Specialist Teacher - Communication and Interaction

Dorset Council; Ferndown; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Dorset Council is seeking an experienced Specialist Teacher with expertise in Communication and Interaction to join the Learning and Belonging Service. The role champions inclusion for children and young people with communication and interaction needs across Dorset and works to bring specialist knowledge into mainstream settings.

You will collaborate with a multi-disciplinary team to support schools, families and professionals, delivering training and coaching to enhance inclusive practice

Qualifications

• Qualified and experienced teacher with expertise in autism and communication and interaction needs.
• Commitment to continuous professional development and supervision.

Responsibilities

• Strengthening inclusive provision across Dorset’s education system by modelling effective inclusive approaches and environmental adaptations.
• Supporting settings to adapt provision and implement reasonable adjustments.
• Delivering training to diverse audiences both online and face-to-face.
• Coaching practitioners to embed evidence-based strategies for inclusive, neuro-affirming practice.
• Promoting positive relationships and psychological safety as foundations for learning.
• Supporting schools and families to reduce risk of exclusion and placement breakdown through early intervention.
• Supporting Specialist Inclusion Bases.

Skills

Autism expertise

Communication & Interaction

Education

Qualified Teacher Status

Job description

About the role

This is an exciting opportunity to join our expanding team of Specialist Teachers. We are recruiting to support the delivery of the Dorset Expertise Offer as part of the SEND reforms and wider inclusion priorities across the county.

We are seeking an experienced and enthusiastic Specialist Teacher with expertise in Communication and Interaction to join Dorset Council’s Learning and Belonging Service and champion inclusion for children and young people with communication and interaction needs.

The postholder will join our established and well-regarded team of specialist teachers, working collaboratively to deliver high-quality services across Dorset. You will play a key role in bringing specialist expertise directly into mainstream education settings, supporting children and young people earlier and helping schools build confidence, capacity and inclusive practice.

The role will work closely with Dorset’s Expertise Offer (Experts at Hand) as part of Dorset’s SEND Reforms, which brings together specialist teachers, educational psychologists, speech and language therapists, and occupational therapists to support children, families and settings. In addition, the postholder will contribute to a broader range of inclusion priorities, including supporting the development and effectiveness of Dorset's inclusion bases and strengthening inclusive practice across the education system.

About the Role

Join a welcoming, supportive and ambitious team that is committed to improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND. We offer a nurturing environment where your expertise will be valued, your professional development encouraged, and your ideas welcomed. Working alongside specialist colleagues from across education and health, you will have the opportunity to influence practice, build capacity in schools and contribute to Dorset's vision for a more inclusive education system.

You will provide specialist advice, support and training for staff relating to autism, social communication and interaction differences and the barriers these can create within education.

Your work will include

Strengthening inclusive provision across Dorset’s education system by

• Modelling effective inclusive approaches and supporting environmental adaptations.
• Supporting settings to adapt provision and implement appropriate reasonable adjustments.
• Delivering training to a range of audiences, both online and face to face.
• Coaching practitioners to embed evidence-based strategies to support individual pupils and inclusive, neuroaffirming practice.
• Promoting positive relationships and psychological safety as foundations for learning.
• Supporting schools and families to reduce the risk of exclusion and placement breakdown through early intervention.
• Supporting Specialist Inclusion Bases

About you

We are looking for someone who:

• Is a qualified and experienced teacher with expertise and in autism and communication and interaction needs
• Is committed to developing skills and knowledge through continuous professional development and supervision.
• Has a strong understanding of inclusive, neuro-affirming and communication-friendly practice.
• Can build confidence and capability in the wider workforce
• Is confident to deliver both face to face and online training in a range of settings, including whole school.
• Works collaboratively with schools, families and professionals
• Is committed to improving participation, belonging and achievement for children and young people.

About Dorset Children’s Services

‘Dorset Children Thrive’ is our locality model to deliver Children's Services. It brings together services and support for children and families into four integrated locality teams. The locality teams include Family Help, Children's Social Care and Learning and Belonging. Through our integrated structure colleagues work in multi-disciplinary integrated teams as part of the Learning and Belonging strand.

Further Information

This post requires significant travel. You must have a vehicle (or transport we deem suitable) available for use as needed.

This post involves working with children and/or vulnerable adults and/or having access to significant information about them. It will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check. See our policy on the employment of ex-offenders.

See our policy on safeguarding children and young people.

Location

across Dorset localities

If you would like to discuss the posts informally, please call or email Clare Anderson, Principal Educational Psychologist on 01305 224354 or [e-mail]

Interviews will be in-person on either Tuesday 20 October or Thursday 22 October 2026.

Join us and help build a more inclusive education system where every child can belong, thrive and achieve.

About Us

At Dorset Council, it's not just about the work we do, it's about how we do it. Hear directly from our employees about what makes Dorset Council special in this short video:

At Dorset Council, we are working together to create a fairer, more prosperous, and more sustainable Dorset for everyone, now and in the future.

We

• provide essential services that support over 300,000 residents
• work in partnership to make a real difference
• value every role and the impact it has on our communities
• support our employees to grow, develop, and thrive

You will

• be part of a team that works together for a better Dorset
• have access to a range of benefits and support
• receive training and development opportunities to help your career progress

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation where different skills, perspectives, and backgrounds strengthen both our council and the communities we serve.

We welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. If you declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role, we will offer you an interview. We also want our recruitment process to be accessible, if you need any reasonable adjustments, just let us know on your application.

This role is UK-based, and we will need to confirm your Right to Work as part of the appointment process. We use generic job descriptions and person specifications, so the job title in any attachments may differ from the advert. If needed, we will provide additional details in a context statement.

If you’re passionate about making a difference, we’d love you to join us.