Early Years Practitioner en Action for Children

Salary: £24,309.07 per annum, pro rata which equates to £19,710.

Location: Ballymena, Northern Ireland.

Contract/Hours: Permanent, Part Time (working 30 hours a week).

Benefits: 

• 29 days annual leave PLUS bank holidays pro rata, with up to 5 additional days for continuous service and option to buy or sell leave 

• Gain professional qualifications and excellent training/development opportunities 

• Flexible maternity, adoption, and paternity packages 

• Pension with up to 7% employer contribution with included life assurance cover 

• Staff discount portal and Blue Light Card eligibility with 15,000 national retailers discounts. 

Vulnerable children in the UK need your help 

Wherever you work in the Action for Children family, you'll be helping to change the lives of the most vulnerable children in the UK. 

Last year, we helped more than 687,000 children and families across the UK. From direct work in communities to national campaigning, we are focused on making sure every child has a safe and happy childhood, and the foundations they need to thrive. 

Why Action for Children? 

Working here is more than a job. Everyone in the Action for Children family is passionate about protecting and supporting children. It's the sense of purpose that drives us every single day. Because we know that, when we work together, we can make a huge difference to bring lasting improvements to vulnerable children's lives. 

About the service 

Ballymena & Little Steps Sure Start provides a range of health, play & learning and parenting support services to children, from pre-birth up to four years, and their families. The project comprises a multi-agency, multi-disciplinary team and works in close partnership with a range of local Statutory, Voluntary and Community service providers to promote effective service delivery in response to the needs of the expectant parents, children and families across the designated SureStart areas.

We're looking for an Early Years Practitioner with a genuine interest in childcare and a true passion and love for children to join our fantastic team. You'll have the ability to understand and support transitions for children as well as an understanding of the physical, intellectual, linguistic, social and emotional growth as part of child development.

You'll be working flexibly within the Antrim and Ballymena localities as services are provided from 3 centre bases across the localities, within the home setting or through outreach activities to local pre-school, Church and Community settings. 

This role is for 30 hours a week, and the working pattern is

Monday 9am – 4.30pm

Tuesday 9am – 4.30pm

Wednesday 9am – 5pm

Thursday 9am – 2.30pm

Friday 9am – 1pm 

How you'll help to create brighter futures

 As an Early Years Practitioner, you'll be:

• Working as part of a team within the creche and Developmental Programme for 2–3-year-olds to support children's personal, social, emotional, cognitive and SLC skills.

• Using a range of tools to monitor and assess the children's progress and development.

• Providing support within group play sessions as well as undertaking a range of home visits to support with the development of play skills.

• Developing successful relationships with children and their families.

• Observing and tracking children's development and sharing this with parents/ carers and other professionals.

• Being responsible for the planning, development and delivery of individual and group-based services, which support families in providing their children with the best start in life.

 Let's talk about you 

 Our job description for the Early Years Practitioner outlines the requirements of the role but the ‘must-haves' are: 

• A minimum Diploma Level 2 in Childcare or equivalent relevant qualification.

• Experience of working with children aged under 4 years.

• A genuine interest in childcare and a true passion and love for children.

• A thorough understanding of Child Protection and Safeguarding.

• Excellent communication skills and the ability to engage with people of all ages and backgrounds.

• An understanding of the physical, intellectual, linguistic, social and emotional growth as part of child development.

• The ability to travel across Antrim and Ballymena on a regular basis. The job requires the ability to travel according to the needs of the job, with reasonable adjustments, if required, according to the Equality Act.

Contact: email us at [email protected] quoting reference 11834.

Please note: Interviews are planned to be held week commencing 15^th September 2025.

 Good to know 

Application Process

Please note we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role.

There are five sections to complete: Personal Details, CV, Supporting Statement & Information, Equality & Diversity, Submission & Declaration.

Talent Pool

We know talent when we see it. But sometimes we find the right person but not for the right job. We'd love to keep your details for when the right job comes up. Let us know if you'd rather we didn't. 

To be eligible for this position you must complete an Access Ni Enhanced Disclosure

Having a criminal record will not necessarily be a bar to obtaining a position.

A copy of the Access Ni Code of Practice can be found here.

Policies on Recruitment of Ex-Offenders & Access Ni Disclosure Handing Policy are also available on demand.

Diversity, equality and inclusion

At Action for Children, we're dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace. We actively encourage applications from Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic and disabled candidates as they are under-represented within Action for Children. We want to take deliberate and purposeful action to ensure equal opportunity to all groups in society and for Action for Children.

Male staff are under-represented within our Children Service roles. We would like to encourage more male applicants for our Children Service roles. 

Don't meet every single requirement? 

If you're excited about this role but your experience doesn't align perfectly with the job description, we'd love you to apply anyway. You might just be the perfect person for this role, or another role within the Action for Children family. 

 Want to know more about Action for Children?

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Job Description

See below for further information about working with us:

Action for Children Employee Benefits

AfC Commitment Statement

Action for Children Northern Ireland Booklet