Early Childhood Worker

The Integrated Early Years Service (IEYS) vision: Every child has the best start in life, high quality early education and is ready for school by age 5. The early childhood team deliver the highest quality early childhood services supporting children's early learning and development, contributing to improved outcomes for children under 5 and their families.

Working with the children's centres family hub teams, you will support parents to access a pathway of universal and targeted services delivered across the borough, with a particular focus on 0 - 2s. By modelling positive interactions and providing play activities using the Early Years Foundation Stage framework, you will help parents to support their child's learning and development, with a focus on communication and language development. This includes supporting families' early and sustained engagement, especially for those most at risk of poor outcomes.

To prepare and undertake universal and targeted drop-ins, courses, training and awareness raising sessions ensuring effective communication and language development for Camden children. Prepare and undertake home-based play sessions. Ensure children and families with additional needs are identified, signposted and referred to appropriate services. Deliver courses in line with agreed principles and practice and contribute to the evaluation process.

Confident sole working and alongside colleagues offering perinatal support and advice including Bump 2 Baby, Baby Bonding and Camden Dads. Experience of preparing and delivering centre and home-based sessions drawing from a range of sources for example, forest schools, baby massage and coping with crying. Oversee and facilitate high quality crèche provision for children under the age of 5 years, while their parents/carers are attending for example, training, parenting courses or healthy eating sessions. This may involve working with temporary staff to provide direction and supervision ensuring a high-quality experience for the children.

To be able to effectively help mothers, fathers and carers develop their understanding of how to support their children's learning and development, including children with SEND, taking into consideration their ethnicity, culture, language, gender and religion. Have a sound knowledge of health and safety requirements, undertaking and reviewing risk assessments and regularly checking the suitability and safety of play areas and equipment with due regard to the health and safety of the children and for work colleagues.

Work in partnership with families, understanding and implementing safeguarding and child protection procedures, reporting matters of concern through line management. This will include attending safeguarding and Team around the Family (TAF) meetings. Understand the factors that adversely affect outcomes for children and families, as well as the barriers some parents and carers experience in accessing services, identifying additional needs, to facilitate referrals to early help services.

Work with children in need of safeguarding and protection and their families according to policy and procedures, ensuring that information is shared appropriately, working together to improve outcomes for the most vulnerable children. To provide a high standard of record keeping in accordance with the relevant procedures and processes for example, session planning, maintaining registers of attendance, inputting data, accidents and incidents, signposting and referring.

To contribute to service development and improvement, for example by collecting parent evaluation, actively taking part in new initiatives or projects delivered through early childhood services. To provide parents with support and guidance on parenting skills such as positive interactions, toileting, sleep and feeding routines.

About you

• Minimum Level 3 in Childcare and Education or similar relevant qualification.
• GCSE English and Maths (A-C).
• Knowledge of frameworks including the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework and Healthy Early Years London.
• Knowledge and understanding of Safeguarding Children procedures and how to implement them.
• Knowledge of early childhood development (under 5s).
• Ability to plan group-based sessions within the children's centre and community and public venues.
• Ability to recognise the importance of actively welcoming families to the children's centre and to encourage their sustained engagement in services.
• Ability to work with and engage parents in their children's play & learning and to role model high quality interactions.
• Ability to work alone with a group of children and parents to deliver services.
• Ability to undertake record keeping to a high standard.
• Ability to identify children with developmental delay or additional needs and to refer to appropriate services.
• Ability to undertake risk assessment of group-based activities in the children's centres and community and public venues.
• Ability to support parents taking up volunteering opportunities within the group-based provision.
• Ability to use IT including Word, Excel, Outlook and database inputting.
• The ability to provide inclusive services, understand the barriers some parents experience in accessing services and to be sensitive and responsive to need.

The role is based in children's centres family hubs, other community venues and family homes across the borough, delivering stay and play sessions and activities with parents, carers and children under 5 years. The post holder will be expected to work year round, unaccompanied across the borough and may be required to work outside of office hours, including on Saturdays. The role requires the ability to work flexibly, undertaking any duties as may be required according to the needs of the IEYS and as directed by the early childhood team manager. Networking is required to ensure a good understanding of the 1001 days pathway of services to ensure families are offered the right help and support.