Join the Sheffield Early Years Language Centre (SEYLC)

Transform Communication. Change Futures.

Are you passionate about improving outcomes for young children with speech, language and communication needs? Do you want to work within an innovative, multidisciplinary team that is making a life-changing difference to children and families across Sheffield?

The Sheffield Early Years Language Centre (SEYLC), formerly known as UCAN, is a unique specialist provision jointly funded by Sheffield City Council and NHS Speech and Language Therapy Services.

The centre supports pre-school children and children up to Reception age with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and severe speech, language and communication needs through specialist teaching, speech and language therapy, family support and workforce development.

Based at Primrose Family Centre, Creswick Street, Sheffield, SEYLC provides intensive support for children who experience significant difficulties understanding and using spoken language.

The centre works closely with families, early years settings and health professionals to ensure children develop the communication skills they need to thrive in education and everyday life.

About the Role

As part of our specialist team, you will work directly with children attending the centre, alongside NHS Speech and Language Therapists and experienced SEND practitioners. You will play a key role in:

Delivering high-quality specialist interventions for children with Developmental Language Disorder.
Creating engaging learning experiences that develop children's communication, interaction and language skills.
Working collaboratively with Speech and Language Therapists to assess needs and monitor progress.
Supporting and empowering parents and carers through advice, coaching and training.
Delivering outreach, modelling and workforce development to Early Years settings across Sheffield.
Contributing to multi-agency assessment and planning for children with complex communication needs.
Supporting successful transitions into mainstream education and future learning environments.

About You

We are looking for an enthusiastic and skilled practitioner who:

Has experience of working with young children in the Early Years Foundation Stage.
Has substantial experience supporting children with SEND, particularly speech, language and communication needs.
Understands inclusive practice and child-centred approaches.
Can build positive relationships with children, families, education settings and professionals.
Is committed to partnership working and improving outcomes for vulnerable children.
Has excellent communication, coaching and training skills.
Is passionate about early intervention and making a lasting difference to children's lives.

Why Join SEYLC?

SEYLC is recognised as a highly successful example of partnership working between education and health services, providing specialist support at a critical stage of child development. The service combines specialist teaching, speech and language therapy, family engagement and outreach support to help children access mainstream education and achieve their potential.

Working within SEYLC offers the opportunity to:

Be part of an established, highly regarded specialist service.
Work within a supportive multidisciplinary team.
Influence practice across the city through training and outreach.
Develop specialist expertise in Developmental Language Disorder.
Make a significant difference to the lives of children and families.
Contribute to Sheffield's wider SEND and Early Years improvement agenda.

Our Vision

We believe every child deserves the opportunity to communicate, connect and thrive. Through specialist assessment, intervention, family support and workforce development, SEYLC helps children with Developmental Language Disorder build the foundations they need for lifelong learning and participation.

We are investing in our workforce and are promoting opportunities to our under-represented groups. We value equality, diversity and inclusion and are focused on increasing the diversity of our workforce, particularly the number of Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic, Disabled and LGBTQ+ people, so that our teams reflect the communities in the city we serve. We are also supporting staff with unpaid caring responsibilities to work flexibly.

It is a great time to join us and we welcome your application.

Under the Guaranteed Interview scheme, applicants who are disabled, care leavers, or armed forces veterans will be guaranteed an interview if they meet the essential criteria and indicate their eligibility on the application form. Sometimes, if lots of people apply, we might not be able to interview everyone who qualifies for the Guarantee. In these cases, we’ll interview the candidates who best meet the essential criteria for the job.

Full-time employees work 37 hours for 52 weeks of the year and we offer a generous holiday entitlement. We are open to discussions about a wide range of flexible working opportunities which benefit you and the Council, including reduced hour contracts, working part time or as a job share.

If you are appointed to this role, your starting salary will be at the bottom of the grade. If you provide payslip evidence that your basic pay is greater than the bottom of the grade, we will consider starting you at the point of minimum advantage within the grade.

Equality of pay is extremely important to us. All roles at Sheffield City Council are going through an evaluation process which may result in changes to some pay arrangements from 2026. Find out more on our Sheff news page.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all individuals, ensuring a safe and supportive environment for everyone and where appropriate to the role the successful applicant will be required to undertake relevant safeguarding checks.