Early Years Portage Practitioner

Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council; Nottingham; Hybrid; GBP 28,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Car user allowance

Flexible working

Hybrid working

Job summary

Knowsley Council is seeking a Portage Practitioner to support pre-school children with additional needs through Educational Home Visiting and partnership working. You will lead Early Help Assessments and contribute to Education, Health and Care Plans within Knowsley Early Years Service.

The role involves delivering Portage sessions, liaising with agencies, and travelling around the Knowsley borough. NVQ3 childcare or equivalent is required, with Basic Portage training and 6 months supervised

Qualifications

• Requires childcare qualification at least NVQ level 3 or equivalent.
• Evidence of continuing professional development (CPD).
• Complete Basic Portage workshop and core competencies; 6 months of supervised home visits.

Responsibilities

• Provide Educational Home Visiting for pre-school children with additional needs and/or disabilities, in partnership with parents/carers and other agencies using the Portage Model.
• Initiate Early Help Assessments and act as Lead Practitioner when appropriate.
• Contribute to developing Education, Health and Care Plans.
• Deliver Portage services and targeted groups for families on the waiting list.
• Liaise with Local Authority, Health, Voluntary Sector and stakeholders to create beneficial links.

Skills

Partnership working

Home visiting

Assessment skills

Communication skills

Education

NVQ Level 3 Childcare or equivalent

Portage training basics

Job description

We are looking for driven and passionate people to work with us to deliver real benefits for our residents and businesses and become part of the Knowsley Journey

• Location: Hybrid Working, George Howard Centre, Lickers Lane, Whiston, L35 3SR
• Contract: Permanent
• Working Pattern: Full Time
• Hours: 36 hours per week.
• Closing Date: 15/11/2026 at 23:59
• Reference: CVP 0726

Knowsley Council is an award-winning Local Authority, named Local Authority of the Year in the Municipal Journal Awards 2024.

We are an Accredited employer under the Liverpool City Region Fair Employment Charter , demonstrating that we are committed to the principle of fair employment and we are dedicated to providing a healthy, fair, inclusive and just workplace.

Come join us and be part of our success.

Knowsley Early Years Service works to build capacity within children, families, and communities through the provision of high-quality accessible universal services and a preventative Early Help offer that will start to break the intergenerational cycles of disadvantage and dependency. Knowsley Early Years will ensure every child grows up in a nurturing environment, with access to public service support helping children to fulfil their potential as they move into primary and secondary education.

As a Portage Practitioner you will work to the principals of the National Portage Association, meeting continued registration requirements. Provide an Educational Home Visiting service for pre-school children with additional needs and/or disabilities working in partnership with parents/carers and other agencies using the Portage Model.

You will initiate Early Help Assessments and be the Lead Practitioner when appropriate. You will contribute to the development of Education, Health and Care Plans.

Be required to assist the Early Years SEND Senior Practitioner with the regular reviews of families receiving a Portage Service.

Portage Practitioners deliver targeted groups for children and their families on the Portage waiting list.

The role requires you to liaise with other agencies within the Local Authority, Health, Voluntary Sector, and other key stakeholders to create links between them, parents and practitioners, which will be mutually beneficial towards raising of educational standards.

You should have Childcare qualification equivalent to NVQ level 3 and above and have evidence of continued professional development. You will be required to complete the Basic Portage workshop, core competencies and 6 months supervised home visits.

Car user allowance is payable. This role involves travelling around the borough of Knowsley.

At Knowsley Council we will consider requests for flexible working. For most roles, the following types of flexibility are usually possible: flexible hours, working from home, compressed hours, part-time.

We welcome applications from residents and beyond, regardless of background, belief, or identity, recognising the value that diversity brings to our organisation. We particularly welcome applications from individuals from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds and candidates with disabilities as we acknowledge their underrepresentation in our workforce.

Please note sponsorship is not available for this role.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier than the specified date should we receive sufficient applicants.

At Knowsley we value our applicants and want them to feel well-informed and welcomed. If you have any questions about this specific job role or what it is like to work at Knowsley, please contact:

Closing Date: Sunday, 15th November 2026 at 23:59pm

Interview Date: Thursday, 26th November 2026