Job info |
Job info details |
Job title |
Development Worker |
Strategic team/Directorate |
Early Years and Home Learning Environment team |
Service |
Children's Services |
Business unit |
Education, Learning and Skills |
Responsible to (day to day issues) |
Senior Early Years Advisory Teacher |
Accountable to (line manager) |
Senior Early Years Advisory Teacher |
Salary grade |
G |
JE ref |
EI84 |
1. Key purpose of job
- To provide Considerable information, support, and advice on the statutory requirements of the EYFS to existing early years provision – To include childminders, Early years settings, schools and holiday provision/ wraparound care.
- To provide pre and post registration information, support and guidance to prospective and new providers wanting to register. To include both Ofsted registration regulations and the statutory EYFS s as detailed in the Childcare Act 2006, to ensure all requirements are met.
- To provide support to the childcare sector in order to improve outcomes for children in line with local authority priorities.
- To be responsible for developing and implementing significant strategies to improve early years workforce recruitment and retention in order to create a high qualify sustainable early years sector in line with local and national priorities.
2. Anticipated outcomes of post
- To ensure that the quality of the early years provision meets the needs of the children and their families within Torbay and contributes to the outcomes achieved by children during the Early Years Foundation Stage.
- To support challenge and advise early years and childcare providers and other education establishments in relation to process, policy and practice to ensure they meet their statutory duties as set out in the Early years foundation stage and National Guidance and Welfare Requirements under the Childcare Act 2006.
- To work in partnership with a range of agencies to develop innovative ways to create and expand childcare provision to ensure the local authority meets its duty around childcare sufficiency.
- To lead on the local authority early years recruitment and retention strategies to ensure the ongoing development of a highly skilled workforce which enables the local authority to meet its statutory duty around childcare sufficiency.
- To work in partnership with other agencies and community groups to create opportunities for childcare providers to be involved in community projects.
3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post
- To be responsible for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children at all times.
- To support and challenge early years and childcare providers to implement the EYFS (or equivalent) through training, visits, events, projects, e-mails, and telephone contact.
- To lead on recruitment and retention strategy for the early year’s workforce within the wider context to ensure children and families can access high quality early years provision.
- To coordinate, analyse and deliver CPD to meet the needs of the early year’s workforce, and signposting to external training opportunities.
- To collect, evaluate and analyse a range of data to identify need and effectively us the data to determine priority areas of work to improve outcomes for children.
- To develop significant opportunities for early years and childcare providers to share learning and pedagogy amongst the early years and childcare community.
- To support and guide early years and childcare providers through the Ofsted registration process and future inspections.
- To take a lead role on providing post Ofsted inspection support to improve quality.
- Provide direct advice and support to early years and childcare providers in the early identification of vulnerable children including those with SEND.
- To establish significant partnership working with key professionals to support the development of early years and childcare provision, to include childminding, early years settings, school based early years provision and wrap around care within Torbay in line with local sufficiency needs.
- To work with a range of multi professional agencies and community groups to develop innovative initiatives that align with local and national priorities.
- To be the key contact for childminders, providing significant support, advice and guidance.
- To keep up to date with legislative/regulatory requirements and the latest changes and/or developments in Early years practice.
- As an Employee of Torbay Council all roles are expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. The Designated Senior Lead for Safeguarding is the Chief Executive and Director of Children’s Services.
4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post
5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post
6. Working environment and conditions of the post
- Hybrid working in line with Local Authority requirements (mixture of home and office).
7. Physical demands of the post
8. Specific resources used by the post
- Normal office resources, e.g., IT equipment, telephone, photocopier, projector, mobile device etc.
9. Key contacts and relationships
- External - Local Early Years Providers, Schools, Ofsted, Family Information Service, 0-19, Environmental Health, Community Groups, Other Local Authorities. Family hubs.
- Internal - Other Members of the Early Years Team, Other Torbay Council Departments.
10. Other duties
- To undertake additional duties as required, commensurate with the level of the job.
Other Information
- All staff must commit to Equal Opportunities and Anti-Discriminatory Practice.
- The Council operates a Smoke-Free Policy, and the post-holder is prohibited from smoking in any of the Council's buildings (including Council owned and Council leased buildings, but excluding designated areas in residential schemes), enclosed spaces within the curtilage of buildings, and Council vehicles. The Council does not permit smoking breaks within work time, however, in services where the flexi-scheme is in operation, employees may take reasonable break times outside of core hours, in accordance with flexi-time arrangements. Employees should follow the flexi-scheme procedure for agreeing time away from their duties in the normal manner with their immediate colleagues and line manager, with break start and finish times being recorded, as with any other break-time arrangement.
