Portage Home Visitors

Sheffield City Council HQ; Sheffield; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible and agile working

Professional development and training

Regular supervision and peer support

Job summary

Sheffield City Council is seeking a Portage Home Visitor to support children aged 0-5 with additional needs and their families. You will deliver specialist early intervention in homes and community settings, planning learning activities and promoting development across communication, play and independence.

You will work closely with parents, health colleagues and other professionals, contribute to assessments and transition planning, uphold safeguarding, and participate in multi-agency meetings.

Qualifications

• Experience working with young children with SEND and their families.
• Understanding of child development and early intervention approaches.
• Ability to build positive relationships with families and work in a team.
• Commitment to inclusion and safeguarding in a community setting.

Responsibilities

• Deliver Portage support to children and families in homes and community settings.
• Plan and deliver personalised learning and development activities.
• Support children's communication, play, independence and social development.
• Contribute to transition planning into early years settings and school.
• Work with health professionals and SEND services; participate in multi-agency meetings.
• Maintain accurate records and evidence of outcomes; promote safeguarding.

Skills

Experience with SEND families

Child development knowledge

Communication & organisation

Independent yet collaborative

Education

Portage training (desirable)

Job description

Portage Home Visitor

Location: Sheffield (citywide community-based role)

Make a Difference from the Very Start

Are you passionate about improving outcomes for young children with additional needs and disabilities?

We are looking for a skilled, enthusiastic and child-centred Portage Home Visitor to join Sheffield's 0-5 SEND Support Service. This is an exciting opportunity to work directly with children aged 0-5 and their families, providing specialist early intervention and supporting children to achieve the very best start in life.

Portage is a vital part of Sheffield's wider SEND offer, working closely with families, early years settings, health colleagues and other professionals to support children with significant or complex developmental needs. The service plays a key role in early identification, transition planning and helping families build confidence in supporting their child's development.

About the Role

• Deliver high-quality Portage support to children and families in their homes and community settings.
• Work in partnership with parents and carers to identify priorities and celebrate progress.
• Plan and deliver personalised learning and development activities.
• Support children's communication, play, independence and social development.
• Contribute to transition planning into early years settings and school provision.
• Work collaboratively with health professionals, Family Hubs, Early Years Inclusion Teachers, Inclusion Assistants and wider SEND services.
• Participate in multi-agency meetings and contribute to assessments, reports and support plans.
• Maintain accurate records and evidence of outcomes.
• Promote safeguarding and inclusion in all aspects of your work.

About You

We are looking for someone who:

• Has experience of working with young children with SEND and their families.
• Understands child development and early intervention approaches.
• Can build positive, trusting relationships with families.
• Is able to work independently while contributing positively to a wider team.
• Has excellent communication, planning and organisational skills.
• Is committed to inclusion and improving outcomes for children and families.
• Values partnership working and multi-agency collaboration.
• Can demonstrate resilience, flexibility and a solution‑focused approach.

Portage training or experience of delivering Portage programmes would be desirable, although training and development opportunities will be provided for the right candidate.

What We Offer

• A supportive and experienced 0-5 SEND team.
• Opportunities for professional development and specialist training.
• Regular supervision and peer support.
• Flexible and agile working arrangements where appropriate.
• The opportunity to make a genuine difference to the lives of children and families across Sheffield.
• The chance to be part of a service that is helping shape the future of early years SEND support across the city.

Join Us

If you are committed to ensuring every child has the best possible start in life and want to be part of a dynamic, supportive and forward-thinking service, we would love to hear from you.

We are investing in our workforce and are promoting opportunities to our under-represented groups. We value equality, diversity and inclusion and are focused on increasing the diversity of our workforce, particularly the number of Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic, Disabled and LGBTQ+ people, so that our teams reflect the communities in the city we serve. We are also supporting staff with unpaid caring responsibilities to work flexibly.

It is a great time to join us and we welcome your application.

Under the Guaranteed Interview scheme, applicants who are disabled, care leavers, or armed forces veterans will be guaranteed an interview if they meet the essential criteria and indicate their eligibility on the application form. Sometimes, if lots of people apply, we might not be able to interview everyone who qualifies for the Guarantee. In these cases, we'll interview the candidates who best meet the essential criteria for the job.

Full-time employees work 37 hours for 52 weeks of the year and we offer a generous holiday entitlement. We are open to discussions about a wide range of flexible working opportunities which benefit you and the Council, including reduced hour contracts, working part time or as a job share.

If you are appointed to this role, your starting salary will be at the bottom of the grade. If you provide payslip evidence that your basic pay is greater than the bottom of the grade, we will consider starting you at the point of minimum advantage within the grade.

Equality of pay is extremely important to us. All roles at Sheffield City Council are going through an evaluation process which may result in changes to some pay arrangements from 2026. Find out more on our Sheff news page.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all individuals, ensuring a safe and supportive environment for everyone and where appropriate to the role the successful applicant will be required to undertake relevant safeguarding checks.