Best Start Inclusion Practitioners

Terms & Conditions: 37 hours per week, Full time, Permanent Interviews: TBC

ABOUT THE JOB

Are you passionate about giving children the very best start in life? Do you want to be part of an ambitious, inclusive and high-profile programme that is making a real difference to families in Blackburn with Darwen? This is an exciting opportunity to join Blackburn with Darwen Family Hubs as a Best Start Inclusion Practitioner, playing a key role in shaping and delivering support for babies and young children with emerging or additional needs. Blackburn with Darwen is one of only 75 local authority areas nationally funded to deliver Best Start Family Hubs, making this a fantastic time to join us. We have already built strong foundations and are now moving into the next phase of delivery - with a clear focus on inclusion, impact and improving outcomes for children and families. As a Best Start Inclusion Practitioner, you will be at the heart of this work.

You will provide direct, practical and timely support to children aged 0-5 and their families, helping to ensure needs are identified early, families feel supported and children can thrive. You will work across our Family Hub network and with partners from health, early years, SEND and community services to make sure support is joined up, accessible and delivered at the earliest opportunity. This is a highly rewarding role for someone who is committed to early intervention, inclusion and family centred practice. You will help shape inclusive services across the Family Hub network, empower families to access the right help at the right time, and support practitioners to create welcoming environments where all children can participate and flourish. If you are enthusiastic, compassionate and driven by improving children's life chances, this is a fantastic opportunity to be part of a service that is growing, evolving and putting children and families at the centre of everything it does.

More specific responsibilities include:

• Early Identification and Direct Support
  • Observe children and engage in professional discussions with families, early years practitioners and partners (e.g. Health Visitors, Speech and Language Therapists, Educational Psychologists, Occupational Therapists, Area SENCOs and DSCOs) to identify emerging additional needs.
  • Use professional judgement, in collaboration with others and with consideration of the child's home and developmental context, to distinguish between children who may benefit from enhanced supportive interactions and those who may have medium to long term additional needs.
  • Use evidence based screening and observation tools to inform early identification, including Wellcomm the EYFS progress check at age two and insights from the 2-2 year health review.
  • Provide practical advice, modelling of inclusive practice and short, focused interventions, including delivering or supporting activities such as sensory stay and play sessions.
  • Maintain a flexible approach to support rather than holding long term caseloads or providing ongoing case management.
• Family Empowerment and Navigation
  • Support and empower families to understand concerns, build confidence and access appropriate services at the right time.
  • Offer light touch guidance to explain local pathways and processes, including SEND and early years support routes.
  • Work alongside Family Hub Team leaders and other hub staff to signpost families to trusted voluntary, community and faith (VCF) organisations, peer support networks and local services, including for children with more complex needs.
• Promoting Inclusive Practice Across Family Hubs
  • Promote and embed inclusive practice across the Best Start Family Hub network, including within: Home Learning Environment and parenting support, Perinatal mental health services, Infant feeding services, Parent carer participation activity.
  • Model strengths based, family centred and trauma informed practice in all interactions.
• Partnership and Multi Agency Working
  • Collaborate at a working level with health, SEND services, early years settings, schools, parent groups and VCF partners to deliver joined up support for families.
  • Contribute to strengthening local inclusive practice through regular information sharing, joint problem solving and coordinated delivery.
  • Where relevant, share appropriate developmental insights with children's social care and contribute to multi agency transition planning to support confident transitions into early education and school.
• Workforce Development and System Contribution
  • Contribute to building workforce capability across the BSFH network by supporting staff confidence in early identification, child development and inclusive practice.
  • Promote the use of evidence informed approaches and, when available, the National Inclusion Standards and associated digital resources.
  • Support delivery and promotion of the BSFH SEND offer and contribute to its continuous development, including through feedback from families and partners.
• Supporting Transitions and the Wider Early Years System
  • Promote access to early education entitlements for children with SEND, additional or emerging needs.
  • Encourage inclusive practice across early years settings, including childminders and Reception provision, drawing on specialist expertise and local Stronger Practice Hubs.
  • Support effective transitions from early years into school, ensuring timely information sharing (where appropriate) and continuity for children and families.