Senior Early Years Practitioner 0-5

Grade 7- £43680-£48003pa- Senior Early Years Practitioner Starting Well – Early Help and Targeted Family Support.

Are you passionate about working with children and families and supporting them to live happy, healthy lives? Do you thrive in a fast-paced environment, ensuring services meet the needs of the local area and our young residents? We’re looking for a dedicated and skilled Senior Early Years Practitioner to join our Early Help and Targeted Family Support Service.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a pivotal role in delivering high-quality intervention within Children’s Services, ensuring the right support reaches the right child at the right time. If you’re ready to take the next step in your career and lead a team that makes a genuine difference, we’d love to hear from you.

As part of our Starting Well service, you will provide leadership, oversight, and operational support to our Early Years Practitioners. You will work to deliver effective high-quality services following the Best Start for Life Offer, underpinned by the Early Years Foundation Stages framework. This will include the delivery of universal and targeted services which are designed to improve outcomes for young children and their families, by reducing inequalities particularly for those families in greatest need.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and Inspire: Manage and supervise a team of early years practitioners, ensuring high-quality Early Help services and positive outcomes for children and families.
• Collaborate Across Sectors: Work closely with health, education, voluntary, and statutory partners to deliver flexible, community-based programmes that meet local needs.
• Empower Families: Promote parental engagement through forums and evidence-based parenting programmes, supporting family relationships and child development.
• Drive Service Improvement: Oversee data collection and performance analysis to inform continuous development and achieve service targets.
• Safeguarding & Compliance: Ensure adherence to safeguarding, health and safety, and council policies, acting promptly on concerns.
• Leadership Support: Deputise for the Best Start for Life Team Manager and provide cover for other managers when required.
• Flexible Working: Participate in a rota covering early mornings, evenings, and weekends, with travel across the borough and nationally.

About You

You will be an organised, proactive, and confident professional who thrives in a fast-paced Early Years environment. With a strong understanding of Early Years development and local Children’s Services you bring both precision and empathy to your work. You can balance timely decision-making with the diligence required to ensure accuracy and compliance.

Qualifications:

• Level 2 and Level 3 recognised childcare qualifications.
• Strong knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and current Ofsted statutory guidance.
• Minimum of 2 years’ experience working with young children and families in a community setting.
• Paediatric First Aid and Basic Food Hygiene qualifications (or willingness to train).

Experience

• Proven ability to design and deliver effective services for young children and families within public or voluntary sectors.
• Hands-on experience supporting families with practical parenting strategies.
• Strong track record of working collaboratively across sectors and in multi-agency partnerships.
• Knowledge and training in safeguarding practices.
• Leadership experience with a commitment to ongoing professional development.

Skills & Personal Attributes

• Strong ability to collaborate with colleagues, families, and multi-agency partners from diverse backgrounds.
• Knowledge of co-production and community engagement.
• Skilled in monitoring and evaluation to drive service improvement.
• Excellent communication, listening, and interpersonal skills.
• Highly organised with strong time management and ability to work under pressure.
• Commitment to equality, diversity, and maintaining a safe, inclusive environment.
• Ability to handle confidential information appropriately.
• Proven leadership, teamwork and management capabilities.

Apply Now: If you are passionate about Early Years development and improving outcomes for children, we would love to hear from you.

Please view Job Profile here

For an informal discussion about the post, please contact Helen.Anfield@havering.gov.uk

The closing date for the receipt of applications is 29/12/25 therefore reserve the right to close the vacancy early.

You will be notified if your application has been successful. Interview date to be confirmed.

Should you require any help or advice with your online application, please contact the Recruitment Helpdesk on 01708 432770

Additional Information

We want everyone to choose Havering. When you apply for a job with us, your application is considered on its merits regardless of your age, disability, ethnicity, faith, gender identity or sexual orientation. Our residents and service users come from all walks of life, and so do our employees. Find out what it means to Choose Havering.

The London Borough of Havering has important responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. If you are appointed to a job that involves working with these groups, you may be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Please attach your supporting statement, explaining in no more than x2 A4 sides why and how you meet the criteria for this role.

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