Job Introduction
Salary Range: £27,780 - £30,564 pro-rata, per annum
Work Location: Countywide, Hampshire
Hours per week: 30 Hours
Contract Type: Permanent (Term Time Only)
Closing Date: 2 November 2025
Interview Date: 17 November 2025
Make a difference to the lives of pre-school children with emerging or identified neurodivergent profiles, with or without social, emotional, and mental health needs.
We are seeking a passionate and skilled Neurodivergent Service Support Worker (Early Years) to join our team on a permanent basis. This role is central to delivering a specialist service that supports early years settings and families of pre-school children with neurodivergent needs.
The successful candidate will work directly with children, early years practitioners and parents / carers to model and develop tailored activities, facilitate access to services, and promote inclusive practices. This includes contributing to multi-agency planning and training delivery.
The Role:
Hampshire County Council’s Services for Young Children (SfYC) Inclusion Team works to remove barriers to participation and learning, ensuring that all children can benefit fully from early education opportunities. The team provides a range of specialist services—including Portage home visiting, Inclusion Setting Support Officers (ISSOs), Early Years Specialist Hubs, and transition support—to help early years providers meet the needs of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Through partnership with families, settings, and other professionals, the Inclusion Team promotes early identification, inclusive practice, and positive outcomes for pre-school children across Hampshire.
This is an exciting opportunity to be part of the early development and delivery of a new specialist service designed to remove barriers to participation and learning for young children with neurodivergent needs. As part of Hampshire’s Services for Young Children Inclusion Team, you will help shape and implement early intervention strategies that ensure children receive the right support at the right time. By working closely with early years settings and families you will contribute to creating positive outcomes, enabling children to have the best possible start in life.
We are hiring to multiple roles across the county. We currently have vacancies in:
East Hampshire
Havant
Hart & Rushmoor
Eastleigh & Winchester
Basingstoke & Deane
Fareham & Gosport
Please state in your application which area(s) you would like to be considered for.
What you’ll do:
You will work directly with Early Years settings and Year R staff (as appropriate) to provide specialist advice and model activities tailored to individual children with neurodivergent needs. Your role will focus on enabling children to succeed in their educational environment through targeted, child-centred support.
Including:
- Model effective strategies and interventions with children in their settings.
- Empower and support early years staff to liaise with external agencies and families, promoting inclusive practice and access to services.
- Facilitate joint planning with parents/carers, offering workshops and resources to strengthen the home learning environment.
- Raise awareness of neurodivergent and SEMH needs among professionals and families, sharing expertise and delivering training.
- Support transitions into school, including facilitating Transition Partnership Agreements (TPAs) where appropriate.
- Contribute confidently to multi-agency meetings and planning discussions.
- Communicate effectively with individuals and agencies, maintaining confidentiality and accurate documentation.
- Liaise with community partners to coordinate services and ensure safeguarding procedures are followed.
- Participate in supervision and professional development, and contribute to service evaluation and improvement.
You will be part of a wider Inclusion Team—including Portage, Inclusion Setting Support Officers, EY SEN Hub Practitioners and Transition Practitioners—working collaboratively to ensure children at SEN Support level receive the right support at the right time.
What we’re looking for:
If you are passionate about inclusion and committed to improving outcomes for young children with neurodivergent needs, we would love to hear from you.
You will have experience working with education settings and pre-school children with SEND, particularly those with neurodivergent needs with a strong understanding of early child development. You’ll be confident in supporting early years practitioners and families through modelling, coaching, and collaborative planning.
We’re looking for someone who is:
- Well-organised and self-motivated
- A skilled communicator and active listener
- Empathetic, solution-focused, and sensitive to the needs of children and early years settings
- Able to work independently and as part of a multi-agency team
- Committed to safeguarding and inclusive practice
Please complete the Application Form clearly stating how you meet all of the role requirements. CVs will not be considered
Safer Recruitment
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment. All successful candidates will be subject to Disclosure and Barring Service checks along with other relevant employment checks.