- The post-holder is expected to familiarise themselves with and adhere to all relevant Council Policies and Procedures.
- The post-holder must comply with the Council’s Health and Safety requirements as outlined in the H&S policy appropriate to the role.
- The post is eligible for both hybrid and permanent home working.
- The post-holder must be committed to the Council’s Core Values for employees – “Torbay Council employees are committed to being forward thinking, people orientated and adaptable - always with integrity”. Evidence will be sought during the probation and appraisal processes.
- If you are required to use your own vehicle on Council business or drive a council vehicle you will be asked to provide information on any driving endorsements by accessing gov.uk/view-driving-licence and providing a code to your Line Manager in order to share your driving licence information with the Council.
- As this post meets the requirements in respect of exempted questions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, all applicants who are offered employment will be subject to a criminal record check (Disclosure) from the Disclosure & Barring Service before the appointment is confirmed. This will include details of ALL cautions, reprimands or final warnings as well as convictions, whether “spent” or “unspent”. Criminal convictions will only be taken into account when they are relevant to the post.
- Torbay Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo the checks appropriate to the post applied for.
- The post holder is expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures.
- As this post meets the requirements of the Immigration Act 2017 (part 7) the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.
Person Specification
Note for Candidate
All Candidates
The supporting statement on your application form will be used to assess ability to meet the essential requirements of the role, so you should explain how you meet each of the numbered essential requirements within your supporting statement.
In a competitive situation, the desirable criteria may be taken into consideration, so you are encouraged to show how you also meet each of the desirable criteria.
Candidates who consider that they have a disability
Reasonable adjustments will be made to the job, job requirements or recruitment process for candidates with a disability.
If you consider yourself to have a disability you should indicate this on your application form, providing any information you would like us to take into account with regard to your disability in order to offer a fair selection interview.
Where ever possible and reasonable we will make adjustments and offer alternatives to help you through the application and selection process.
If you have indicated that you have a disability on your application form you will be guaranteed an interview if you clearly demonstrate in your supporting evidence how you broadly meet the essential requirements of the role.
Job info |
Job info details |
Job Title |
Development Worker |
Strategic team/Directorate |
Early Years and Home Learning Environment team |
Service |
Children's Services |
Business unit |
Education, Learning and Skills |
Skills and effectiveness
Essential skills and effectiveness
- Ability to relate to all contacts.
- Ability to work on own initiative and also as part of a team.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality.
- Ability to organise and prioritise work with minimum supervision.
- Computer literate – accurate keyboard and ICT skills including attention to detail.
- Effective organisation and communication skills both written and verbal.
- Ability to work to deadlines.
- Demonstrate the ability to work independently to achieve goals.
- Negotiation skills.
- As this post meets the requirements of the Immigration Act 2016 (part 7), the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.
Desirable skills and effectiveness
N/A
Knowledge
Essential knowledge
- Knowledge of Childcare and good practice/sector issues and developments.
- An understanding of the EYFS (or equivalent).
- An understanding of Child Development.
- An understanding of Children’s Rights and Safeguarding.
- Knowledge of Childminding OFSTED registration and inspection process.
- Knowledge of the Childcare Act 2006 and other relevant legislation.
- Knowledge of Government legislation for Two Year Old Funding and Sufficiency.
- Experience of multi-agency working.
Desirable knowledge
- Knowledge of round funding sources and processes to secure funding.
Experience and achievements
Essential experience and achievements
- Recent experience of working in an early years or childcare setting at a good or | OS in section grade level.
- Developing and maintaining effective administration systems.
- Evidence of having accessed recent high-quality training.
Desirable experience and achievements
- Experience of delivering training.
Qualifications/professional memberships
Essential qualifications/professional memberships
- Educated to GCSE O Level standard or equivalent.
- NVQ Level 4 in Early Years and Childcare or equivalent.
Desirable qualifications/professional memberships
- NVQ Level 5 in Early Years and Childcare or equivalent.
- Relevant degree level.
Other requirements
Other requirements of the job role
- Demonstrates a commitment to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people.
- Ability to carry out the physical requirements of the role.
- Ability to travel efficiently around the Bay/South West/UK in order to carry out duties.
- Ability to accommodate unsociable hours.
- Ability to accommodate occasional home-working.