Inclusion Support Practitioner - Speech, Language and Communications Disorders (SLCD) Team

Solihull Specialist Inclusion Support Service (SISS) is a high quality, highly valued local service working closely with Solihull's schools, academies and settings to support children and young people with a range of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

The SLCD Team forms part of the wider Communication and Learning Difficulties (CLD) Team and works in partnership with schools and early years' settings to meet the needs of their pupils with a diagnosis of a Speech, Language and/or Communication Disorder. Services offered include consultancy and advice, training, specialist assessments, teaching and support work. The SLCD Team also facilitates the development of schools' knowledge and understanding around the meeting the needs of children with wider Speech, Language and/or Communication Needs (SLCN).

We are seeking to appoint an outstanding, highly motivated Inclusion Support Practitioner (ISP) who will be required to work flexibly between Valley Primary School Additionally Resourced Centre (ARC) and the Speech, Language Communication Disorder outreach team.

When working with the Outreach Team, you will be expected to travel around the borough of Solihull supporting the schools and children on your caseload.

When working at Valley Primary School Additionally Resourced Centre (ARC), you will work flexibly to meet the varying needs of the children there.

You will need to have substantial and successful experience of supporting children with special educational needs at primary and/or secondary age, including those with speech, language and communication needs. You will need excellent communication and time management skills, together with the ability to work independently, flexibly and as part of a team.

These are demanding roles and you will be joining a group of very committed practitioners. You will find that we are an exceptionally supportive service to work for and working with us is both enjoyable and rewarding.

This post will require an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring check for regulated activity with children and adults.

You will be expected to travel around the borough of Solihull supporting the children on your caseload.

This is an essential car user post as the demands of the job make it operationally essential and there is a contractual requirement to make a suitable vehicle available to ensure the requirements of the job can be carried out effectively.

Applicants must be able to drive, have a driving licence and be a car owner/have access to a suitable vehicle, however for disabled applicants, reasonable adjustments will be made where required.

This post is covered by the Fluency Duty, as outlined in the Code of Practice on the English language requirements for public sector workers.

About Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council

Solihull is regarded as a popular and vibrant place to live in the UK. As one of the most prosperous towns in the Midlands, almost two thirds of our borough is designated as green belt. We have over 1,500 acres of parks across the borough, with 16 Green Flag Awards. Solihull is very well connected, with great transport links such as the M40, M42 and M6 all close by, and an excellent rail network, plus, of course, an international airport. We are home to the award-winning Touchwood Shopping Centre, National Exhibition Centre, Resorts World Birmingham, and the Resorts World Arena.

It is an exciting time for Solihull, although we are a relatively small local authority (c. 6000 employees), we still have ambitious plans including the development of UK Central and HS2.

Here at Solihull Council, we want to ensure that all our citizens have an equal chance to share in Solihull's success. We do this by putting our customers at the heart of everything we do.

We recognise that our employees are the key factor in achieving our vision and as such, we are always on the lookout for talented individuals, who want to make a real positive difference to people's lives and can help us to continue building on our success.

Both Smarter Ways of Working and Employee Wellbeing are key Council Priorities.

The transition to Smarter Ways of Working has presented us with the opportunity to re-think how and where we work. With the option to access portable technology, dependent upon the requirements of the role, a lot of our people are not bound to a single workplace or traditional ways of working, with many choosing to spend a good proportion of their week working from home.

Our people told us that they value flexibility, and that choice enables them to have a better work-life balance, manage family responsibilities, enhance their personal wellbeing, and continue to deliver excellent outcomes for the residents of Solihull.

Our people are our number one asset, and our aim is to have a healthy, happy engaged and thriving workforce.

Wellbeing is at the heart of our employee offer and we are a bronze accredited West Midlands Combined Authority Thrive at Work employer. This recognises our commitment and action in support of employee wellbeing; we are currently working towards silver accreditation.

Unpaid carers carry out a key role within our community and know that this can be challenging when combined with employment. Our Carer's Policy and the ongoing support we give to our employees has resulted in us winning Employer of the Year 2022 at the Carer Friendly Awards.

• Competitive salaries including, for those at the top of their scale, the opportunity to receive a non-consolidated lump sum;


• A range of flexible working options;


• Annual leave starting at 25 days and rising to 30 days after 5 years' service in addition to public holidays with an opportunity to purchase up to 10 additional days' holiday per year;


• A generous flexitime scheme (available for most roles);


• Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme;


• A wide range of learning and development opportunities;


• A range of family friendly policies;


• Employee benefits including subsidised travel passes, Cycle 2 Work Scheme, confidential Employee Assistance Programme and staff discounts.


Solihull Council is proud to be an Equal Opportunities Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees - a place where we can all be ourselves and succeed on merit.

As users of the Disability Confident Scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who demonstrate they meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy.

Solihull Council has a responsibility for, and is committed to, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk, and requires all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

For roles eligible for a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check this will be indicated in the advert and supporting recruitment documents. Where the post involves working with children, other vulnerable groups or in a position of trust it is exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Further guidance is available at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/945449/rehabilitation-of-offenders-guidance.pdf

Please note, where sufficient numbers of applications are received, we reserve the right to close a vacancy before the advertised closing date. We therefore advise that you submit your application as soon as possible.