Early Advisor

The Early Years Alliance is the largest early years membership organisation and voluntary sector provider of quality affordable childcare and education in England, representing over 14,000 member settings who deliver care and learning to more than 800,000 families every year. The Early Help Advisor role supports this mission by providing advice, training and support to early years registered providers in Somerset, working term time.

The position is a 32‑hour per week, fixed‑term contract, lasting until August 2027. The Early Help Advisor will work as part of a team to deliver Early Help services, improving outcomes for children and families.

• Provide individual and cluster of Early Years settings and childminders advice, guidance and support on Early Help and how to work effectively with children and families including children who have English as an additional language, narrowing the gap between EAL learners and their peers.
• Provide training and learning opportunities for registered early years providers and other partners to develop their skills, knowledge and confidence in working with children and families that have concerns or need advice.
• Provide information, advice, guidance and practical support to develop inclusive and effective early year’s environments that support quality relationships between staff, parents and children.
• Work in partnership with relevant agencies to promote the consideration of the needs of children and families in all relevant services and strategies looking at how access to services can be improved for this group of children and their families.
• Developing and encouraging peer to peer support in relation to Early Help and to embed best practice within the County that is shared and disseminated.
• Identify, disseminate and facilitate the sharing of good practice in relation to meeting the needs of children and families in Somerset, seeking to utilise the wealth of experience within Somerset as well as bring national best practice into Somerset.
• Promote the service to settings across the County to ensure they are aware of the services available to support children and families. Working collaboratively with other services who support children and families to make best use of scarce resources.
• Use effective monitoring and tracking systems for this project to ensure the project makes an impact on individual and cohorts of children.
• Contribute to the development of appropriate resources and information about resources which can be shared with Somerset settings to support them working effectively with children and families.
• Work collaboratively to promote and celebrate good practice, demonstrating a commitment to quality in all they do. Where necessary have the confidence to challenge poor practice which does not achieve good outcomes for children and families.
• Develop your expertise and keep up to date with best practice so registered providers can utilise those skills and knowledge in the role, modelling best practice to settings.
• Work in a flexible and responsive way to emerging issues. Be willing to lead and support specific focused pieces of work or projects as appropriate.
• Any other tasks that are commensurate with the level and scope of the role as directed by the Line Manager.

• Possess a NVQ 3 in childcare or equivalent as a minimum.
• Maths and English GCSE or equivalent.
• Able to demonstrate understanding of the Somerset Early Help strategy and EYFS 2025.
• In depth knowledge of the Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR and of the needs and challenges of all the different types of providers within early years in identifying and meeting the needs of children and families that would benefit from Early Help.
• Current knowledge of issues of policy, practice and research in relation to the needs of children and how they can best be supported within the settings, utilising a range of strategies to support them.
• Demonstrable understanding of effective ways to facilitate learning.
• Knowledge of recent developments in learning / teaching.
• Working in a similar role or working within a setting which demonstrates best practice in relation…