SEND Specialist Outreach Worker: Early Years SEND & Portage Team

Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council; Halifax; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 43,000; Part time

Job summary

Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council is recruiting a part-time SEND Specialist Outreach Worker for the EYSEND & Portage Team in Calderdale. The role focuses on delivering Portage-based early education in home and community settings, supporting families and children aged 0-5 with diverse SEND needs.

You will work from a team base at the Shay Stadium, Halifax, with a strong emphasis on multi-agency collaboration and inclusive practices to empower families and practitioners across Calderdale.

Qualifications

• Solid understanding of early child development and EYFS Curriculum.
• Recent experience with children with SEND in the Early Years sector.
• Strong knowledge of Portage and small steps approaches.
• Experience working with families and multiple agencies.
• Excellent oral and written communication and organisational skills.
• Commitment to Improving Inclusion in Calderdale and Dingley’s Promise.

Responsibilities

• Deliver Portage Specialist Early Education in the home and community.
• Support families to identify and implement learning plans.
• Collaborate with EYSEND Officers and multi-agency partners.
• Contribute to training and progression reviews as needed.

Skills

Early child development

EYFS Curriculum

Portage model

Family engagement

Multi-agency collaboration

Communication skills

Dingley’s Promise

Job description

Ref: CC896

Hybrid worker, with a team base at the Shay Stadium, Halifax.

Please note: Internal, at risk or redeployee applicants will be seen in the first instance.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a part-time SEND Specialist Outreach Worker, within our highly respected EYSEND & Portage Team, which is a part of Calderdale's Specialist Inclusion Team (SIT).

SEND Specialist Outreach workers work directly with children (0 - 5 years) with a wide range of special educational needs / disabilities (SEND). Our work is delivered across the Borough in family homes, educational and community settings.

The aim is to support children and their families in their early stages of learning & development so that they have inclusive access to their early education entitlements, childcare and when starting their statutory school journey. Working with the EYSEND Specialist Officers, our Outreach Team deliver the Portage (National Portage Association) model of specialist Early Education and key-working for families to ensure a holistic approach to each child's needs, so that these are appropriately identified & supported.

The aim of our work is to empower families, practitioners and other professionals with knowledge, skills and practical strategies that enable the child and their family to live and learn confidently, access early years learning opportunities and access their local community life.

The EYSEND & Portage Team provide specialist support and training across the Early Years the Sector and to our multi-agency partners to embed the principles of Dingley's Promise Improving Inclusion across Calderdale

This post will have a strong focus on the delivery of Portage Specialist Early Education in the home and as such we are looking someone with:

• Solid understanding of early child development, Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum and appropriate assessment tools.


• Recent experience working in the Early Years sector with children with a range of complex Special Educational Needs / Disability (SEND)


• Thorough understanding of small steps approaches and task analysis for building individualised learning and development plans as part of the Graduated Approach.


• An understanding of teaching and learning approaches that underpin early years pedagogy


• The skills to work with families and a range of other agencies, building the skills and resilience for future independence.


• Experience of collaborative multi-agency work, action planning and progress reviews.


• Excellent oral and written communication / organisational skills to be able to effectively carry a caseload of Portage families.


• Clear commitment to Improving Inclusion in Calderdale utilising the Dingleys Promise approaches


• Exemplary inclusive practice and knowledge of SEND processes within education


• A sound knowledge of the, SEND Code of Practice and other relevant legislation.


• Ability to contribute to the development and delivery of training

You must have a full UK driving licence with a car available for work.

Active participation in a comprehensive induction, reflective supervision, mentoring and Continuing Professional Development as an ongoing requirement of the role.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expect all staff to share this commitment. Applicants to posts that are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act will require a DBS from the Disclosure and Barring Service before the appointment is confirmed.

Closing Date: Wednesday 7th October 2026

Interview Date: TBC

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year (unless exceptions apply) and meet the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.

We may utilise digital interview methods.

As part of our Vision (https://www.calderdale.gov.uk/vision/) we aim to be a talented, resilient and inclusive community. We welcome applications from all and offer a variety of flexible working / job share opportunities.

All applications are anonymised before being seen by the selection panel.

As part of our fair recruitment process, we ask that all applications are written by the candidate and that Artificial Intelligence (AI) use is limited, unless assistance is required as a reasonable adjustment for a disability. Content should be truthful, accurate, evidence based and not embellished - see guidance.