Early Years Inclusion Advisor

Early Years Inclusion Advisor Apply Now

Job Number

HCC27931

Location

Hertfordshire

Directorate

Childrens Services

Salary Range

£37,035 progressing to £40,476 pa pro rata

Contract Type

Permanent

Full Time/Part Time

Full Time

Closing date

22-Jun-2025

Job Title: Early Years Inclusion Advisor

Starting Salary: £37,035 progressing to £40,476 pa pro rata per annum pro rata – pay award pending

Hours: 37.0 (Term Time Only 39 + 6 Weeks)

Location:

Based at Farnham House, Stevenage covering North Herts and Stevenage and

East Herts, Broxbourne, Welwyn & Hatfield;

Based at Apsley, Hemel Hempstead covering St Albans & Dacorum and Watford, Three Rivers and Hertsmere.

Contract Type: Permanent

Directorate: Childrens Services

Are you passionate about inclusive early years education? Do you want to make a real difference in the lives of young children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) across Hertfordshire?

About the team

We are seeking a dedicated and knowledgeable Early Years Inclusion Advisor to join our dynamic Early Years SEND Service. We ensure the educational and developmental progress of children (0-7), with a range of SEN/D and additional needs, is met in line with the Hertfordshire Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Strategy and HCC strategic objectives.

About the role

As an Early Years Inclusion Advisor, you will play a key role in supporting early years practitioners (predominately those working in nursery and reception classes) to develop inclusive environments that meet the needs of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). You will be responsible for building strong, collaborative relationships across a defined geographical area. You will provide proactive, place-based support through visits, local forums, and targeted development work. Your role will focus on strengthening inclusive practice, identifying emerging needs, and supporting settings to embed sustainable SEND strategies. The role is both strategic and hands-on, helping to build capacity across the sector and improve outcomes for children.

You will work closely with educators, families, and local services to ensure that children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the support they need to thrive. You will provide advice and support to practitioners on inclusive practice, targeted interventions, strategies and reasonable adjustments in line with the SEND Code of Practice (2015). The role will involve a mixture of in-person meetings, workshops and training, online drop-in sessions, advice line calls and triage consultations.

You will deliver training, coaching, and mentoring to early years practitioners and parents/carers to enhance their confidence and knowledge in supporting children with SEND. You will work with internal and external services, alongside professionals and families, to ensure coordinated support where parents’ voices shape planning and decisions. You will also support settings with applications for Early Years SEND Inclusion Funding (SENIF) and monitor the effectiveness of inclusion strategies and interventions, using data and feedback to inform continuous improvement.

This role is vital in ensuring that:

• Children with SEND are identified early and supported effectively.
• Early years settings are confident and capable in delivering inclusive education.
• Families feel supported, informed, and empowered.
• Hertfordshire continues to lead in inclusive early years practice.

About you

We are looking for a passionate and experienced professional who is committed to improving outcomes for young children with SEND. The ideal candidate will bring a blend of practical experience, strategic insight, and a collaborative mindset.

Essential Criteria:

• Hold a relevant qualification in Early Years, Education, or SEND (ideally Level 6), or demonstrate extensive equivalent experience.
• Recent hands-on experience in an Early Years setting supporting children with SEND, including delivering interventions in roles such as practitioner, SENCo, teacher, manager, or advisor.
• A strong commitment to helping children and families achieve the best possible outcomes.
• A confident and knowledgeable practitioner who can offer sound advice, ask the right questions, and support others with empathy and professionalism.
• A team player who thrives in multi-agency environments and can navigate sensitive conversations with compassion and clarity.
• Ability to work flexibly, manage your own dairy and travel across a wide geographical area - you will need to have a full UK driver’s license and access to a vehicle.

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience designing and delivering training or workshops in Early Years settings.
• Comfortable leading professional development sessions, with support provided during induction.
• Early Years Qualified Teacher Status (EYTS) would be a highly valued asset

Hertfordshire County Council is committed to ensuring that every new team member feels a sense of belonging from day one. We offer continuous learning opportunities and a wide range of benefits. If you have the experience and passion to be a key part of our Early Years SEND Team, we would love to hear from you.

This job role is within the Health and Social Care Services, level HSC10 job profile. Please locate this via:

Job profiles - Health and social care

To hear more about this opportunity please contact Laura.Wilson@hertfordshire.gov.uk for an informal discussion about the role.

Interview Date: 1st July

Benefits of working for us

How to apply

As part of your application, please upload your most recent CV. Ensure your CV is up to date with your employment history (including any employment gaps), and including any training/qualifications. We encourage you to include examples of where you have demonstrated the requirements/criteria in the advert / job profile to allow the panel to fully recognise your skills and abilities. You will have the opportunity to include a short covering paragraph within your application to give us a little more information about your skills, knowledge, and experiences.

Additional information

We welcome applications from candidates who currently reside in the UK with established proof of right to work documentation. We are not able to offer sponsorship at this time for this role.

Disability Confident
We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and guarantee an interview to anyone disclosing a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

Safeguarding
This role has been identified as requiring a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check.

Driving required
You’ll need to have the ability to drive and/or travel around Hertfordshire, either using your own mode of transport or a company car to travel to other locations.

English Fluency
The ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post (for those whose language is a signed language the provision of a sign language interpreter who speaks English to the necessary standard of fluency will be required). Further information about the legal requirement can be found here.