Childcare Assistant

Dorset Council; Shaftesbury; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 24,000; Part time

Job summary

A local government council in Shaftesbury is seeking a passionate individual for a part-time Maternity Cover position dedicated to providing quality care for children aged 3 months to 5 years. The ideal candidate will be enthusiastic, computer-confident, and organized, with a focus on creating a safe and engaging learning environment for children. This role offers opportunities for professional growth and includes access to employee benefits.

Benefits

Generous annual leave

Pension scheme

Training and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Passionate about working with children.
• Self-motivated and enthusiastic.
• Ability to use technology for communication.
• Experience working with safeguarding and first aid is beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Provide a safe and stimulating environment for children.
• Support children's socialisation and development.
• Record observations and share information with parents.

Skills

Passion for working with children

Computer confidence

Ability to use initiative

Organisational skills

Teamwork

Education

Childcare or food hygiene qualifications

Job description

Overview

This position will be Maternity Cover for up to 12 months, it is part time at 18.5 hours per week. You will be working alongside qualified childcare practitioners to provide a fun, safe and stimulating environment focused on learning through play, providing activities and quality childcare for children aged 3 months to 5 years. You will support children to socialise and foster their dreams for the future realising their potential. This role will provide you with many opportunities to learn new skills, solve problems and adapt to different situations. Everyday is different and exciting - you can get creative, messy and encourage children to explore the world through play. You can make a real difference in children\'s lives by providing them with a safe, supportive and fun environment where they are eager to \'have a go\' and try new things.

About You: We are looking to appoint someone who is passionate about working with children, fun, calm and supportive. You\'ll be enthusiastic, self-motivated, and able to use your initiative. We use technology to communicate with each other and our families and so you should be confident in using a computer. Support will be available on specific programmes we use. You will be well organised needing to record observations, sharing information with parents and carers to support learning at home - always seeking advice and guidance from your senior and line manager when needed. If you have any safeguarding, paediatric first aid, childcare or food hygiene qualifications that would be an advantage. You will also be working with a team of other professionals who share your passion and vision for childcare.

What\u2019s in it for you?

As an employee of Dorset Council you will have access to a range of employee benefits including a generous annual leave entitlement and pension scheme.

Further Information

This post involves working with children and/or vulnerable adults and/or having access to significant information about them. It will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check. See our policy on the employment of ex-offenders.

See our adult safeguarding policy. If you have any questions regarding the position please email [email protected] and I will get back to you as soon as possible. The working hours for this position would be: Monday- 12-6 Tuesday- 11:30-4 Wednesday- Non-Working Day Thursday- 11:30-4 Friday- 11:30-4

About Us

At Dorset Council, we are working together to create a fairer, more prosperous, and more sustainable Dorset for everyone, now and in the future.

• provide essential services that support over 300,000 residents


• work in partnership to make a real difference


• value every role and the impact it has on our communities


• support our employees to grow, develop, and thrive

You Will

• be part of a team that works together for a better Dorset


• have access to a range of benefits and support


• receive training and development opportunities to help your career progress

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation where different skills, perspectives, and backgrounds strengthen both our council and the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. If you declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role, we will offer you an interview. We also want our recruitment process to be accessible, if you need any reasonable adjustments, just let us know on your application.

This role is UK-based, and we will need to confirm your Right to Work as part of the appointment process. We use generic job descriptions and person specifications, so the job title in any attachments may differ from the advert. If needed, we will provide additional details in a context statement.

If you\u2019re passionate about making a difference, we\u2019d love you to join us.