Best Start Inclusion Practitioner

Rutland County Council

Are you looking to make a difference in children’s lives? Do you have experience of working in the Early Years and with children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)? We are looking for an experienced practitioner to work alongside our Best Start Family Hub and Early Years Inclusion Team to improve access, inclusion and outcomes for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and their families. 

About you…
To be successful you will need:

• Experience of working with children aged 0-5
• Extensive, relevant experience of working with children with SEND or possible SEND and their families
• An understanding of a wide range of tools and approaches to support children and families with emerging needs
• Knowledge and experience of working with multi-agencies
• A confident and approachable individual with experience of working with families and a range of professionals to create positive outcomes

About the role…
As the Best Start Inclusion Practitioner, duties will include:

• To work in the Family Hub and across outreach locations ensuring families with emerging needs and identified SEND can access and benefit from the core offer
• To plan and facilitate group sessions and activities for parents with young children in the Family Hub and outreach locations, ensuring they are inclusive and proactively reach families least likely to access support
• To co-deliver training and model strategies to professionals and parents/carers around supporting the development and wellbeing of children with possible Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) and their families
• To work directly with children and their families to carry out observations and discussions, following guidance from and through collaborative working with relevant specialists such as Early Years Inclusion Officers, Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Health Visitors
• To work with families and professionals to ensure a smooth transition from home into settings and settings into schools, following the guidance outlined in Rutland’s Thriving Through Change project on transitions
• To provide practical advice, clear information and timely support to families with young children (0-5 years), modelling inclusive practice and short interventions 

The successful applicant for this post will be subject to an enhanced check by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The costs for the DBS are paid by us. 

Best Start Inclusion Practitioner interviews will be held face to face on Monday 03 August 2026.  Please be advised this could be subject to change, in which case we will give appropriate notice.

We will be reviewing applications on a regular basis and inviting those who meet our essential person specification criteria to interview. If you’re interested in this role, we strongly encourage you to apply without delay.

Our offer to you:

Rutland Council is committed to Flexible Working and understands the benefits of supporting employees to manage their work and life balance, whilst meeting the needs of the service.

We are committed to supporting and empowering our staff to be the best workers that they can be and Rutland Council is the place you want to be.    Our benefits go beyond the salary – being part of a great team, excellent Local Government Pension, generous annual leave, opportunities to learn and develop your career, and a demonstrable commitment to supporting the health and wellbeing of our staff.

Please note: This is a hybrid role, with approximately 75% of working time spent on-site. The post is primarily based at the Best Start Family Hub in Oakham, with regular travel to outreach venues and family homes across Rutland to support the delivery and development of services.

As travel throughout the county is essential, applicants must hold a full UK driving licence. Flexibility is also required, as occasional evening and weekend working may be necessary to support community events and service activities.

Find out more:

To learn more about working with us visit https://jobs.rutland.gov.uk or if you have any queries about this role, please contact: Jenny Janes,  Team Manager – Early Years Inclusion @ jjanes@rutland.gov.uk or on 01572 758383

If you are experiencing problems or have any queries about the application process, please call us on 01572 758291 or email us at recruitment@rutland.gov.uk

All recruitment correspondence, including interview details, will be sent out via email from the Jobs Go Public site. If you require documentation/correspondence in an alternative format, please contact the Recruitment team.

Rutland County Council is committed to Equality and Diversity and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.  Everyone at Rutland County Council has a responsibility for, and is committed to, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults and for ensuring that they are protected from harm.