Senior Childcare Worker

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About the role

You'll be part of a vibrant community of 13 practitioners working across three rooms, with the chance to collaborate closely with our setting SENCO to support children with additional needs. As a Dorset Council employee, you'll benefit from generous annual leave, a pension scheme and a wide range of employee benefits. We offer a supportive environment where technology helps strengthen communication with families and colleagues, and where our team works together guided by Dorset Council's values.

What you'll be doing
You'll play a vital role in our preschool provision, helping children thrive by planning activities tailored to their needs. Working alongside a dedicated team, you'll support developmental activities, create and adapt stimulating learning environments, and engage daily with parents and carers to share progress and milestones. You'll also contribute to wider aspects of preschool life, from designing nutritious snack menus to joining in adult-led activities such as sport, art and cookery. Regular professional development opportunities will ensure you continue to grow in your role.

About you

• qualified to at least Level 3 in childcare or a related field, with safeguarding, paediatric first aid or food hygiene certificates desirable
• supportive and able to mentor, challenge and guide others
• patient, enthusiastic and motivated, with a talent for initiating activities
• organised, with strong skills in documenting observations and sharing learning with families
• committed to creating positive early educational experiences for children

If you're a self-motivated individual who's ready to make a real difference, we'd love to hear from you.

Further Information

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.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children, and we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Please be aware this post is subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service application and other safer recruitment checks, including 2 references.

See our policy on safeguarding children and young people.

About Us

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.

Find out more about how to apply.