Best Start Quality & Practice Co-ordinator for Inclusion

About the role

Best Start Quality & Practice Co-ordinator for Inclusion

Location: Based across Best Start and Family Centre Hubs in Hertfordshire (with travel across the county required)
Salary: Grade 7
Contract: fixed term until 31st March 2029
Reporting to: Head of Family Support Service (South & West)
Enhanced DBS Check Required

Hertfordshire’s Family Centre Service is made up of the Public Health Nursing Service (Health Visitors and School Nurses) and the Family Support Service. Our purpose is to support children and families to have the best start in life, develop well and thrive. We provide families with children aged up to 5 years with a wide range of services, information and support on key areas relating to family life. We work alongside children, families, and communities to reduce inequalities, strengthen family resilience, and improve outcomes.

About the role

As our Best Start Quality & Practice Co-ordinator for Inclusion, you will provide leadership in inclusion, quality assurance, workforce development, and service improvement across Best Start Family Hubs and the wider Family Support Service. Working closely with colleagues and partners, you will help embed inclusive, evidence informed approaches that support positive outcomes for children and families.

This is not a case holding or line management position. Instead, you will influence through coaching, mentoring, quality assurance, reflective practice, and partnership working.

You will:

• Lead inclusion focused quality assurance activities, including observations, audits, practice reviews, and thematic analysis.

• Develop and support high quality inclusive practice across the Family Support Service.

• Coach, mentor, and support practitioners, managers, and SEND Champions.

• Deliver workforce development and training on SEND, inclusion, early identification, and family centred practice.

• Use performance and outcome data to identify trends, inform improvement activity, and measure impact.

• Strengthen family voice and co-production, ensuring lived experience informs service design and delivery.

• Work collaboratively with health services, schools, early years settings, SEND professionals, and voluntary sector partners.

• Support delivery of Hertfordshire's Best Start priorities, improving child development and school readiness outcomes.

Requirements

You will have:

• Significant experience within Family Support, Early Help, Early Years, Education, Social Care, Family Hubs, or a related field.

• Strong knowledge of SEND, inclusion, child development, and early intervention.

• Experience of quality assurance, practice reviews, auditing, or service improvement.

• Proven ability to coach, mentor, and develop practitioners without direct line management authority.

• Experience using data, outcomes, and evidence to inform decision making and improvement activity.

• Excellent communication, facilitation, and relationship building skills.

• A strong commitment to equity, inclusion, anti-discriminatory practice, and family-centred approaches.

Essential Qualifications

• Relevant professional qualification in Early Years, Education, Family Support, Social Care, or a related discipline.

• Level 5 qualification (or equivalent experience) appropriate for a practice leadership role.

• Safeguarding training.

• Evidence of continuing professional development in areas such as SEND, Inclusion, Coaching and Mentoring, Quality Assurance, or Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

Equality, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging 

At One YMCA we are an inclusive organisation and actively promote equality of opportunity for all with the right mix of talent, skills, and potential. We do not discriminate on the basis of Age, Disability, Gender Reassignment, Marriage/Civil Partnership, Pregnancy/Maternity, Race, Religion/Belief, Sex and/or Sexual Orientation. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities, and industries, and are committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills, experiences, and abilities.

To apply for this role please go to:

OneYMCA vacancies

Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and shortlisted candidates will be asked to share any relevant criminal history prior to interview.

The successful applicant will also be subject to enhanced DBS and barred list checks in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education.