Special Needs Support Worker | London, SE5 | 30 Hours per Week (Term Time Only) | 9:00 am – 5:30 pm, Monday to Friday across four working days| £16,643.60 per annum
Our client is seeking a Special Needs Support Worker to join their team. The purpose of the role is to provide one-to-one support for individual children with special needs who attend the centre.
This is a 12-month fixed-term contract, with the potential for the right candidate to continue supporting other children with SEND needs within the setting.
The Role
As a Special Needs Support Worker, you will provide one-to-one support for an individual child with special needs, helping them access learning, develop independence and participate fully within the setting. You will work alongside the Early Education Manager, SENCO, parents/carers and other professionals to support the child’s social, emotional, physical and educational development.
This is a dedicated one-to-one role, where you will focus on meeting the individual needs of the child and supporting their development within the setting. The successful candidate will not be part of the general nursery staffing ratio.
Key Responsibilities
Supporting Learning and Development
- Support the implementation of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), ensuring the child can access learning across all prime and specific areas of learning, with particular focus on Physical Development
- Provide one-to-one support to meet the child’s individual needs, enabling them to participate fully in planned, purposeful play and child-initiated activities
- Promote progress in physical development, including gross motor skills such as mobility, coordination, balance and spatial awareness
- Support fine motor skills including hand strength, grip, early writing skills and tool use
- Assist with planning and delivering activities that support the child’s individual learning and development needs
- Promote and support the development of an innovative approach to children’s learning based on a Reggio Emilia model
- Work within government guidelines for the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum and the SEND Code of Practice
Individual Support and Care
- Support the child with daily routines, transitions and activities, providing appropriate physical support to promote safety, independence and emotional security
- Support personal care needs sensitively, promoting dignity, independence and self-care skills
- Work with the child following their care plan and exercise routines set out by physiotherapists and other professionals
- Complete relevant training relating to the child’s individual needs, including feeding, medication and safe movement
- Advocate for the child on a daily basis
- Support the child to make friends and be part of their peer group
SEND Support and Inclusion
- Create an enabling environment by adapting resources, layout and routines to support safe movement, accessibility and increasing independence
- Follow guidance from external professionals such as physiotherapy and occupational therapy to deliver consistent strategies within daily practice
- Work within the graduated approach (assess, plan, do, review) in collaboration with the SENCO to implement and evaluate individual support plans and targeted interventions
- Act as a key person, building a secure and trusting relationship to help the child feel safe, valued and confident to explore
- Observe, assess and record the child’s development in line with EYFS expectation