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- Tasks: Engage with young children through fun sessions and support their development.
- Company: Join Barnardo's, a leading charity dedicated to supporting children and families.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, generous annual leave, and discounts at major retailers.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in your community while developing your skills in a supportive environment.
- Qualifications: Experience with early years education and strong communication skills are essential.
- Other info: This role is based in Sandwell and may require evening and weekend work.
The predicted salary is between 28800 - 43200 £ per year.
Do you have a passion for working with young children? Are you passionate and experienced at delivering exciting and innovative early years sessions? Are you interested in supporting children and their parents in their child's early stages of development? Do you possess strong communication skills? Then we have the perfect opportunity for you in our Early Years Team at Sandwell Family Hubs.
As an Early Years team member, you will deliver sessions within the hubs and local area (Sandwell), complete speech & language screenings (Wellcomm) and focused small group sessions. The role will also include supporting volunteers delivering stay & plays and taking the lead for stay & play sessions. This role will be hub and community based ensuring that our support reaches children and their families in the place where they are most comfortable.
This role is based in Sandwell and requires the flexibility to work across Sandwell. As part of the role, you will be needed to support sessions on an evening and weekend as and when required. We are looking to appoint an experienced Practitioner to join our Early Years team.
Although this contract has a permanent status, please be aware that this post is subject to funding currently to 31.03.2026 and therefore should this funding not be extended further, you may be subject to a redundancy consultation or a TUPE arrangement. This contract is due to expire on 31.03.2026.
Please note due to the high volume of applications for some posts, this advert might close before the displayed closing date. We recommend that you apply for this role as soon as possible.
Pay & Reward Framework
We know that our colleagues go above and beyond in delivering our vital work, driven by their passion and commitment to Barnardo's values. We also know that we can only realise our ambitions and achieve better outcomes for more children, thanks to the talent, hard work and creativity of our people.
For all these reasons, we are committed to a new approach to pay and reward, to ensure it is fair, attractive and progressive, which was rolled out in April 2023. This is a positive change for the charity, and a part of our People & Culture Strategy. It will assist us in supporting colleagues to belong, thrive and grow in their colleague journey at Barnardo's and in time will offer clear routes of progression for colleagues in both their career and their pay.
Whilst the full pay band and salary range is advertised, our approach to starting salaries is to appoint between the minimum to mid-point of the pay band. This ensures that pay steps are available to reward our colleagues annually based on their contribution to excellence and alignment to our values and behaviours. More details on Barnardo's pay framework can be found upon application.
Benefits Workplace Offer: What it means for you
The world of work has changed. We are understanding of what works best for our colleagues both current and future as we look to embrace this new way of working. Our hybrid working initiative is based on trust, flexibility and empowerment. We understand our workplace offer means different things to different people, and we encourage those conversations. This may mean working at one of our stores, services, working at home, at one of our Collaboration Hubs or any combination of these.
Barnardo's believe in creating equality of opportunity in the workplace and supporting people to manage their work-life balance; we are therefore open to offering flexible working arrangements.
Annual Leave entitlement for full-time colleagues is 26 days per annum, increasing to 27 days per annum after 3 years Barnardo's service, 29 days per annum after 5 years Barnardo's service and 30 days per annum after 7 years Barnardo's service. Those working less than full time are entitled to the same level of holiday pro rata.
The ability to buy up to another 5 days annual leave via our HolidayPlus scheme.
A host of family friendly leave options including company Maternity, Paternity and Adoption pay; together with all family additional leave options.
Service related sick pay from day 1.
Access to a Group Personal Pension with a matched 4% or 6% contribution from Barnardo's. Ability to pay via salary sacrifice to garner both tax and NI savings on your own contribution.
Death in service cover of 4x annual earnings for all staff contributing to our Group Personal Pension.
Cycle2work scheme.
Interest free season ticket loans.
Discounts and cashback from high street shops including major supermarkets, cinemas, gyms, leisure/theme parks, holidays and much more via our Benefit Portal.
20% discount at Barnardo's stores.
Opportunity to purchase a health cash plan to claim towards dental, glasses, therapy etc.
Free access to round the clock employee assistance program for advice and support.
Access to Barnardo's Learning and Development offer.
About Barnardo's
We are committed to being an inclusive employer and cultivating a culture where everyone can belong and thrive through inclusion and connectivity. We want our workforce to be reflective of the communities we work with, and for equality, diversity and inclusion to be embedded in everything we do. We are a Disability Confident Leader, are progressing our ambition to be an anti-racist organisation with Anti-Racism Commitments and actions in place and have networks for colleagues who are disabled, LGBT+, Black and Minoritised Ethnic and Women. We particularly encourage applications from Black and Minoritised Ethnic and/or disabled candidates who are currently underrepresented in our workforce. For disabled applicants, we offer reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.
Contact Detail:
Barnardos Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Early Years Worker
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the Wellcomm speech and language screening tool, as it's a key part of the role. Understanding how to effectively use this tool will not only enhance your skills but also demonstrate your commitment to supporting children's development.
✨Tip Number 2
Engage with local community groups or forums in Sandwell to understand the specific needs of families in the area. This knowledge can help you tailor your approach during interviews and show that you're proactive about making a positive impact.
✨Tip Number 3
Highlight any experience you have in leading group sessions or working with volunteers. Being able to showcase your leadership skills will set you apart, especially since the role involves supporting stay & play sessions.
✨Tip Number 4
Be prepared to discuss your flexibility regarding working hours, including evenings and weekends. Showing that you're adaptable and willing to meet the needs of the role will make you a more attractive candidate.
We think you need these skills to ace Early Years Worker
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role: Read the job description thoroughly to understand the key responsibilities and requirements. Highlight your passion for working with young children and any relevant experience you have in delivering early years sessions.
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects your experience and skills that are directly relevant to the Early Years Worker position. Include specific examples of how you've supported children's development and worked with parents.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that showcases your enthusiasm for the role and the organisation. Mention your strong communication skills and provide examples of how you've successfully led or supported group sessions in the past.
Highlight Flexibility: Since the role requires flexibility to work evenings and weekends, make sure to mention your availability in your application. This shows that you are committed and ready to meet the needs of the role.
How to prepare for a job interview at Barnardos
✨Show Your Passion for Early Years Education
Make sure to express your enthusiasm for working with young children during the interview. Share specific examples of how you've engaged children in learning and development, as this will demonstrate your commitment to the role.
✨Highlight Your Communication Skills
Since strong communication skills are essential for this position, prepare to discuss how you effectively communicate with both children and parents. Consider sharing a scenario where your communication made a positive impact.
✨Prepare for Practical Scenarios
Expect to be asked about how you would handle various situations in an early years setting. Think about potential challenges you might face and how you would address them, especially in group sessions or when supporting volunteers.
✨Demonstrate Flexibility and Teamwork
This role requires flexibility in working hours and collaboration with others. Be ready to discuss your experience working in teams and how you adapt to changing schedules or environments, particularly in community-based settings.
