Portage Adviser

Sefton Council; Greater London; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council invites applications for a Portage Advisor within the Early Years SEND Team. The role delivers early intervention support to children with additional needs and their families through a home-visiting service across Sefton.

You will assess, monitor, and provide play-based interventions, managing a caseload while travelling to family homes each day. Familiarity with Portage is beneficial but not essential.

Qualifications

• Experience in early years education and SEND support.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.

Responsibilities

• Provide home- visiting assessment and play-based intervention.
• Manage a designated caseload of Early Years children.
• Travel to family homes on a daily basis.
• Collaborate with families and professionals within the Early Years SEND Team.

Skills

Child development knowledge

Communication skills

Independent & collaborative working

Job description

• Employer: Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council
• Location: Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council, Magdalen House
• Contract: Temporary
• Working Pattern: Full Time
• Hours: 36 hours per week. Fixed Term Until 31/03/2029.
• Closing Date: 30/10/2026 at 23:59
• Reference: EE/26/347290

About the Role

Are you passionate about Early Years Education and supporting children with Special Educational Needs?

Do you bring extensive experience and expertise in working with young children and their families?

If so, we have an exciting opportunity for you to join Sefton’s Early Years Service as a Portage Advisor. We are seeking a dedicated, enthusiastic, and highly motivated individual to become part of our committed Early Years SEND Team, delivering early intervention support to children with additional needs and their families.

In this role, you will provide a personalised package of assessment, monitoring, and play-based intervention through a home-visiting service for a designated caseload of Early Years children across the borough of Sefton. Daily travel to family homes is a key aspect of the role.

We are looking for someone with:

• A strong understanding of child development
• Excellent communication, listening, and interpersonal skills
• The ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a team

Familiarity with the Portage model or previous Portage training would be highly beneficial, but not essential.

Please see Appendix A (page 10) for a full copy of the Job Description and Person Specification

The closing date for this vacancy is Friday, 30 th October 2026 (or earlier in the event of high volume of applications being received).

Provisional interview dates are Wednesday, 11 th November 2026.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

Sefton Council strives to ensure that our workforce is inclusive and representative of our communities. A diverse workforce is important to us, our staff bring with them a wide range of experiences, views, ideas, and innovations, and we are committed to providing an environment that recognises, respects, and values everybody’s identity, where individual differences are strengths and where everyone can thrive and maximise their potential.We are always open to learning and growing as an organisation, and we welcome new ideas and initiatives that promote equality, diversity and inclusion.

We are an Equal Opportunities Employer; all candidates will receive equal treatment. Our decision to appoint will be based upon whether an individual’s skills, experience, qualifications, and abilities make them the most suitable candidate for the role.

Please note that all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for these jobs (as given in the Person Specification) and who want to apply under the Disability Confident Scheme will be invited to interview.

If you are currently in care or have previously been in care, we provide a guaranteed interview scheme for care experienced people if you meet the essential requirements for the role.