Senior Early Years Practitioner

NHS; Exeter; On-site; GBP 31,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional healthcare provider is looking for a Senior Early Years Practitioner in Exeter. This full-time position involves leading a team, overseeing assessments in the Early Child Development Pathway, and ensuring high standards of care for children aged 0-5. Applicants should possess relevant qualifications in children's care and demonstrate capability in managing complex cases. The role offers a salary of £31,049 to £37,796 per year, along with a focus on integrated service delivery and continuous professional development.

Qualifications

• Degree level education or equivalent experience required.
• Experience in children's care and education setting.
• Evidence of continuous professional development required.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage Early Years Practitioner teams.
• Provide professional oversight to ensure high-quality assessments.
• Build relationships with families to support child development.

Skills

Leadership

Child Development Assessment

Multi-agency Collaboration

Education

Relevant Degree or equivalent experience

BTEC National Diploma in Children's Care

CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Child Care

NVQ Level 3 in Children's Care

Functional Skills at Level 2

Job description

Go back Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust

Senior Early Years Practitioner

The closing date is 28 December 2025

Children and Family Health Devon (CFHD) is the place to be! We have developed an innovative, integrated model of children's community services and now looking to appoint enthusiastic individuals to join our friendly and dedicated county-wide professional team.

We are excited to be advertising for a Full Time Senior Early Years Practitioner to support our Early Child Development Pathway of care in North Devon, Exeter, Torbay and South Devon

The Early Child Development Pathway provides assessment, and therapy plans for children aged 0 - 5 years where there is evidence of possible or significant delay that is affecting the child in two or three areas of their development.

The Senior Early Years Practitioner will be required to provide co-ordinated leadership and supervision to the Complex Early Years Practitioners across the CFHD Infant and Early Years Pathway ensuring effective evidence-based delivery of clinical interventions.

Important Information Regarding Service ChangesWe are currently entering into a formal consultation process to move all Children and Family Health Devon (CFHD) staff to a single provider. As part of this process, staff currently employed by Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust will transfer to Devon Partnership NHS Trust on 1 April 2026. Please note that this may result in some differences in recruitment documentation and processes during this transition period.

Main duties of the job

Work in partnership with the Specialist Children's Assessment Service Manager on both day-to-day operations and the strategic development of the service.

Provide professional leadership and line management to Early Years Practitioners, ensuring effective delivery of assessments and therapeutic input.

Ensure practitioner competency by overseeing professional standards, supporting development, and maintaining high-quality practice.

Liaise with families and multi-agency professionals to promote an integrated, coordinated approach throughout the assessment and service-planning process.

Support Early Years Practitioners in key-working roles, ensuring continuity and consistency of care for children through assessment and intervention cycles.

Lead on assessments for complex cases, including those involving significant needs or safeguarding concerns.

Contribute to maintaining a safe, reliable, and high-quality service, ensuring effective delivery aligned with organisational standards.

About us

Senior Early Years Practitioners work closely with all users of our services, as well as their families and carers, all of whom make an invaluable contribution to how our services are experienced. Staff are expected to be compassionate, responsive, professional and informative, and to contribute to the quality of services provided across the health economy by:

Keeping service users as safe as possible through the application of sound clinical skills, effective risk assessment and appropriate supervision.

Ensuring the best possible clinical outcomes by maintaining up-to-date skills and adhering to evidence-based policies and procedures.

Providing a positive service experience by respecting, empowering and working in partnership with individuals throughout the care-planning process.

Job responsibilities

Build strong, compassionate relationships with children, young people, and families, ensuring sensitive communication, informed consent, advocacy, and timely responses to concerns.

Work collaboratively with families, internal teams, and external agencies to coordinate assessments, share information, and develop personalised care plans that support childrens developmental needs.

Provide safe, high-quality, evidence-based clinical practice by using sound judgement, adapting assessments, maintaining accurate records, managing waiting lists, and contributing to MDT processes.

Ensure a culture of continuous improvement through reflective practice, identifying training needs, maintaining professional development, and supporting consistent standards, policies, and pathways.

Safeguard infants and young children by recognising and escalating concerns, maintaining transparency in practice, and supporting staff through supervision, observation, and quality assurance.

Lead, manage, and support Early Years Practitioner teams through supervision, performance management, training coordination, recruitment, wellbeing support, and adherence to organisational policies.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Relevant Degree level or equivalent experience
• One of the qualifications below or equivalent * BTEC National Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and Development * CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Child Care and Education * NVQ Level 3 in Children's Care, Learning and Development * ADOS and 3di Training
• Functional Skills at Level 2 (Literacy and numeracy/ GCSE grade A-C or equivalent in English and Maths)
• Additional CPD achieved
• Achieved Grade and Years of Experience

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer name

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Honeylands Specialist Child Assessment Centre

£31,049 to £37,796 a yearper annum pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

388-7660038-CFHD

Job locations

Honeylands Specialist Child Assessment Centre