Early Years SEN Specialist 1:1

A warm and welcoming setting is seeking an experienced Early Years SEN Support Assistant to join their team, working with young children who have the most complex needs. This is an exciting opportunity to make a real difference in the early development of children, helping them build communication, social, and learning skills in a calm, nurturing, and structured environment.

You will work closely with a small group of children, tailoring activities to their individual developmental levels and supporting their learning through play, routine, and repetition. A key focus of this role is speech and language support, using visual aids, structured routines, modelling language, and alternative communication strategies to help children understand and express themselves.

• Provide high-quality support to children with complex needs, both 1:1 and in small groups.
• Adapt learning activities to meet each child's developmental level and individual needs.
• Support communication and language development using visual aids, modelling, and alternative strategies.
• Assist children with emotional regulation, sensory processing, and social interaction.
• Create a calm, predictable, and safe environment that encourages engagement and learning.
• Work closely with class staff, specialists, and the wider team to ensure consistent support.
• Observe and record progress, providing feedback to staff and contributing to planning and development.

• Proven experience working within Early Years, particularly with children who have complex needs.
• Strong understanding of child development and how young children learn through play, routine, and repetition.
• Knowledge of speech and language support, visual aids, and alternative communication strategies.
• Patience, empathy, and a nurturing approach with consistency in routines and boundaries.
• Ability to work as part of a team and communicate effectively with colleagues and specialists.
• Experience supporting children with a range of needs including communication difficulties, sensory processing challenges, and social-emotional development.

This role offers the chance to have a meaningful impact on children at a critical stage in their development. Our agency will support you throughout your placement, ensuring you have the resources, guidance, and confidence to thrive in this rewarding role.

All applicants will require the appropriate qualifications and training for this role. Please see the FAQs on the Protocol Education website for further details.

All pay rates quoted will be inclusive of 12.07% statutory holiday pay. This advert is for a temporary position. In some cases, the option to make this role permanent may become available at a later date.

Protocol Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. We undertake safeguarding checks on all workers in accordance with the DfE statutory guidance "Keeping Children Safe in Education"; this may also include an online search as part of our due diligence on shortlisted applicants.

We offer FREE online safeguarding and Prevent Duty training to all our workers. All candidates must undertake or have undertaken a valid enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and subscribe to the DBS Update Service.

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