Best Start Inclusion Practitioner

This is an exciting opportunity to join Hillingdon's Family Hubs and Children’s Centres at a time of continued investment in our Best Start in Life programme. We are looking for a skilled and enthusiastic Best Start Inclusion Practitioner to help shape and deliver high-quality support for children aged 0-5 with additional needs and disabilities and their families.

Working within a Family Hub and local community settings, you will provide specialist advice, targeted interventions and coordinated support that helps children achieve their full potential. You will work alongside parents, early years providers, schools, health services and partner agencies to promote inclusion, strengthen early identification and ensure families receive the support they need, when they need it.

If you are passionate about inclusion, early intervention and improving outcomes for children and families, we would love to hear from you.

You Will

• Provide specialist advice, support and interventions to families of children with SEND to improve outcomes and reduce inequalities.
• Support families to understand their child’s needs and navigate education, health and care systems.
• Promote inclusive access to Family Hub services, ensuring children with additional needs can participate in universal provision.
• Deliver targeted interventions and support packages for children with emerging or identified SEND.
• Lead on early identification of developmental needs through screening, observation and partnership working.
• Promote and help embed the graduated approach (Assess-Plan-Do-Review) within early years and Family Hub delivery.
• Work closely with Health Visiting (0–19), midwifery, early years settings and schools to coordinate care and support pathways.
• Facilitate smooth transitions into early years and primary education, particularly for children with SEND.
• Participate in multi-disciplinary team meetings and provide consultancy and “expert at hand” advice to practitioners.
• Provide specialist guidance and informal support to Family Hub staff and early years practitioners on SEND inclusion.
• Contribute to workforce development through coaching, modelling best practice and delivering training.
• Maintain accurate family case records and ensure compliance with statutory guidance and local procedures.
• Monitor outcomes for children and families, identify gaps in provision and contribute to service improvement.
• Support the embedding of SEND inclusion within universal and targeted services and promote integrated pathways across Family Hubs, Integrated Neighbourhood Teams and child health services.
• Strengthen parent/carer confidence and resilience through co-production and person-centred approaches.

At least 75% of working time will be spent delivering direct family-facing support within the named Family Hub, its network sites or through home visits.

About You

You will have:

• Experience of working with children and families, particularly within early years, SEND or family support.
• Strong knowledge and understanding of SEND inclusion and early identification.
• The ability to provide specialist advice and support to families and professionals.
• Experience of partnership working across early years, health, education and wider services.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• The ability to work collaboratively with families and professionals using co-production and person-centred approaches.
• The ability to identify gaps in provision, monitor outcomes and contribute to service improvement.
• A commitment to safeguarding, equality, inclusion and improving outcomes for children and families.