Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council,
Help Us Build a More Inclusive Future for Dudley’s Youngest Children
Best Start in Life Inclusion Practitioner
Grade 7
Children’s Services – Best Start Family Hubs
37 hours per week
Supporting Young Children with SEND to Thrive from the Earliest Years
Make a Difference When It Matters Most
Are you passionate about early years inclusion and supporting children with additional needs?
We are seeking enthusiastic and committed Best Start in Life Inclusion Practitioners to join our Family Hub teams. In this role, you will help ensure that babies and young children aged 0–5 receive the right support at the right time.
As part of Dudley’s Best Start in Life programme, you will work closely with children, families and professionals to identify emerging needs early and provide timely support and intervention.
Working within a multi-agency team, you will play a key role in helping children thrive, reducing inequalities and strengthening inclusion across Family Hubs and local communities.
What You’ll Do
You will:
- Work directly with children and families to identify emerging developmental needs.
- Deliver targeted short-term interventions and support programmes.
- Use evidence-based approaches to assess and monitor children’s development.
- Model inclusive strategies that promote communication, play, behaviour, self-regulation and learning.
- Support parents and carers with practical guidance and advice.
- Coordinate support with colleagues across health, education and early help services.
- Build confidence and capability within Family Hub teams and partner organisations.
- Champion inclusive practice and promote access to support without requiring a formal diagnosis.
- Contribute to improved outcomes for children with SEND and help reduce inequalities.
About You
We are looking for someone who:
- Has experience working with children aged 0–5 with emerging or identified SEND.
- Has worked as a SENCO or in a similar role within education, health, early years or care services.
- Understands child development, communication needs and inclusive practice.
- Is confident working with families and professionals from diverse backgrounds.
- Can deliver interventions, model effective strategies and support the development of others.
- Is compassionate, reflective and solutions-focused.
- Has strong communication and partnership-working skills.
- Is committed to helping every child achieve the best possible start in life.
Why Join Us?
This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to an innovative approach to early years inclusion within Dudley’s Best Start Family Hubs.
You will benefit from regular supervision, professional development opportunities and the support of a collaborative multi-agency team. Most importantly, you will have the opportunity to make a meaningful difference to the lives of children and families every day.
Join us and help every child reach their full potential.
Workplace Attendance: Working in the office 3+ days a week (pro-rata)
or Onsite full time
So that we can demonstrate Dudley’s commitment to diversity and inclusion and to improve bias in the recruitment process that could create barriers for candidates. Your personal data will be anonymised when you apply, to ensure that you comply with our anonymisation process, please ensure you have removed your name and date of birth from any attachments prior to uploading them to your application.
Online application forms will only be accepted for this vacancy, online facilities for jobs are available at public libraries within the Dudley Borough.
All applicants must be able to provide documentation to prove their right to work in the UK.
Please note: Dudley MBC does not currently offer sponsorship for candidates without the Right to Work in the UK.
If you require support completing an online or paper application form and or interview techniques, please contact Dudley Adult and Community Learning on 01384 818 143 or acl@dudley.gov.uk who can support with Digital Skills and Job Applications.
If you have a disability and require assistance in making an application please contact the HR Resourcing Team via HR.Resourcing@dudley.gov.uk
If you are experiencing a problem whilst applying for a position, please follow the link below to the WM Jobs Help Page in the first instance https://help.wmjobs.co.uk/
If the WM Jobs Help Page does not resolve your issue then please contact the HR Resourcing Team via HR.Resourcing@dudley.gov.uk
Dudley Council will check the information that you have provided against any details already held for accuracy and completeness. The Council will check, share and cross match your information both internally within the council and with external organisations to protect public funds and prevent or detect crime, only where the law allows us to do so.
The Council’s full Privacy and Disclaimer Statement can be accessed on the website at https://www.dudley.gov.uk/privacy-disclaimer-statement/
N.B. We reserve the right to close this vacancy prior to the advertised date should we receive a large number of applications
Attached documents
Best Start in Life Inclusion Practitioner JD Spec.19.05.26.docx
Employee Benefits List.pdf
