SEND Practitioner

Job introduction

You can also see our full list of employee benefits on our careers site here: Why you should work for us | West Northamptonshire Council

About the role

As a SEND Practitioner, you'll work alongside children, families and early years professionals to provide practical support where it's needed most. From delivering Portage in family homes to supporting children in nurseries, schools and Family Hubs, you'll help build the skills, confidence and foundations that can make a lasting difference in a child's early years.

Working primarily with children aged 0-5, you'll support families at different stages of their SEND journey. Some may be exploring concerns about their child's development for the first time, while others may already have support in place. Whatever their circumstances, you'll help children access opportunities, develop new skills and achieve meaningful progress in everyday life.

This is a role that takes you out into the community and into the environments where children learn, play and grow. You'll build strong relationships with families, work closely with educational settings and become a trusted source of support for the people around each child.

This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore subject to an enhanced DBS certificate. It is also a regulated activity and will be subject to a Children and Adults Barred List check. West Northamptonshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Additional information

You're likely to be at your best when working directly with children, families and practitioners, helping people find practical solutions and celebrating the progress that follows.

You may currently work in early years, SEND support, education, family support or a similar environment and will already have experience supporting children with additional needs. Just as importantly, you'll understand the value of building strong relationships and helping others feel confident in supporting children to achieve their potential.

You'll be someone who communicates naturally, builds trust easily and enjoys working collaboratively with families and professionals. You'll bring curiosity, patience and a willingness to adapt your approach to meet the needs of each child and family.

Most of all, you'll believe in the value of early intervention and the difference it can make. You'll take pride in helping children achieve outcomes that matter to them and their families and enjoy being part of the small moments of progress that can have a lasting impact.

Company information

At West Northants Council, it’s about our people. People who thrive with ambition, bubble with new ideas, demand better ways of working, caring about every detail, and who never shy away from a challenge. Our culture is a gateway for new experiences. A place to forge new opportunities. To empower you in your career and unite you with like-minded people.

Our vision is ‘to make West Northants a great place to live, work, visit and thrive’. We truly stand by this and work hard every day to make this a reality. Our corporate values, THRIVE, stand for: Trust, High Performance, Respect, Innovate and Empower, they underpin everything we do and how we deliver services. Hear from our Chief Executive, Martin Henry, about building a career at WNC.

We are committed to ensuring diversity, equality, equity, and inclusion is woven into the fabric of WNC and everything we do, to enable all colleagues to develop and maximize their full potential.  We are a disability confident employer, a member of the Armed Forces Covenant, and a Care Leaver Covenant partner

The following film was created by us to communicate our intentions - watch WNC colleagues explain what DEI means to us.

If you need additional support or reasonable adjustments during the application process, including needing the job description in another format or language, please email careers@westnorthants.gov.uk for support.

Please note we reserve the right to close the advert early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications, so we recommend applying as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

West Northants Council, where careers thrive.