3 month contract with a Local Authority
Job Summary:
· Enfield council is looking for an innovative, enthusiastic, and skilled individual to join our Education Welfare Service.
· As an Education Welfare Officer, you will provide practical guidance to schools on attendance policy and the law, advice and support to children and their parents/carers on promoting good attendance and punctuality and where appropriate, make recommendations to other agencies enabling them to provide vulnerable families with a holistic package of support.
· With experience of working as an Education Welfare Officer or similar role, the successful candidate will join a dedicated group of officers who are responsible for promoting equality of opportunity for all children to enable access to appropriate educational entitlement.
· It is essential that you have the skills and experience to work on your own initiative while managing a demanding workload, prioritising work, and adopting a flexible approach to changing and competing challenges.
· The post holder must have a good understanding of the education system, especially in relation to school attendance.
Key Duties/Accountabilities
· Operating as part of an integrated Education Welfare team, work in close collaboration with Schools, educational settings, and other agencies to deliver the Local Authority’s statutory responsibilities in the area of promoting and enforcing regular school attendance and child protection/safeguarding protocols.
· Work closely with a pool of designated schools, early intervention services and MASH, to deliver a professional, responsive, and targeted education welfare service ensuring children receive education appropriate to their needs through regular attendance at school or otherwise.
· Actively promote positive attitudes towards regular school attendance on the part of pupils and their parents/carers to derive maximum benefit and opportunity from their education. In close collaboration with other services and agencies, facilitate action to address family needs that impact on school attendance.
· Manage a caseload, investigating and following-up children who show high levels of absenteeism from school. Take appropriate action to bring attendance levels back to acceptable standards. Where necessary, instigate legal proceedings and support the Senior EWO in the statutory legal role including any resulting Court action.
· To provide expert, customer focused, advice, guidance, and support on matters regarding child employment, child entertainment licences and Chaperone referrals. Ensure proper procedures are followed ensuring the safeguarding of children’s welfare remains paramount.
· Ensure all cases are properly and accurately recorded, processed, and assessed in line with Enfield’s systems and procedures.
Essential Experience Required:
· previous experience as an Educational Welfare Officer or School Attendance Experience is essential.
· practical experience of delivering an Education Welfare Service is essential.
Essential Qualification Required:
· A relevant degree and or professional qualification, or work experience of at least equivalent level is essential.
· Qualification in a child/education would be desirable
Additional information to note:
· Working hours: 35 hours a week.
· The role requires the ability to travel across the borough carrying out home visits where necessary, visiting schools, and attending meetings.
· This role is Term Time only
The closing date for this position is 28th November.