Best Start in Life Inclusion Practitoner

 Salary: £37,280 - £39,152  per annum 

Hours per week: 37 hours

Temporary/Fixed term: 24 months

Interview date:  Week commencing 09 November 2026

Could you help change a child's life before they even start school? As a Best Start in Life Inclusion Practitioner, you will play a vital role in supporting young children with SEND and their families through early identification, intervention and coordinated support, helping to build confidence, reduce barriers and improve outcomes from the very beginning. 

Working directly with children and families in their homes, community settings and Best Start in Life Family Hubs, you will provide practical, family-centred support that builds confidence and promotes positive outcomes. Drawing on your early years expertise, you will help parents and carers understand their child's developmental strengths and emerging needs, modelling strategies that support learning, development and emotional wellbeing while encouraging inclusive and responsive parenting approaches. 

You will manage a caseload of children and families requiring targeted SEND support, undertaking assessments, setting and reviewing individual goals, and helping families navigate SEND and early years pathways. From supporting access to Early Support Assessments and SEN Support to facilitating smooth transitions into early years provision and school, you will play a key role in ensuring children receive the right support at the right time. You will also work closely with education, health, social care and voluntary sector partners to deliver coordinated and effective interventions. 

As part of the Council's Early Years Team, you will contribute to inclusive services, preventative approaches and effective SEND pathways that help reduce the need for statutory intervention where appropriate. If you are passionate about empowering families, championing inclusion and creating brighter futures for children, we'd love to hear from you. Join us and help shape a child's future at the moment it matters most. 

Why us?

Wiltshire Council is a friendly, welcoming place to work, with a 'One Council' ethos. Find out more about Our Identity, staff networks, and employee benefits here.

Our hybrid working model means office staff are on site for at least half their hours, community-based staff carry out at least half their admin time in a workplace, and customer‑facing roles work entirely from their service location.

We are committed to creating a workplace where positive relationships thrive and everyone feels engaged, supported and able to do their best. We do not tolerate discrimination, bullying or harassment. Everyone is expected to promote a culture of inclusion, dignity, trust and respect, guided by our vision and Our Identity.

Contact details 

Emma Cooke, Service Manager – Early Years Early Learning & Development S&W at [email protected] 

Please ensure to regularly check your spam or junk folder for any communication from us regarding the status of your application.

Application criteria

Please download and read the role description and person specification  carefully before you apply.

We understand that AI tools can support you in preparing job applications. However, we value authenticity and would encourage you to ensure your submission genuinely reflects your own experiences, skills, and motivations.

While we welcome applications from job seekers who require skilled worker sponsorship, we are not able to issue a defined certificate of sponsorship due to limitations in our sponsorship capacity.

If you have applied for this role within the last six months, you do not need to reapply. Your application will remain on file and will be considered.

We are firmly committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and to the principles of inclusion and diversity in both employment and the delivery of services. 

Statement of commitment to equality and inclusion

Disability Confident Employer

Application process

Wiltshire Council does not accept unsolicited CVs or candidate details from recruitment agencies that are not appointed under a current, valid contract or approved supplier arrangement (including through our neutral vendor, Comensura).

Submission of unsolicited CVs or candidate details to the Council, whether directly or to individual employees, will not be considered as an introduction and will not create any obligation on the Council to pay any fees. If a candidate whose details have been submitted speculatively is subsequently appointed through a compliant route, no agency fee will be payable in respect of the unsolicited submission.