The Opportunity
Salary: NJC Grade 8 £30,296 to £33,024 per annum, pro rata £25,635 to £27,943 per annum
Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract/Secondment until 22 July 2025.
Working Pattern: 37 hours per week, full time, 38 weeks Term Time Only
Location: Bridge House, Worthing
Please note:
You will need to be able to travel independently in both urban and rural areas of the county for all aspects of the work, including to locations that are not always accessible by public transport.
There is a regular and intrinsic requirement to communicate in English with members of the public.
Internal candidates wishing to apply for this role will be considered for a secondment position only. Please can you discuss and agree this with your manager before applying for this position.
Closing date: 08 October 2024
Interview date: 17 October 2024
Do you enjoy advising and supporting others?
Are you passionate about supporting children and their education?
As an Investigating Officer within our Pupil Entitlement service, you will manage cases referred by West Sussex schools where there is concern about a pupil’s level of attendance, carry out CME Investigations and School Attendance Orders and support the legal work of the Fixed Penalty Notice team.
You will liaise with schools, families and other professionals involved to establish the reasons for non-attendance, as well as being involved with the work carried out by the wider Pupil Entitlement Investigation Team.
Your transition into this multi-skilled role will be fully supported by effective induction and ongoing CPD, and you will be part of the wider Pupil Entitlement Team working to give children the best start in life.
Key responsibilities of the role include:
* Ensuring that referred cases are dealt with efficiently and effectively.
* Working with schools and multi-agency colleagues to share information and facilitate positive outcomes for young people.
* Preparing cases for referral to Court (Magistrates and Family Proceedings), giving evidence as required.
* Undertaking relevant work relating to Education Supervision Orders as a named Supervising Officer.
* Attending case conferences and contributing to the decision-making process.
* Supporting the safeguarding and whereabouts of school age children, ensuring safeguarding is at the heart of all we do.
* Working with and sharing information with other children’s practitioners to promote an individual child’s well-being and making referrals as appropriate.
* Carrying out home visits as part of the investigation process.
* Responsibility for handling and processing information where care, accuracy and confidentiality are important.
For more information on the Key Skills, Qualifications and/or Experience required, please refer to the Job Description attached. Please refer to the key skills in your cover letter.
About You
We are looking for someone who can prioritise their work, work independently and as part of a team, and who has excellent attention to detail. You will need to use your initiative to positively engage with families, children, and a range of professionals in different settings.
Ideally you will have some knowledge and experience of working with families, children and/or schools, with a sound understanding of safeguarding, and enthusiasm to develop an understanding of Education Law and statutory requirements.
If you have a commitment and passion to good outcomes for children, and you are looking to further your career, we would love to hear from you.
About Us
The Pupil Entitlement: Investigation Team is dedicated to positive outcomes for young people. The role of the investigating officer is key to ensuring the Local Authority carry out its legal statutory duty regarding school attendance, Children Missing Education (CME) and Fixed Penalty Notices (FPN).
We work together with school and families to ensure children and young people have access to their entitlement to a suitable education.
Benefits
As an employer we recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive and dynamic working environment where employees can achieve their full potential, achieve a healthy work-life balance, and are rewarded for the work they do.
For a full list this can be found at our Rewards and Benefits page.
Upon joining us you will have access to a range of benefits including the following:
Further Information
The reference number for this role is CAFHE05382.
For an informal conversation or for further information regarding the role, please contact Vicki Smith, Team Manager, at vicki.smith@westsussex.gov.uk
To apply, please follow the links below to upload your CV and Cover Letter.
In your cover letter please outline your motivations for applying and explaining the skills and experience you can bring to the role (please refer to the key skills) ensuring that any gaps in employment are covered in your CV. Please ensure you have saved the job description attached to the main advert on our website as, once the job has closed, you may not have the opportunity to download again.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults.
This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check, five years referencing and an occupational health check.
Equity, inclusion, and accessibility is very important to West Sussex County Council. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, as this helps us build a diverse and talented workforce, that reflects the communities we serve. We ensure our approach to recruitment is flexible and supportive to enable all applicants to be at their best and to ensure they have the best possible chance of success.
We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that have a disability, are a veteran or are a care leaver. More information can be found on our application help page.
Job Reference: CAFHE05382
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