Additional Support Needs Advisor

Location: Base Linn Moor but travel will be involved to different nurseries within Aberdeen city.

Contract: 39 hours per week

Driver licence required and access to own transport is essential to this role

About the Role

This is a unique opportunity to join a specialised team within VSAs Additional Support Needs Advisory Project (ASNAP). Our team delivers an innovative model of support to Early Years Settings across Aberdeen City. We empower the workforce to inclusively support children with diverse abilities and needs to learn through play. ASNAP aims to provide the workforce with knowledge skills and strategies to inclusively support children with diverse abilities and needs to learn through play .

Due to the specialist nature of this post we have created a 3month shadowing period allowing the successful candidate to work alongside experienced ASNAP Advisors before taking on a full caseload. This ensures highquality induction confidence building and a deep understanding of our practice model.

Key Responsibilities

Observations & Assessment

• Carry out childcentred observations within early years settings focusing on how children engage with their environment peers and staff.
• Observe children across different areasindoors outdoors and during busy routines such as mealtimes.
• Observe children engaging with specific tasks and activities that utilise visual instructions to identify strengths interests emerging skills sensory needs communication styles and potential barriers to learning.
• Ensure observations are responsive reflective and grounded in childrens rights interacting only as much as the child is comfortable with.

Environmental & Practice Support

• Conduct environmental observations to advise on layout sensory input resources and adaptations that support childrens regulation and engagement.
• Provide practical evidenceinformed strategies to staff helping them create predictable nurturing and inclusive environments.
• Support staff to recognise patterns in behaviour play schemas and emerging skills.
• Training sessions inform staff how to complete specific recording forms and how to consider any data they may collect in terms of identifying patterns .

Training & Capacity Building

• Deliver training sessions such as Supporting Communication & Sensory Integration in a Learning Environment and Trauma in the Early Years and an interactive play workshop where staff from the setting create activities for specific children they are working with.
• Facilitate informationsharing sessions including demonstrations of Intensive Interaction using video analysis.
• Promote reflective practice across staff teams encouraging selfawareness and continuous professional learning.

Report Writing & FollowUp

• Collaborate with another ASNAP Advisor to produce detailed strengthsbased reports following observations.
• Reports will include suggested strategies environmental adaptations motivating activities and resources such as information on sensory needs play schemas or Social Stories.
• Maintain communication with settings to ensure strategies are implemented consistently and effectively.
• Revisit settings as needed to provide ongoing support review progress and offer further guidance.

What Were Looking For

• Professional experience in Early Years Additional Support Needs Child Development Education or related fields.
• Strong understanding of child development sensory processing communication differences and inclusive practice.
• Ability to observe sensitively analyse behaviour reflectively and translate observations into practical strategies.
• Confident communicator who can build trusting relationships with staff children and families.
• Commitment to GIRFEC Realising the Ambition Curriculum for Excellence and highquality early years practice.
• A reflective practitioner who values collaboration curiosity and childcentred approaches.

Why Join ASNAP

• Be part of a highly specialised respected and innovative team shaping inclusive practice across Aberdeen City.
• Benefit from a 3month supported shadowing period ensuring you feel confident and wellprepared.
• Work in a role that is deeply meaningful creative and grounded in childrens rights and wellbeing.
• Access ongoing professional development researchinformed practice and opportunities to influence sectorwide improvement.
• Make a real difference to childrens experiences helping them expand their window of tolerance and thrive in early learning environments .

Click apply for this position today!