Job summary
- Main area
- Childrens Services
- Grade
- Band 4
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 364-B-144
- Employer
- Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Rayleigh Clinic Annexe
- Town
- Rayleigh
- Salary
- £28,392 - £31,157 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 17/07/2026 23:59
- Interview date
- 30/07/2026
Employer heading
Specialist Paediatric Development & Play Advisor
Band 4
Please be aware that, due to current allocation constraints, Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) are being prioritised for registered roles at this time.
Our Trust cares for more than 100,000 patients at any one time across our community health, mental health and learning disability services across Essex and parts of Bedfordshire and Suffolk.
We want you to be part of our journey of transformation, where our patients and their families are at the heart of everything we do and to achieve our vision to be the leading health and wellbeing service in the provision of mental health and community care.
You’ll be part of a Trust where you will be supported to be your authentic self and be the best you can be, where we will help you to grow, develop and thrive.
The Trust is recognised by the University of Essex and is a top provider of apprenticeships for people looking to be an assistant practitioner, senior health care support worker (CAP). Our trailblazing CAP apprenticeship won a national HSJ Award.
We are also recognised as a Veteran Aware Trust and holder of gold accreditation from the Ministry of Defence Employment Recognition Scheme. Our services are highlighted as an exemplar of good practice, producing the best care for more than 3.500 armed forces veterans in the past seven years.
We have been shortlisted and won national awards. We are an inclusive organisation and Level 3 Disability Confident Leader Trust.
We are constantly innovating and looking for new ways to deliver care, such as using technology to enhance patient care and working with partners to launch new services such as the Basildon Mental Health Urgent Care Department, virtual hospitals and falls response cars.
Join us and you’ll do the best work of your life – and make a difference to other people’s lives. What we do together, matters.
Job overview
The Jigsaw Development & Play team offers a care pathway for children with additional needs, providing advice, support and interventions to children and their families. Using a partnership approach with the multi-agency team and partner agencies to deliver a holistic package.
Providing support to families
Conducting home visits and monitoring concerns
Facilitating health promotion activities
Identifying and reporting safeguarding concerns
Working with vulnerable and complex families
Advocating for children's needs
Main duties of the job
The Specialist Paediatric Development and Play Advisors has responsibility for;
Identifying parenting and behaviour management needs within the family and to provide strategies to help resolve these issues. Identifying and evaluating the effectiveness of play opportunities and environments in meeting the children’s additional needs.
Delivering an intervention which encompasses their age & stage of development and address their challenges.
Producing a report summary of the sessions that could be used to assist a paediatrician during diagnosis.
Where appropriate contributing to the One Plan and EHCP process.
Deliver workshops to support parents with specific areas of development such as sleep, toilet training, play, and eating.
Working for our organisation
Valuing you. Recognising your dedication. At EPUT, we look after you.
- Receive supervision and support to help you fulfil your potential.
- Join an inclusive EPUT community and connect with others through engagement events and equality or champion networks.
- If you need help, we provide mental health and wellbeing services, occupational health advice and counselling.
Benefits
- 27 days holiday, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days after 10 years’ service.
- Excellent pension of up to 14.5% of your pensionable pay.
- Staff discounts include Blue Light Card, NHS discount offers, and staff benefits.
- £8K relocation package if you move to Essex to join us
- Season ticket loans are interest-free to cover the cost of travelling to and from work via tram, rail, or bus.
Work that wraps around your needs
- Job share: Applications for job shares are welcomed.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
To work as a member of the Jigsaws Development and Play Team across Children’s Services in South East Essex (Southend, Rochford,
Rayleigh, Castle Point) under the direction of the Specialist Health Visitor for Children with Additional Needs and the Children's Targeted Team Manager
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
To assess family dynamics and parenting capability and enable identification of child’s behavioural/developmental and emotional needs.
Working with children experiencing developmental delay with possible behavioural challenges and advising parents how best to progress.
Identify and evaluate the effectiveness of play opportunities and environments in meeting children’s additional needs within the home and or groups.
Undertake a contracted programme of work with families who have a child with an additional need, which encompasses their age & stage of development that suits the family and child’s individual needs.
To assist and deliver parenting programmes for children with identified needs to include both parent focused and client focused groups.
To work with family members utilising a partnership approach to enable them to meet their Child’s needs liaising with other professionals involved with the child and family.
Person specification
Meet essential criteria
Essential criteria
- NNEB/BTEC/NVQ3 or equivalent childcare qualification Foundation Degree Early Years or Advanced Diploma in Childcare Education
- Car Driver
- Experience of working with children who have additional needs. Experience of working with families with parenting and behaviour management needs. Sound knowledge of Child Development,
- Shares the Trusts beliefs & values.
- Experience of maintaining accurate, contemporaneous records
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working with children and families in the community.
- Experience of multi-agency working.
- Ability to prioritise and manage own workload
JD/PS
Essential criteria
- NNEB/BTEC/NVQ3 or equivalent childcare qualification Foundation Degree Early Years or Advanced Diploma in Childcare Education
- Car Driver
- Experience of working with children who have additional needs. Experience of working with families with parenting and behaviour management needs. Sound knowledge of Child Development,
- Shares the Trusts beliefs & values.
- Experience of maintaining accurate, contemporaneous records
Desirable criteria
- Meets PS
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.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Melanie Breward
- Job title
- Childrens Targeted Team Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07989160707
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