Application guidance and finding a role
Find roles
- NHS Jobs website
- NHS apprenticeship opportunities
- See our early years and childcare careers webpage
- GOV.UK's Find a Job website for a broader list of vacancies across the system
Application guidance
Many services will have their own supporting guidance and information about working for their service. It's good practice to check this online before you apply.
For general application support:
- Cambridgeshire Community Service's recruitment support
- Norfolk County Council application support
- GOV.UK's National Careers Service careers advice
Interview advice
Attending interviews can be daunting so preparing ahead of time and understanding what to expect will help you to succeed.
There are many tips that apply to all interviews. See GOV.UK's National Careers Service interview tips.
For roles working with children, you can generally expect questions around:
- Safeguarding and working with other agencies that support children. See information around safeguarding best practice.
- Team and independent working
- Your communication skills with children and adults such as parents
- Your knowledge of children's health and care. For example, how children develop.
By reading what skills you need to work with children, you can think of examples where you have demonstrated these skills. These examples may come from your studies, previous jobs, or other areas of your life.
When answering a question or scenario about supporting a child, you should think about everyone involved. This could be:
- Yourself
- The child
- The child's family
- Other professionals involved
Services that work with children have a family centred approach. They consider what a family's network looks like and aim to understand the child's lived experience.
For specialist roles like working with children with additional needs, consider what other skills you may need. For example, you might consider how family life could differ for that family and how you would offer support and understanding.
