Children Support Worker

NHS; Sittingbourne; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 27,000; Part time

Job summary

A health organization supporting children in Sittingbourne is seeking a part-time Children Support Worker. This role involves supporting children with learning difficulties and health conditions, conducting intervention sessions, and assisting with physiotherapy and speech therapy. Ideal candidates will have at least one year of experience in child care and a child care qualification. The position requires 22.5 hours of work over three days each week, with excellent communication skills necessary.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 1 year experience in a child care setting.
• Good understanding of child development, particularly preschool age.
• Knowledge of services for families of disabled children.

Responsibilities

• Conduct 2 intervention sessions a day with children.
• Perform personal care and write reports checked by a registered nurse.
• Support physiotherapy exercises and speech & language plans.

Skills

Excellent communication and negotiation skills

IT skills

Willingness to undertake training

Education

NNEB or Level 3 B/Tec National Diploma in child care

Job description

Go back Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust

Children Support Worker

The closing date is 07 January 2026

Make a difference today - support children with learning difficulties and health conditions develop and progress.

This part time role is an exciting opportunity for a motivated and enthusiastic support worker to work within an assessment and Intervention Nursery based in Sittingbourne.

The Nursery Team is looking for band 3 Children Support worker to join the team.

We work with families and partnership agencies to support families. We assess and write reports to be viewed by the community paediatrician to help with diagnosis. We want to understand the child's needs and identify strategies to enable the child to progress in their learning and be ready for school. To work with parents to enable the strategies to be carried on in other settings such as home.

This role will be based within a nursery.

Training in the appropriate skills will be provided plus there is access to a wide training programme at KCHFT.

If you have experience of working with children with learning and health needs within a health, educational or social care setting, would like to use and build upon existing knowledge and skills, and working within a flexible and friendly team then this could be the perfect role for you.

This role is 22.5 hrs per week, worked across 3 days - one of the days must be a Wednesday.

Please contact Angela Huckerby on 07909535864 for an informal discussion if you would like to know more about the post and the nursery service.

Main duties of the job

• 2 intervention sessions a day (4 days a week) with a group of children shared with the nursery team
• 1 day a week is set aside for the assessment nursery where you will take part in observing a child and at the end of 6 weeks writing up a report using a framework
• Personal care
• Writing reports which are checked by registered nurse
• Play based activities to encourage development
• Supporting with physiotherapy exercises
• Supporting with speech & language plans
• Supporting fluid and nutrition
• Risk assessment

Please note, this vacancy does not meet the criteria for skilled worker sponsorship and therefore, we are unable to accept applications from candidates that cannot provide documentary evidence of right to work in the United Kingdom. If you feel you qualify for sponsorship via a discounted salary threshold, please contact us via [e-mail] quoting the vacancy reference number and how you feel you qualify for a discounted salary threshold.

About us

Rated 'outstanding' by the CQC, we've got a passion for delivering high standards of patient care and excellent services to improve the health of our communities. To do this we need outstanding people who share our values compassionate Aspirational Responsive Excellent

We know a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion leads to better patient care and a happier workforce. We pride ourselves in being diverse and welcome applications from people with varied backgrounds, perspectives and experiences

We ask for information about your protected characteristics on our application forms. This isn't visible to anyone involved with shortlisting or interviewing you, except when you choose to be considered under the guaranteed interview scheme due to disability. Short listers will see two ticks alongside your application to ensure they apply the principles of the scheme to your submission

The data we collect helps us to ensure we are attracting diversity in our applicants, that all our colleagues have equitable access to career opportunities and supports us on our journey to being a Great Place to Work

As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want you to be able to work in a way that is best for us, for your patients and for you. Talk to us about a flexible working arrangement that won't involve sacrificing time for personal interests or family commitments. We'll support you to work flexibly in a way that will suit us both

See where you can go with KCHFT career pathways

Job responsibilities

Please note: at this stage, the role is open only to colleagues currently employed within Kent and Medway NHS Trusts and the Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board (ICB). Nursing vacancies are also open to Student Nurses and Newly Qualified Nurses.

As a community Trust, many of our roles require individuals to be able to drive to perform their duties. Where driving is a requirement of the role, you will be asked to confirm that you hold a full UK driving licence or a full driving licence issued by an EU country (not exchanged from a non-EU country) to proceed with your application. We are committed to supporting candidates with disabilities into employment. If you are unable to drive due to a disability, please contact the Recruitment Team via [e-mail], quoting the vacancy reference number, so we can support you further.

The job description and person specification gives you all the information you need about this role. Please look carefully at the criteria in the person specification and tell us what you have done that shows you meet this in your application. If you need an application form in an alternative format please let our recruitment team know. All information you supply on your application should, to the best of your knowledge, be true and accurate.

Still have questions? The recruiting manager would love to hear from you, their contact details can be found in the job advert.

We can get a lot of applications for some roles so to be in with the best chance of being shortlisted please make sure you apply as soon as possible. A vacancy may close early if there is a lot of interest in the job.

At KCHFT we strongly encourage colleagues in clinical and non-clinical roles who have direct or social contact with patients to be fully vaccinated. In this way we will be doing all we can to ensure your safety and that of your colleagues and the patients we serve.

Find out more about the community difference here.

Good luck! We cant wait to meet you and welcome you to #teamKCHFT, #cometocommunity.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• NNEB or Level 3 B/Tec National Diploma in child care

Experience

• Recent experience working with children - minimum of 1 year in a child care setting.
• Experience of working jointly and effectively with other members of the wider MDT. Experience of working with children with additional needs. Experience and knowledge with safeguarding children

Knowledge

• Be able to demonstrate a good understanding of child development particularly preschool age. You'll need have sound communication skills to understand and communicate both verbally and in writing
• Knowledge of services provided by statutory and voluntary agencies to families of disabled children and those with additional health needs.

Skills and Abilities

• Excellent communication and negotiation skills. IT skills. Willingness to undertake training on health need to be able to care for children with health needs. Be able to document and recognise when to elevate to nurse. Due to children being pre-school age, you will need to be able to work at floor level for up to 3-hour sessions
• Experience with health needs such as gastrostomies, medication, seizure management etc

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer name

Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust

£24,937 to £26,598 a year per annum pro rata