst supporting the safe, effective and compliant day-to-day operation of the crèche.
You will take responsibility for the operation of the crèche in the absence of the Crèche Manager, acting as a key point of contact for colleagues, parents, IKEA colleagues and My Ohana support teams.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide a safe, inclusive and engaging environment for children, delivering age-appropriate play and activities.
- Support the planning and delivery of a programme of activities and promote positive experiences for all children.
- Ensure children are appropriately supervised and that safeguarding and welfare requirements are maintained at all times.
- Communicate professionally and effectively with children, parents, colleagues and clients.
- Take responsibility for the day-to-day operation of the crèche in the Manager's absence.
- Ensure required health and safety checks, opening and closing procedures and risk assessments are completed, escalating concerns appropriately.
- Ensure staffing ratios, qualifications and other statutory requirements are maintained and colleagues are deployed effectively.
- Organise colleague breaks and support the arrangement of staffing cover where required, including agency cover.
- Provide guidance and support to colleagues and appropriately manage or escalate colleague conflict and performance concerns.
- Respond appropriately to complaints, incidents and safeguarding concerns, ensuring these are recorded and escalated in line with My Ohana procedures.
- Support children with additional needs, ensuring appropriate care plans and risk assessments are in place where required.
- Ensure relevant systems, records, paperwork and confidential information are managed appropriately.
- Maintain awareness of applicable statutory frameworks and regulatory requirements and ensure these are followed.
- Liaise with My Ohana Operations, the People Team and IKEA Duty Manager as required.
- Escalate any matter outside the scope of the Keyworker's responsibility to the appropriate Manager or support team.
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What You'll Need to Succeed
- Experience working with children aged 3–10 years.
- Minimum Level 3 childcare qualification or Playworker Level 3 qualification (pre-2014).
- Experience working confidently and independently within a childcare environment.
- Strong understanding of safeguarding and child welfare.
- Ability to communicate effectively with children, parents and colleagues.
- Ability to support and guide colleagues and take responsibility for the day-to-day running of the crèche.
- Ability to remain calm, organised and make appropriate decisions in a busy environment.
- Understanding of health and safety, staffing ratios and relevant statutory requirements.
- Confidence using relevant IT systems and following My Ohana procedures.
- Flexible, caring, enthusiastic and professional approach.
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Keyworker Accountability
As a keyworker, you will be expected to take ownership of the safe and effective operation of the crèche when the Crèche Manager is unavailable, being confident and able to manage day-to-day operational matters, and confident in lines of reporting to Operations or Central Support.
As a keyworker, you will be required to complete the relevant Keyworker training and sign-off before undertaking the full responsibilities of the role.
Equal Opportunities
My Ohana is an equal opportunities employer and values equity, inclusion and diversity. We welcome people of different nationalities, backgrounds, beliefs, experiences, abilities and perspectives.
We commit to continuing to build a more diverse workforce, which is inclusive and supportive for every individual.
Applicants will need to show they have the right to work in the United Kingdom and the successful candidate will be subject to a DBS, reference and social media checks.
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