Join us
Parenting Special Children have a growing team of staff, volunteers and sessional practitioners who bring a wide range of skills, knowledge and expertise to the charity.
The majority of our courses and workshops take place during term time which enables PSC to offer job and volunteering opportunities which provide flexibility, especially important as we are a user led charity and have neurodivergent children/young people, children with SEND or early life trauma.
Community Engagement Officer (Part-Time)
- 10 hours per week | Term-time only
- Dependant on funding
- £13.25 per hour and £12.71 per hour for travel time
Reading (with some travel to community venues)
Community Engagement Officer
Supporting ethnically diverse families of children with SEND
Location: Reading, with some travel to community venues
Hours: 10 hours per week, term time only
Pay: £13.25 per hour
Contract: Dependent on funding
About Parenting Special Children
Parenting Special Children (PSC) is a Berkshire-based charity supporting families who have children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), neurodivergent children and young people, and children who have experienced early life trauma.
Our mission is to empower families, prevent crisis and promote wellbeing. We provide specialist, accessible and inclusive support to parents, carers, children and young people, helping families feel understood, connected and less isolated.
About the role
We are looking for a warm, approachable and enthusiastic Community Engagement Officer to help us reach and support families from ethnically diverse communities who have children with SEND.
This is an exciting opportunity for someone who understands the experiences and challenges faced by families and is passionate about making support more accessible and inclusive.
You will develop relationships with local communities in Reading, organise monthly coffee mornings and family events, and help build a network of volunteers who can offer peer support and share information within their own communities.
Using your understanding of different cultures, communities and family experiences, you will help ensure that families feel welcomed, listened to and connected with the support available to them.
What will you be doing?
- Planning and facilitating monthly coffee mornings for families, including arranging speakers and interpreters where needed.
- Promoting activities and opportunities through community networks and local organisations.
- Building positive relationships with families and helping identify barriers that may prevent them from accessing support.
- Recruiting, welcoming, training and supporting volunteers from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds.
- Encouraging volunteers to use their lived experience, languages and community connections to support other families.
- Organising and promoting an annual family event.
- Developing links with community organisations, faith groups, schools and local services.
- Gathering feedback, maintaining records and contributing to monitoring and evaluation.
About you
We are looking for someone who is:
- A parent or carer with lived experience of raising a child with SEND.
- Experienced in working with ethnically diverse families, communities or voluntary organisations.
- Understanding of the challenges faced by families raising children with SEND.
- Experienced in organising activities, groups or community events.
- An excellent communicator who can build positive relationships with people from different backgrounds.
- Warm, empathetic, culturally sensitive and non-judgemental.
- Organised, flexible and confident working independently as well as part of a team.
- Passionate about community engagement, equality, diversity and inclusion.
Experience of recruiting or supporting volunteers, working within the charity sector, knowledge of local SEND services and safeguarding experience would also be beneficial.
What we offer
- The opportunity to make a meaningful difference to families within local communities.
- An opportunity to use your own lived experience to help others feel less isolated.
- Training and ongoing support.
- Regular supervision and opportunities for personal and professional development.
- The opportunity to be part of a friendly and committed team.
Our commitment
Parenting Special Children is committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion. We welcome applications from all sections of the community and are committed to creating an inclusive working environment where everyone feels valued and respected.
💙 Why join PSC?
We offer:
✅ Family-friendly, flexible working arrangements
✅ A wellbeing package to support you in your role
✅ The opportunity to make a meaningful difference to local families
📅 Closing date: 30th November 2026
📅 Interview date: TBC (Anticipated early December)
📧 For an informal chat about the role, email zobia@parentingspecialchildren.co.uk
📨 To apply, complete the below application form and email it to ruth@parentingspecialchildren.co.uk
We’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to safeguarding.
Click Apply Now to download the application form
Specialist Neurodiversity Practitioner
- Sessional Hours, as required
- Permanent (subject to funding)
Specialist Neurodiversity Practitioner
Delivering specialist programmes and workshops for parents, carers and professionals
Location: Across Berkshire, online and face-to-face depending on commissioned work
Hours: As directed by the Service Manager, dependent on commissioned work. No guaranteed hours. Evening work will be required.
Pay: £13.25 per hour for administration, £26.50 per hour for delivery and £12.71 per hour for travel time.
Contract: Permanent, dependent on funding and commissioned work. Term time only.
About Parenting Special Children
Parenting Special Children (PSC) is a Berkshire-based charity supporting families who have children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), neurodivergent children and young people, and children who have experienced early life trauma.
Our mission is to empower families, prevent crisis and promote wellbeing. We provide specialist, accessible and inclusive support to parents, carers, children and young people, helping families feel understood, connected and less isolated.
About the role
We are looking for a knowledgeable, enthusiastic and empathetic Specialist Neurodiversity Practitioner to deliver specialist programmes and workshops for professionals and parents/carers of neurodivergent children and young people, including those with Autism and ADHD.
This is an opportunity to use your knowledge, experience and understanding of neurodivergence to help families and professionals develop greater understanding and confidence in supporting neurodivergent children and young people.
Working independently or alongside other practitioners, you will deliver programmes and workshops across Berkshire, both online and face-to-face, depending on the needs of our commissioners.
The work will vary according to commissioned opportunities, so flexibility, adaptability and the ability to work independently are important.
What will you be doing?
- Delivering specialist programmes and workshops for parents/carers and professionals.
- Working independently or alongside fellow practitioners to deliver sessions.
- Liaising with venue managers and staff for face-to-face delivery and commissioners or organisers for online programmes.
- Preparing schemes of work, lesson plans and presentations when required.
- Gathering feedback and evaluation information from families and professionals attending programmes.
- Recording case studies to capture examples of good practice.
- Attending team meetings and supervision as required.
About you
We are looking for someone who:
- Has a BEd, Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector qualification or another relevant higher-level qualification.
- Has knowledge of and a genuine interest in neurodivergence, including Autism and ADHD.
- Has experience delivering structured programmes or is willing to undertake training.
- Has experience working alongside professionals in health, education and social care.
- Has a good working knowledge of child development.
- Understands the importance of trauma-informed and trauma-responsive practice.
- Has knowledge of a range of neurodivergences and is keen to continue learning.
- Has excellent communication, organisational and interpersonal skills.
- Is confident leading groups and working both independently and as part of a team.
Importantly, we are looking for someone who has lived experience of parenting or caring for a neurodivergent child, or has a close relative who is neurodivergent.
You will be a warm, empathetic and non-judgemental listener, able to remain calm under pressure and understand the pressures experienced by families.
You will also need to be able to travel within Berkshire, hold a valid UK driving licence and have access to an insured vehicle and the internet.
💙 Why join PSC?
We offer:
✅ Family-friendly, flexible working arrangements
✅ A wellbeing package to support you in your role
✅ The opportunity to make a meaningful difference to local families
📅 Closing date: 30th November 2026
📅 Interview date: TBC (anticipated early December)
📧 For an informal chat about the role, email zobia@parentingspecialchildren.co.uk
📨 To apply, complete the below application form and email it to ruth@parentingspecialchildren.co.uk
We’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to safeguarding.
Click Apply Now to download the application form
