EDUC - Early Years Support Assistant

Service: Early Years
Grade Scale: Grade 1 level 1-3
Reports to: Early Years Head of Establishment

Purpose of the job

To work as part of an Early Years Team to support the effective delivery of a high quality, flexible, nurturing, caring and safe Early Learning and Childcare service for children and their families. To provide assistance and support to children with additional support needs. Undertake activities on all aspects of personal care needs, mobility support and all relevant health and safety matters in relation to individual children attending nursery.

Key tasks and responsibilities

Provide support to groups and individual children as directed by Early Years Practitioners and other professionals on all areas of the Early Years curriculum including the use of alternative and/or augmentative methods of communication.

Assist in the setting up and clearing of equipment and resources for learning and play activities, in both the indoor and outdoor play areas.

Support the delivery of snack and lunch times within the establishment.

Provide personal, social and life skills care to children, for example, dressing, feeding, toileting.

Support children with additional support needs, for example, complex learning, physical, sensory, medical and behavioural needs.

Assist in settling children with distressed behaviour as directed by Early Years Practitioners and the SMT.

Undertake voluntary administration of medicines, including that of a specialist nature in urgent situations, and personal/physical care and encouraging dental hygiene. Assist children with an extensive range of mobility aids, e.g. hoists, standing frames etc.

Escort and supervise children within and outwith the premises, for example, between playrooms, outside play areas and on educational visits.

Provide comfort and care for upsets and ailments.

Liaise with internal and external agencies, for example, assist in the preparation of EYMAT reports.

Undertake professional learning and training as appropriate for the post.

Person specification

Safer recruitment checks

As part of our approach to good practice and safer recruitment, we carry out a number of pre-employment checks:

• Asylum and Immigration right to work in the UK.
• Reference check: external candidates require 2 references, one of which must be from present or most recent employer; internal candidates require 1 reference from their current line manager.
• Candidate Disclosure Scotland check, where applicable.

Behaviour framework

The council’s behaviour framework is a set of core behaviours that defines how employees approach work to enable the delivery of key tasks for the role. The expected behaviours for this role are:

Efficient

• Punctual and conscientious in your approach to work.
• Use council resources efficiently, avoiding waste and unnecessary expense.
• Identify inefficiency in processes and communicate this to your manager.
• Meet deadlines and targets in your day-to-day work.
• Understand the impact of wasteful behaviours on the environment and you act to minimise this impact.
• Use of information technology to achieve best outcomes.

Flexible

• Willing to learn new tasks and accept new ways of working.
• Willing to be flexible in your approach to work to meet changing service delivery needs, deadlines, and urgent priorities.
• Help team members when they have urgent deadlines and prioritise your work accordingly.
• Understand the need for change and are open to this across your working life.

Performing

• Is polite, professional and friendly to customers and apply customer care standards and attitudes at all times.
• Works safely to maintain the safety of yourself and other raising concerns about unsafe working practices.
• Meets standards of work required in your role in terms of quality and output.
• Uses initiative to solve problems and raise potential issues.
• Acknowledges when mistakes are made and learns from them.
• Seeks feedback on your performance to learn and improve.

Working with others

• Works alongside internal and external colleagues to meet common objectives.
• Has professional relationships with colleagues and is aware of dignity at work standards.
• Actively and respectfully listens to people in order to understand them and their views.
• Contributes appropriately in team and other meetings and discussions.
• Presents words and views clearly in a way that other people find meaningful.
• Respect diversity and promote equality of opportunity when working with colleagues and members of the public.

Leading

• Role models the standards of behaviours expected of a South Lanarkshire Council employee.
• Displays and enables leadership through sharing knowledge and skills, seeking guidance and providing support to your colleagues, team and the wider community.
• Is aware of and adheres to professional codes of practice and the council’s code of conduct and understand how these impact on employment with the council and public perception of council employees.