Portage Officer
London Borough of Brent
Salary range: Salary range: £37,692 - £39,276p.a. inc. London weighting pro rata
Contract: 36 Month Fixed Term- End date 31st March 2029
Hours of work: 36 hours FTE 1.0. Term Time Working (39 weeks)
Location: Brent Civic Centre as well as other locations as required
Brent Early Years Portage Officer – Empower families. Champion early intervention. Give every child the best possible start.
Join Brent’s dynamic SEND Outreach Service at an exciting time of transformation, as we bring to life the vision set out in the SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan, including the innovative “Experts at Hand” approach.
This is a unique opportunity to be part of a forward‑thinking team that places children, young people and their families at the heart of practice, working alongside them as valued partners in shaping inclusive, high‑quality support.
We are seeking passionate, reflective professionals who are committed to co‑production, early intervention and systemic change, and who are inspired by the opportunity to strengthen inclusive practice across settings.
In Brent, you will play a vital role in supporting some of our youngest and most vulnerable children, helping them develop the skills, onfidence and foundations they need to thrive.
The Role
In this exciting role you will work together with two other Portage Officers and as part of the multi-disciplinary Brent Early Years Inclusion Support Team. You will support some of the most complex young children with additional needs across the borough in both their home setting and a group setting in a local Family Wellbeing Centre. The post requires an excellent understanding and experience of Portage services and having key family support and advisory responsibilities.
- Delivering specialist Portage support and targeted early intervention programmes for children with complex additional needs
- Supporting children and families within home and group-based environments
- Providing advice, guidance and practical support to parents and carers
- Planning, implementing and reviewing personalised intervention programmes to promote developmental progress
- Working collaboratively with colleagues across education, health and social care
- Supporting transitions into early years and educational settings
- Contributing to multi-agency planning and coordinated support for children and families
- Maintaining high standards of safeguarding, record keeping and professional practice
This is an exciting opportunity to make a lasting difference during the most important years of a child’s development and to help families navigate their SEND journey with confidence and support.
The Person
Do you have clearly evidenced knowledge and experience of working in the Early Years sector with children with a range of complex SEND across the four broad areas of need?
If you are passionate about providing and advising on high-quality support and interventions for this group of children, then this could be the role for you.
You will be an experienced Portage Officer/Early Years Professional with a strong background in supporting children with complex additional needs.
We are looking for someone who:
• Has significant experience working within the Early Years sector supporting children with complex SEND across the four broad areas of need
• Demonstrates excellent child development knowledge and a strong commitment to inclusion and equal opportunities
• Has relevant training and experience in Early Years SEND interventions
• Has a sound understanding of Early Years and SEND legislation, alongside in-depth safeguarding knowledge
• Is confident liaising with parents and carers, early years staff and a range of multi-agency professionals across education, health and social care
• Has excellent interpersonal, communication and IT skills
• Has proven experience planning and implementing intervention sessions that support and promote progress
• Is able to take initiative, make informed decisions and work confidently in complex situations
• Can work effectively in partnership with a range of professionals to achieve the best possible outcomes for children and families
• Is a proactive team player who is adaptable, organised and committed to high-quality practice
In this role you will travel across the borough, visiting children and their families, meeting with parents and carers, professionals and, where appropriate, early years settings to support successful transitions.
If you are an experienced Portage Officer/Early Years Professional who wants to make a difference to the lives of young children and their families in Brent through delivering dedicated, child-centred services focused on high-quality SEND support, we would welcome your application.
Why Join Brent?
This is an exciting opportunity to join a forward-thinking local authority at the forefront of SEND reform. In Brent, you will be empowered to influence practice, shape services and drive meaningful change for children, young people and families across the borough.
You’ll be joining a collaborative and ambitious team that values innovation, partnership working and inclusive practice — where your expertise and ideas can make a genuine and lasting impact.
We know people achieve their best when they feel valued. At Brent, you’ll benefit from:
- Up to 33 days annual leave (depending on length of service) plus bank holidays
- Excellent pension with generous employer contributions (LGPS)
- Hybrid and flexible working options available for most roles
- Supportive family-friendly policies for parent, guardians, and carers
- Health and wellbeing support, including access to eye test support and a 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme
- Financial support such as education sessions, childcare deposit loans, and season ticket loans
- Travel perks including affordable parking nearby, a Cycle to Work scheme, and great onsite facilities
- Learning and development opportunities to help you grow your career
- Access to My Brent Rewards with exclusive discounts on shopping, travel, leisure, and entertainment
Application Guidance
Along with your CV, you must provide a supporting statement clearly demonstrating how you meet the key criteria outlined in the Application Guidance below.
We recommend using examples from your experience to evidence your knowledge, skills and achievements relevant to the role.
Please note that CVs alone will not be accepted and applications that do not sufficiently address the essential criteria may not be shortlisted.
If you are passionate about inclusive practice and want to be part of a forward-thinking local authority at the forefront of SEND reform and meaningful system-wide change, please apply now!
Closing date: Sunday 5th July at 23:59
About Brent
Brent is a tremendously vibrant London borough where the iconic arch of Wembley Stadium dominates the skyline. Spanning both inner and outer London, it is a borough of huge contrasts in terms of its economic, environmental, ethnic and social make up. Brent’s diversity is evident to all who visit our borough and our long history of ethnic and cultural diversity has created a place that is truly unique and valued by those who live and work here.
Brent Council values the diversity of its community and aims to have a workforce that reflects this and therefore encourage applications from all sections of the community. We positively encourage all applicants to self-identify their characteristics in the diversity survey section in the application.