At a Glance
- Tasks: Support families from pregnancy to age two, promoting wellbeing and healthy lifestyles.
- Company: Join Barnardo's, a leading charity focused on child development and family support.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, competitive salary, generous leave, and professional development opportunities.
- Other info: Be part of an inclusive team dedicated to equality and community engagement.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in the lives of families and young children in your community.
- Qualifications: Level 3 qualification or equivalent and experience with children and families.
The predicted salary is between 26003 - 26003 £ per year.
Location: Smethwick, Oldbury, West Bromwich, Wednesbury, Rowley Tipton
Locality: Sandwell Family Hubs
Contract type: Permanent (Fixed term funded post)
End date: 31/03/2029
Hours: 29.5
Salary: £26,003 (FTE) £20,732.12 (pro rata)
Closing Date: 5 May 2026
Interview Date: TBC
About Family us: Best Start Family Hubs provide a place-based approach to coordinating the delivery of integrated services for parents, carers, babies, and young children. At the heart of the model is the Start for Life Services, supporting families from conception to age two - the critical period for child development, health, and emotional wellbeing. Best Start Family Hubs also provide access to wider services for children aged 0-19, or up to 25 for young people with SEND.
Barnardo's is a key delivery partner of Sandwell's Best Start Family Hubs across six localities: Oldbury, Smethwick, Tipton, Rowley Regis, Wednesbury, and West Bromwich, with a strong focus on accessibility, prevention, and community engagement.
Role Purpose
As a Start for Life Practitioner, you will contribute to improving outcomes for babies and parents during pregnancy and the first two years of life. You will deliver universal and targeted Start for Life provision that promotes perinatal wellbeing, positive parent-infant relationships, early child development, and healthy lifestyle choices, in line with Sandwell's Best Start Family Hubs and Healthy Babies priorities.
Key Responsibilities
- Contribute to delivery of the Pregnancy and Start for Life pathways, supporting parents from pre-birth to age two.
- Act as a consistent point of contact for parents, helping them navigate universal services and access appropriate provision through activities such as well-being contacts, 1:1 support within the family home etc.
- Deliver Start for Life-focused sessions and activities, including baby clubs, baby massage, and wellbeing groups that promote bonding, attachment, and early development.
- Deliver interventions that promote emotional wellbeing for parents/carers and infants, incorporating perinatal mental health awareness and resilience-building approaches.
- Support positive parent-infant relationships through evidence-based approaches and reflective practice.
- Encourage healthy lifestyle behaviours during pregnancy and early parenthood.
- Promote and support infant feeding choices, including breastfeeding initiation and continuation through guidance and signposting.
- Provide information, guidance, and signposting to antenatal, perinatal support, health, early learning, and community services across Sandwell.
- Support delivery of engagement events for parents and carers at different stages, including planning a family, pregnancy, and early parenthood through hosting sessions such as baby fayres etc.
- Encourage take-up of universal services, such as antenatal education, libraries, early learning opportunities and public health initiatives such as oral health, safer sleeping, nutrition etc.
- Work to reduce barriers to access for marginalised parents and communities.
- Work collaboratively within the Health, Wellbeing and Engagement Team and across the wider Family Hub partnership.
- Build effective links with perinatal mental health services, health visitors, midwives, early years, and voluntary sector partners.
- Support coordinated pathways by sharing information appropriately and maintaining accurate records.
- Use agreed tools to identify needs and outcomes, maintaining records using systems such as EHM.
- Attend reflective supervision, performance development reviews, and mandatory training.
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of Best Start Family Hubs and Healthy Babies priorities and evidence-based practice.
- Be flexible to work evenings and weekends where required to support service delivery.
- Undertake additional duties consistent with the role and service objectives.
Shortlisting Criteria
- Minimum of Level 3 qualification or equivalent in relevant field.
- Experience of working with and supporting babies/children/young people and their families to achieve positive outcomes.
- Deliver/Lead a range of universal programmes in a group setting and interventions on a 1 to 1 basis.
- Good understanding of child development.
- The ability to work in a multi-agency environment and with external agencies.
- Secure knowledge and confidence to recognise and respond appropriately on Safeguarding concerns.
- Ability to collate and analyse information to produce high quality assessments, action plans and reports.
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.
Benefits
- 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.
- The ability to buy up to another 5 days annual leave via our Buy Your Leave 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.
- 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.
Start for Life Practitioner in Oldbury employer: BARNARDOS
Barnardo's is an exceptional employer, dedicated to fostering a supportive and inclusive work environment for its Start for Life Practitioners in the Sandwell area. With a strong emphasis on employee growth, flexible working arrangements, and a comprehensive benefits package, including generous annual leave and professional development opportunities, Barnardo's empowers its staff to make a meaningful impact on the lives of families and young children. The organisation's commitment to diversity and community engagement further enhances its appeal as a workplace where individuals can thrive both personally and professionally.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Start for Life Practitioner in Oldbury
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the organisation! Research Barnardo's and the Best Start Family Hubs. Understanding their values and mission will help you tailor your approach during interviews and show that you're genuinely interested in making a difference.
✨Tip Number 2
Network like a pro! Connect with current employees on LinkedIn or attend local events related to family services. Building relationships can give you insider info and might even lead to a referral!
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for those tricky interview questions! Think about how your experience aligns with the role of Start for Life Practitioner. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers and highlight your skills.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining the team at Barnardo's and contributing to the community.
We think you need these skills to ace Start for Life Practitioner in Oldbury
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your application to highlight how your experience aligns with the role of Start for Life Practitioner. Use keywords from the job description to show that you understand what we're looking for.
Showcase Relevant Experience:When detailing your past roles, focus on experiences that relate directly to supporting families and children. We want to see how you've made a positive impact in similar settings, so don’t hold back!
Be Clear and Concise:Keep your application straightforward and to the point. We appreciate clarity, so avoid jargon and ensure your points are easy to understand. This will help us see your qualifications quickly.
Apply Early!:Don’t wait until the last minute to submit your application. Given the high volume of applications we receive, applying early can give you a better chance of standing out. Head over to our website and get your application in!
How to prepare for a job interview at BARNARDOS
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you understand the role of a Start for Life Practitioner inside out. Familiarise yourself with the key responsibilities and how they relate to improving outcomes for families. Brush up on child development theories and the importance of perinatal wellbeing, as these will likely come up in your interview.
✨Show Your Passion
This role is all about supporting parents and their little ones, so let your passion shine through! Share personal experiences or stories that highlight your commitment to child development and family support. Employers love to see genuine enthusiasm for the work you'll be doing.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect questions that ask how you'd handle specific situations, like supporting a parent struggling with mental health or promoting healthy lifestyle choices. Think of examples from your past experience where you've successfully navigated similar challenges, and be ready to discuss them in detail.
✨Ask Thoughtful Questions
At the end of the interview, you'll likely have a chance to ask questions. Use this opportunity to show your interest in the role and the organisation. Ask about the team dynamics, ongoing training opportunities, or how they measure success in the Start for Life programme. This shows you're not just interested in the job, but also in growing with the organisation.
