Life Practitioners

Position: Best Start in Life Practitioners
About

The Role

Job Title: Best Start in Life Inclusion Practitioners - 5 positions available
Contract: Fixed term – 2 years
Hours: 37 hours (job shares cannot be considered)
Salary: HC06 - £29,071 to £33,119 per annum
Location: HARC, Fir Tree Lane, Hereford HR2 6LA
Closing Date
: 20 November 2026

Interview Date: 1 December 2026

The Role

As part of the Best Start in Life Initiative, we are looking for a Best Start in Life Inclusion Practitioner to be part of our Best Start Inclusion Team in the Early Years SEND Inclusion Service.

The role will be focussed on supporting children and families accessing services, groups and Family Hubs, who may have potential barriers to their academic achievement.

Come and join us on our Restorative Journey of Improvement to gain the best for children and families in Herefordshire.

About You

The successful candidate will be have at least a level 3 qualification in childcare or equivalent and will have substantial and recent early years experience and a deep knowledge of SEND in the Early Years including knowledge of the Early Years Graduated Approach. They will have knowledge of the services that support families and be willing to work collaboratively across those services.

The successful candidate will work within the Best Start in Life (BSIL) Inclusion Team, providing high-quality advice and guidance to families, professionals, early years settings, and schools to improve outcomes for young children who may have additional needs.

The Best Start in Life Inclusion Practitioner will work closely with the Early SEND deliver this service

You will need:

• L3 qualification in childcare, education or equivalent
• Full UK Driving license and able to travel across the county of Herefordshire
• Recent experience of supporting early years children with additional needs
• An understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage, the Equality Act (2010) and the SEND Code of Practice (2015)
• The ability to build strong relationships with early years settings and other services
• To be an excellent communicator with good interpersonal skills

To arrange an informal discussion, or ask any questions about the role, please contact Recruitm

We Offer

A competitive salary, holiday entitlement, and access to our contributory pension and staff benefits scheme, which includes:

• Salary range of £29,071 to £33,119 per annum
• Annual Leave: 31 days’ annual leave (pro rata) plus bank holidays. You can also purchase an additional 10 days per annum during the request period
• Flexible working: including agile working.
• Employee Assistance Programme
  : 24/7 access to support and counselling
• Payment of professional membership fees (based on role requirements)
• Pick your perks - our benefits include access to a range of retail, leisure, holiday and health benefits. This includes savings, cash back and discounts.
• A service where children’s learning and development is at the heart of everything we do
• A highly supportive and committed team

Why Choose Us?

We’re proud and excited to unveil our new recruitment video, a celebration of Herefordshire's people, places, and purpose. Set in the heart of England and filled with pride, compassion and possibility, the video brings to life what it means to work somewhere you truly belong.

At Herefordshire Council, every role matters and every person makes a real difference for our communities. We’re a team where people feel valued, supported and empowered to grow together.

Herefordshire is a beautiful, historic county on the Welsh border, one of England’s most rural and unspoilt areas, with vibrant market towns and a strong sense of community.

Our priority is clear:
to keep children safe and give them the best start in life
. We do this through passionate, dedicated professionals who build strong…