Best Start in Life Early Help Professional (part-time 7.4 hrs per week)

• Best_Start_in_Life_Early_Help_Professional_-_JD_PS_Apr_26
• Candidate_Pack_-_People_Directorate_-_Mar_2026

Please apply online via the link provided.

We are looking for aBest Start in Life Early (BSIL) Help Professional to help shape brighter outcomes for children and families from the very start. In this rewarding, community-focused role, you will deliver engaging parenting support, build trusted relationships and help parents and carers access early learning and development opportunities, especially where barriers exist. At Bracknell Forest, we pride ourselves on being a council which is stable and well-managed where our employees can thrive in a supportive environment. We understand the importance of a healthy work-life balance and offer a variety of flexible working practices, including options for remote working and arrangements that allow you to work from home, dependent on the needs of the service.

About you…

We are seeking a dynamic BSIL Early Help Professional to help bring our Best Start in Life offer to life - supporting the delivery of engaging group activities for parents/carers and children, and inspiring families to get involved. You will encourage active participation in high-quality early learning, development and play experiences, with a particular focus on reaching families who may have faced barriers to accessing support. Working in line with the Best Start in Life initiative, you will help build confidence, strengthen relationships and make a positive, lasting difference for children and their families.

About the team…

Working in Early Help means being part of a dedicated, supportive team focused on empowering children and families at the earliest stage. We build meaningful relationships, problem‑solve creatively, and work collaboratively with partners to create positive, lasting change. Our strong parenting offer is central to this, providing high‑quality group programmes and tailored support that helps parents develop confidence and skills. It is a purposeful, varied role where you see the real impact of your work on families’ wellbeing and resilience.

Key responsibilities...

As a Best Start in Life Early Help Professional, you will:

• deliver one-to-one parenting intervention contributing to a team around the family model, as per the guidance of the Lead Professional
• maintain a range of strategies and resources that reflect evidenced-based practice, including BSIL and Reducing Parental Conflict, to effectively engage children, parents, families, partners and communities both one-to-one and in a group setting
• work collaboratively with parents, expectant parents, new parents and carers within Family Hubs and the wider community, supporting engagement in both their children’s learning and their own development, while initiating and leading new activities where appropriate
• establish and maintain effective working relationships with statutory and voluntary agencies to ensure a high standard of service to families

Our benefits…

• 28 days* annual leave increasing to 33 days* after 3 years’ continuous service, with the opportunity to buy up to 10 and sell up to 5 days*.
• Hybrid working opportunities to support your wellbeing and work-life balance.
• Paid employee volunteering scheme.
• Local government pension scheme, with life insurance cover.
• Recognition of continuous service attained within the NHS and UKHSA when calculating some benefits. (Terms and Conditions apply)
• Career development through internal and external training opportunities.
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and fostering leave.
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support your health and wellbeing
• Inclusive and social working environment with a variety of staff networks and a sports and social club.

*(pro rata for part time)

Find out more about all our benefits or see the candidate pack.

Our values

At Bracknell Forest Council our values define who we are and what is important to us. Our core values are inclusive, ambitious, and always learning. These values influence the way we work with each other and the way we serve our residents and engage with our communities. We make our values real by demonstrating them in how we behave every day. If you are excited about joining a diverse team that celebrates learning and strives for excellence, we would love to hear from you.

Reasonable adjustments

We are committed to ensuring an inclusive recruitment process for all applicants. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support your application or interview, please let us know by contacting recruitment@bracknell-forest.gov.uk. We will work with you to support you throughout the process. Find out more about reasonable adjustments.

Interview date

The interviews' date is to be confirmed.

Interviews will be held online via the Teams app. We reserve the right to amend this to in person interviews at our offices.

We will be reviewing applications regularly and reserve the right to close the advert early if suitable candidates are identified. To avoid disappointment, you are advised to submit your application as soon as possible.

Please note AI is prohibited during the interview, any candidate using AI will be withdrawn from consideration.

Want to ask us a question?

For an informal discussion or to ask any questions about this role, please contact:

Sophie Reeve, BSIL Team Leader on 01344 464704.

Bracknell Forest Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect everyone employed with us to share this commitment. All successful candidates for this role will be subject to a DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) check as part of our pre-employment checks process.

We can only accept applications from candidates currently residing in the UK.

Candidates currently residing in the UK who require sponsorship to work are encouraged to assess their eligibility for a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) based on the relevant criteria. Please be aware that sponsorship availability varies and is subject to eligibility requirements and budget limitations. As a result, we cannot guarantee sponsorship for all roles and will evaluate sponsorship requests on a case-by-case basis.

No agencies please