Early Years Sufficiency Officer

Help shape childcare provision across Sefton

Sefton Council is seeking an enthusiastic, motivated and forward-thinking Early Years Sufficiency Officer to join our Early Years and Family Hubs Team and support our ambitious Best Start in Life agenda.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in ensuring that children, young people and families can access high-quality, sustainable and inclusive childcare provision across Sefton. Working closely with schools, childcare providers, parents, carers and partner agencies, you will help the Council meet its statutory responsibilities under the Childcare Act 2006 by monitoring demand, supporting place planning and driving the development of childcare provision across the borough.

About the Role

You will:

• Support the delivery of Sefton's Childcare Sufficiency Assessment and Action Plan.
• Analyse childcare demand, sufficiency and market trends.
• Work with providers across maintained, private, voluntary and independent sectors to develop sustainable childcare provision.
• Contribute to commissioning, place planning and service development.
• Provide business support, advice and guidance to existing and prospective childcare providers.
• Undertake financial assurance and compliance activities.
• Develop partnerships with schools, providers, families and key stakeholders.
• Help ensure provision meets the needs of all children, including those with SEND and vulnerable families.

About You

We are looking for someone who has:

• A minimum of three years' experience working within the childcare sector.
• Sound understanding of childcare legislation, Early Years Foundation Stage requirements and Ofsted expectations.
• Experience of developing positive relationships across a range of stakeholders.
• Strong analytical, organisational and communication skills.
• Experience of project planning, business support or service development.
• A commitment to reflective, relationship-based and systemic practice.
• NVQ Level 3 (or equivalent) in Early Years/Early Education.

What We Offer

In return, Sefton Council offers:

• Flexible and agile working arrangements.
• Generous annual leave entitlement.
• Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Extensive learning and development opportunities.
• Employee wellbeing support.
• Family-friendly policies.
• A supportive and collaborative working environment where you can make a real difference to children and families.

Key Dates

Closing Date: Sunday 8 November 2026, midnight
Shortlisting: Monday 9 November 2026
Interviews: Thursday 12 November 2026

Apply

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact:

Jennifer Teasdale
Early Years Service Manager

Sefton Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is subject to an Enhanced DBS check.

We welcome applications from all sections of the community and are committed to creating an inclusive workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve.

Contract Type: Fixed Term until 31 March 2029

Equal Opportunities

Sefton Council strives to ensure that our workforce is inclusive and representative of our communities. A diverse workforce is important to us, our staff bring with them a wide range of experiences, views, ideas, and innovations, and we are committed to providing an environment that recognises, respects, and values everybody’s identity, where individual differences are strengths and where everyone can thrive and maximise their potential. We are always open to learning and growing as an organisation, and we welcome new ideas and initiatives that promote equality, diversity and inclusion.

We are an Equal Opportunities Employer; all candidates will receive equal treatment. Our decision to appoint will be based upon whether an individual’s skills, experience, qualifications, and abilities make them the most suitable candidate for the role.

GUARANTEED INTERVIEW SCHEME

Please note that all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for these jobs (as given in the Person Specification) and who want to apply under the Disability Confident Scheme will be invited to interview.

If you are currently in care or have previously been in care, we provide a guaranteed interview scheme for care experienced people if you meet the essential requirements for the role.

If you’re an unemployed Sefton resident, register with our Sefton@Work service for free support to help you into employment.  You may be eligible for extra assistance such as funding for travel, work clothing, or vouchers to make starting your new job easier.  Call Sefton@Work on 0151 934 2610 or visit seftonatwork.net to find out more and get started today!

Sefton Council values authentic applications that reflect your own experiences, skills and motivations and that sound like you.

AI tools can be used to support your application, such as helping you structure your answers or as a reasonable adjustment. However, your application should remain your own work and accurately represent your own experience and abilities.

To ensure a fair and consistent recruitment process for all candidates, applications that appear to rely excessively on AI-generated content may not be shortlisted.