Children's Centre Worker

About us

At Hillingdon we’re proud of our commitment of ‘Putting our residents first’, ensuring they’re at the heart of everything we do! We want to attract talented individuals like yourself who share our aspirations for the borough and can support us to deliver exceptional services for Hillingdon.

With an ambitious strategy we pride ourselves on delivering services that improve the lives of all our residents, businesses, and partners. Embarking on a journey of continuous improvement, we’ve set an agenda to ensure the provision of; safer communities, a thriving local economy, a greener more sustainable environment, whilst increasing our digital capabilities.

Working at London’s second largest borough can be tough, particularly with government reforms, budget restrictions, and political attention – but it’s enough to keep us busy and ensures no two days are the same!

What does a Children's Centre Worker do at Hillingdon?

[10:33] Jessica Higgins

The first 1,001 critical days from pregnancy to the age of two sets the foundations for a person's development and throughout their life.

As a Children’s Centre Worker, you will be committed to the vision of Hillingdon Children’s Centres: empowering families to give their young children the best start in life, with a particular focus on the most disadvantaged families, in order to reduce inequalities in child development and school readiness.

You will assist in the planning, delivery and evaluation of community and centre based activities that support and encourage young children’s learning and development.

Working with parents, carers and families will also be a key part of this role. You will assist in providing a warm and welcoming environment to families and will forge strong working relationships with them, offering appropriate support and assistance when needed.

Key Responsibilities include:

• Working as part of a team, to take a lead on the development and delivery of universal and targeted services for children and their families. This includes leading sessions in the Children’s Centres and at outreach events that support the learning and development of young children in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage.
• To raise parent/carers awareness of the needs of the developing child and to model and share good practice.
• To ensure support is given to parent/carers as appropriate for instance e.g. parenting skills and behaviour management.

About you

The successful applicant will have an Early Years or Childcare qualification at level 2 or above, alongside experience of planning and carrying out care, play and learning programmes for groups of young children under the age of five, suitable for their developmental stage.

Knowledge of early childhood development and practice, including the Early Years Foundation Stage, is essential, together with knowledge of safeguarding and child protection.

Interpersonal skills and an ability to build great working relationships are equally important, and you must be able to take a sensitive approach in talking with parents regarding their child’s development, parenting approaches, and their basic skills’ needs.

You must also be able to use ICT and learn relevant systems as required.

Key skills/ experience to evidence within your application:

Please ensure you add a covering letter to your CV to demonstrate how you meet the requirements of the Person Specification in the Job Description.

Our Children’s Centres provide services to a diverse range of people. We welcome applications from men and those from Black, Asian or other ethnic backgrounds.

What we offer

We value our employees and are committed to ensuring that they enjoy a fulfilling and rewarding career with us. We understand that a happy and motivated workforce is essential for the success of our organisation. That is why we offer a wide range of employee benefits to enhance your work-life balance, financial wellbeing, health, and professional development.
Here’s a comprehensive overview of the fantastic benefits we provide:
Work Life Balance

• Flexible Working Hours – We recognise the importance of flexibility in managing your work and personal life.
• 36 Hour Week – Enjoy a standard 36-hour workweek for all full time staff.
• Generous Holiday Entitlement – You will receive a minimum of 26 days annual leave each year, in addition to bank holidays. This entitlement increases to a maximum 37 days after 10 years of service.

Health & Wellbeing

• Hillingdon Sport Leisure – Stay active and healthy with discounts at council owned leisure centres and swimming pools across the borough.
• Cycle Purchase Scheme – Promote eco-friendly commuting with our cycle purchase scheme.
• Discount on Golf Fees – Enjoy up to 30% discounts on green fees at council owned golf courses.
• Financial Benefits – Secure your future with access to the Local Government Pension Scheme and membership to the Credit Union
• Vivup Benefits – Access a variety of offers and discounts through our Vivup Benefits.
• Eye Care – We contribute towards eye tests and lenses for Display Screen Equipment
• Mental Health Support – Our mental health first aiders are trained to identify, understand, and help employees experiencing mental health issues.
• Support and Counselling Services – Access free 24-hour confidential advice and counselling as well as a legal advice service for you and your immediate family.

Commute with Ease

• Travel Support – Make your daily commute easier with our season ticket loans and free car parking. We also provide bicycle parking, lockers, and showers at the Civic Centre.

Equity, Diversity and Equality Statement

At the London Borough of Hillingdon, we are committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace. We value the unique perspectives and experiences of all individuals, and we believe that our workforce should reflect the diversity of the communities we serve.

We strive to ensure that our recruitment process is free from discrimination and bias, and we are dedicated to providing reasonable adjustments to applicants with disabilities. We recognise the value of a diverse workforce and encourage applications from candidates from underrepresented groups.

Join us in building a workplace where diversity is not only embraced but also celebrated, and where every individual has the opportunity to thrive and contribute meaningfully to our organisation's success.

Additional Information

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. Applicants should be aware that the post will only be offered to successful candidates subject to an Enhanced DBS check as well as other employment clearances.
Due to an expected high volume of applications, we could close this role early, we therefore recommend you apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.