Job summary
- Main area
- Community Nursing
- Grade
- Band 4
- Contract
- Fixed term: 9 months (Working pattern to be agreed. Possible extension to 1 year)
- Hours
- Part time - 20 hours per week (flexible days)
- Job ref
- 150-CP1878-PC-A
- Employer
- Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Crawley Child Development Centre
- Town
- Crawley
- Salary
- £27,485 - £30,162 per annum pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 17/08/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Specialist Early Years Practitioner
Band 4
Job overview
We have an exciting opportunity for a Specialist Early Years Practitioner (SpEYP) to join our team. You will be based at Crawley Child Development Centre (CDC).
You are welcome to come and visit us at the CDC, please do contact the team to arrange and speak to one of our existing SpEYP’s or Specialist Nurses who will happily discuss the role with you in more detail.
Contact details:
Crawley CDC – 01293 301010
“Please note: Due to recent changes in UK immigration and visa rules, this role is unlikely to be eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Applicants who do not currently have the right to work in the UK may not be considered. Candidates requiring sponsorship should review the eligibility criteria on the gov.uk website before applying to assess their eligibility for a Certificate of Sponsorship for this role."
Main duties of the job
As a Specialist Early Years Practitioner you will be working as part of the multi-professional team based within Child Development Services (CDS). You will oversee a delegated caseload; delivering and adapting packages of care programmes and interventions using evidence based assessment and reasoning skills within your scope of competency.
The role requires participation and contribution to delegated assessments of children as part of CDS pathways, contributing to the wider multi-disciplinary assessment, intervention and planned care.
You will offer a range of support and advice for families and their children in a range of settings both individually as well as in groups; based on your competency and experience.
You will take part in and contribute to training, keeping your own personal development up-to-date and engaging in supervision as outlined by Sussex Community Foundation Trust (SCFT).
Working for our organisation
We are the main provider of NHS community services across East and West Sussex, with 6,000 staff serving 1.3 million people. We deliver essential care to adults and children, helping them manage their health, avoid hospital admissions, and reduce hospital stays.
Our Trust vision is to provide excellent care at the heart of the community. We offer opportunities across medical, clinical, support, and corporate services.
Why work for us?
• Positive 2023 NHS Staff Survey results, highlighting compassionate leadership and wellbeing
• Varied environments: community hospitals, patients’ homes, and bases across Sussex
• Flexible working options: part-time, flexi-time, annualised hours, and flexi-retirement
• Excellent training, development, and research opportunities
• Cost-effective workplace nurseries in Crawley, Hove, and Brighton
• Active EMBRACE, Disability & Wellbeing, LGBTQIA+, and Religion & Belief networks
• Level 3 Disability Confident Leader and Veteran Aware Trust
• Beautiful Sussex location near the South Downs and coast
Our values—Compassionate Care, Working Together, Achieving Ambitions, Delivering Excellence—guide everything we do.
We embrace diversity and encourage applications from all backgrounds, particularly from ethnically diverse, disabled, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. We aim to create an inclusive environment and support reasonable adjustments during recruitment.
This post may close early if sufficient applications are received.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
- To assess and identify caseload and workload within scope of practice and competency through triage and referrals from MDT
- To plan and undertake specialist interventions in a range of settings (including clinics, home visiting, education settings) carrying out developmental assessment, observations, providing support and advice, specific programmes of care and intervention; for children and their families known to CDS and MDT working in collaboration with members of the MDT (eg Paediatrician, Specialist Nurse, Occupational Therapist).
- Plan and deliver specialist group and/ or individual interventions for children and families known to SpEYP caseload, recording outcomes. To include within this creating individual plans/targets/aims for development through play based learning, and opportunities.
- To work independently within scope of practice, competencies and boundaries utilising evidence based practice, making safe decisions regarding the planning, assessment, intervention and support being offered to child/family.
- To plan and support in the delivery of information sharing, advice, and training within scope of practice to peers, students, other professionals and assist in the induction of new staff
- To make onward completed referrals to other agencies as required with support from MDT where necessary.
- To support voluntary staff in SpEYP led groups (where applicable) and in liaison with the SCFT Volunteers lead, setting clear expectations and boundaries of their role
- Works within Pan Sussex Child Protection Procedures reporting any concerns appropriately and escalating to the Specialist Nurse Supervisor or Clinical Services Manager and undertakes relevant in-service child protection training and supervision for role.
- Participates and contributes to regular management and clinical supervision, in line with SCFT policy, reflecting on own and others’ practice to ensure safe and effective working. Recognises own boundaries and develops awareness of roles, responsibilities within own scope of practice and competency and of other health professionals and agencies.
- Undertakes training and development relevant to the role and attends MDT meetings as required.
- To participate in yearly appraisal in line with trust policy.
- Maintain confidentiality of information in line with the GDPR Act 2018
Person specification
Experience
Essential criteria
- Minimum 3 years post qualification EYE working in a children’s setting or community setting.
- Experience working with children with additional needs
- Experience of multi-disciplinary / professional / agency working
- Experience working in partnership or within child health environment
- Experience providing and receiving complex information
- Highly developed skills of assessment of child development ages and staged (EYFS) and interpretation of findings
- Evidence of specialist skills in taking action and responding to assessments such as safeguarding or health needs
Desirable criteria
- Experience of leading and participation in research and auditing
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Level 3 Early Years Educator Qualification (E.Y.E) (post 2014) or equivalent. (B.Tech Diploma/NVQ/Cache/City and Guilds)
Desirable criteria
- Level 5 Early Years Cache Diploma/ relevant foundation/full degree
Additional requirements
Essential criteria
- UK Driving Licence
Skills and Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Working knowledge of child development and advanced clinical reasoning in relation to child development
- Ability to demonstrate highly effective verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to organise own workload and delegate when appropriate
- Ability to work as an effective multi-disciplinary team member
- Ability to assess, develop, implement and evaluate programmes of care
- Ability to demonstrate knowledge of key legislation relating to children with additional needs
Desirable criteria
- Ability to demonstrate an understanding of relevant NHS legislation and policies
- Ability to competently use computers including software such as Word, Excel, Powerpoints and proficient use of electronic patient record systems
- Understanding and knowledge of additional health conditions such as Autism
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Application numbers
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Audrey Ritchie
- Job title
- Specialist Nurse
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01293 301010
- Additional information
Helen Daniel - [email protected] Specialist Nurse
Helen Watson - [email protected] - Deputy Operational Head of Service tel: 07786535859
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