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Early Years Practitioner – Fixed Term until July 2026 ** **
2 posts in Cookstown
20 hours per week
Start Your Career in Early Years with Us!
This fixed-term post offers a unique opportunity for individuals who are passionate about starting a career in childcare but may not yet have formal qualifications or extensive experience.
As a Developmental Role , the successful candidate will receive on-the-job training, mentoring, and support from experienced Early Years professionals.
We are looking for someone with enthusiasm, a caring nature, and a commitment to learning . This role is ideal for someone who is keen to build skills and gain experience working with children aged 0-4 years in a nurturing and supportive environment.
If you’re ready to take the first step into a rewarding career in Early Years, we’d love to hear from you.
About the Role
As an Early Years Practitioner , you will be part of our multi-disciplinary team , helping to deliver engaging and nurturing programmes for children and families.
Your role will include:
*Supporting theDevelopmental Programme for 2-3-Year-Olds , running three 2.5-hour sessions weekly (Sept-June)
*Deliveringfun and creative Outreach Play Sessions in local community venues
*Building trusted relationships with families, includinghome visits
- Promoting positive play, early learning, and social development
*Working closely with colleagues to provide thehighest standard of care
About Us
G-old Community Partnership Sure Start , funded by the Department of Education and delivered by Barnardo’s, has been supporting families in the Mid Ulster area for over 24 years.
We provide inclusive, high-quality early intervention services that help children and families thrive in welcoming, supportive environments.
What We’re Looking For
Essential Criteria
*Agenuine interest and passion for working with young children and their families in the early years
- A full driving licence and access to a car (Applicants with a disability that prevents them from driving may demonstrate an alternative means of meeting mobility requirements)
Desirable Criteria
- Experience in communicating effectively with parents/carers regarding their children’s needs
QCF Level 2 in Playwork (or equivalent)
Relevant experience working or volunteering with children aged 0-4 years
Why Join Us?
*Receivementoring and structured training as you develop your Early Years career
*Work as part of asupportive, experienced team
*Play a vital role in giving children thebest possible start in life
Don’t miss this chance to begin a rewarding career in childcare and family support.
Location: Cookstown (2 posts)
Salary: £26,142.40 – £28,660.16 (full-time equivalent) Hourly rate is £13.59 – £14.90 per hour, starting on the first point of the scale)
Hours of Work: 20 hours per week
Contract: Fixed term until 10 July 2026
Closing date: Midnight, 2 November 2025
Contact:
Waiting List: A waiting list of applicants will be compiled for any similar posts arising in the next 12 months.
The successful candidate will be required to undertake an Enhanced Access NI with Child Barred List check . Social Services vetting will also be required.
Please note, due to the high volume of applications for some posts, this advert may close before the displayed closing date. We recommend applying as soon as possible.
Pay & Reward Framework
We know that our colleagues go above and beyond in delivering our vital work, driven by their passion and commitment to Barnardo’s values. We also know that we can only realise our ambitions and achieve better outcomes for more children, thanks to the talent, hard work and creativity of our people.*
For all these reasons, we are committed to a new approach to pay and reward, to ensure it is fair, attractive and progressive, which was rolled out in April 2023. This is a positive change for the charity, and a part of our People & Culture Strategy. It will assist us in supporting colleagues to belong, thrive and grow in their colleague journey at Barnardo’s and in time will offer clear routes of progression for colleagues in both their career and their pay.
Whilst the full pay band and salary range is advertised, our approach to starting salaries is to appoint between the minimum to mid-point of the pay band – this ensures that pay steps are available to reward our colleagues annually based on their contribution to excellence and alignment to our values and behaviours. More details on Barnardo’s pay framework can be found upon application.
Benefits
Workplace Offer: What it means for you
Our hybrid working initiative is based on trust, flexibility and empowerment. We understand our workplace offer means different things to different people, and we encourage those conversations. This may mean working at one of our stores, services, working at home, in the community, at one of our Collaboration Hubs or depending on the role any combination of these. Please read through the advert carefully to understand the remits of hybrid working that will be specific to the role.
- Barnardo’s believe in creating equality of opportunity in the workplace and supporting people to manage their work-life balance; we are therefore open to offering flexible working arrangements.
Annual Leave entitlement for full-time colleagues is 26 days per annum, increasing to 27 days per annum, after 3 years Barnardo’s service, 29 days per annum, after 5 years Barnardo’s service and 30 days per annum, after 7 years Barnardo’s service. Those working less than full time are entitled to the same level of holiday pro rata
The ability to buy up to another 5 days annual leave via our HolidayPlus scheme
A host of family friendly leave options including company Maternity Paternity and Adoption pay; together with all family additional leave options
Service related sick pay from day 1
Access to a Group Personal Pension with a matched 4% or 6% contribution from Barnardo’s. Ability to pay via salary sacrifice to garner both tax and NI savings on your own contribution
Death in service cover of 4x annual earnings for all staff contributing to our Group Personal Pension
Cycle2work scheme
Interest free season ticket loans
Discounts and cashback from at high street shops including major supermarkets, cinemas, gyms, leisure/theme parks, holidays and much more via our Benefit Portal
20% discount at Barnardo’s stores
Opportunity to purchase a health cash plan to claim towards dental, glasses, therapy etc
Free access to round the clock employee assistance program for advice and support
Access to Barnardo’s Learning and Development offer
*T&C’s apply based on contract
About Barnardo’s
We are committed to being an inclusive employer and cultivating a culture where everyone can belong and thrive through inclusion and connectivity. We want our workforce to be reflective of the communities we work with, and for equality, diversity and inclusion to be embedded in everything we do. We are a Disability Confident Leader, are progressing our ambition to be an anti-racist organisation with Anti-Racism Commitments and actions in place and have networks for colleagues who are disabled, LGBT+, Black and Minoritised Ethnic and Women. We particularly encourage applications from Black and Minoritised Ethnic and/or disabled candidates who are currently underrepresented in our workforce. For disabled applicants, we offer reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.
Our basis and values
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Apply Now
Reference number:
21945
Job Title:
Early Years Practitioner – Developmental Role
Location:
G-old Community Partnership
Contract type:
Fixed term
End date:
10 July 2026
Hours:
20
Salary:
£26,142.40 – £28,660.16 FTE
Closing Date:
2 November 2025
Interview Date:
TBC
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Benefits
Discounts at 100’s of retailers
Employee suggestion scheme
Company pension
Employee Assistance Programme
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Additional Info
Documents
- Barnardo’s Workplace Offer Visual (27.58 KB)
Early Years Practitioner – Job Description and Person (0.58 MB)
Recruitment of Ex-Offenders Policy Dec 2024.pdf (164.07 KB)
Access NI Revised Privacy Notice 3 May 2018.pdf (341.30 KB)
AccessNI Revised Code of (67.70 KB)
NI Disclosure and Storage Policy – updated May 2018.pdf (53.07 KB)
Additional Information Sheet – Dvtal EY Prac Cookstown Oct 25.pdf (138.89 KB)
