Portage Practitioner

Role Responsibility

Portage is a Pre-School Educational Service offering Pre-School Learning Groups and Home Learning Sessions for families with very young children (0-5 yrs.) who have additional support needs and disabilities.

We are looking to recruit a Portage Practitioner 28 hours a week pro-rata (FT Equivalent 37 hours) to work across West Kent, covering Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge and Malling, Sevenoaks, Based at the Dolphin Centre Tunbridge Wells.

This is an exciting opportunity to play an active and central role in supporting children’s development through the Portage Home learning sessions and the Portage Pre-School Learning Groups.

The core elements of the role include;

• Developing play activities based on the child’s level and interests, working in partnership with families and other agencies.
• Using the small steps approach to plan learning experiences.
• Working closely with other professionals to support the transitions.
• Delivering Pre-School Learning Groups and Home Learning Sessions

You will need to demonstrate experience of working with very young children with additional needs and their families and evidence how you can respond and extend play opportunities based around the child’s development.

In addition, good interpersonal, organisation, IT and communication skills are essential, these roles are coordinated and supported by the Portage Officers.

Successful candidates will need to attend the Accredited Portage three day Training Workshop with the opportunity to then complete the National Portage Association Level 3 in Portage Practice.

This role is subject to holding a Full UK Driving Licence – The Council is committed to making reasonable adjustments so whilst this job requires the jobholder to drive your application will still be considered if you are unable to drive due to a disability.

This post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure Application to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

This post is considered by KCC to be a customer-facing position. The Council therefore has a statutory duty under Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) to ensure that post holders have a command of spoken English/Welsh sufficient for the effective performance of the job requirements. The appropriate standards are set out in the Job Description/Person Specification.

Contact Details

For further information on this role please contact Tracy Harvey - kentportage@kent.gov.uk

About the Company

KCC is committed to building a workforce which reflects the diversity of the county's working residents, encouraging applications from people of all ages, abilities, genders, sexual orientations, ethnic backgrounds and faiths, and aspires to create an inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves at work.

Please note – if you are interested, please apply as soon as possible as the closing date for this advert may be earlier than stated should a number of suitably qualified candidates apply.