We are seeking a dedicated individual to join our Early Help team, supporting children and families in reaching their full potential.
You will have awareness of Elective Home Education Legislation, and the impact of positive education and learning experiences for children and young people. You will ensure their voices are heard and that they are safe and protected.
As a member of the Early Help Service, you will take on responsibilities from day one, while receiving the necessary support to apply your skills and experience, ensuring that families and young people receive the highest quality support.
The role includes, although is not limited to:
* Providing effective delivery of statutory and strategic duties regarding Elective Home Education (EHE), ensuring children in Bracknell Forest are receiving suitable education based on age, aptitude, and special educational needs.
* Ensuring compliance with statutory requirements, promptly addressing safeguarding concerns, referring to appropriate services when necessary and maintaining accurate records for all home education provision.
* Ensuring data integrity and compliance by overseeing the registration process, managing data systems, handling sensitive information requests, and submitting statutory reports to support informed decision-making and policy development.
Key relationships
* Fostering collaboration and effective communication by establishing and maintaining relationships with statutory and voluntary agencies, multidisciplinary teams, and parents to ensure comprehensive support and high service standards for EHE families.
Behaviours
* Experience of innovative working in collaboration with other partners and key stakeholders.
* Ability to build positive working relationships with partners, stakeholders and a range of organisations working with children and young people.
* Capable of working effectively both as part of a team and independently.
* Ability to recognise and manage conflicting pressures.
* Solution-oriented with strong problem-solving abilities.
Experience
* A methodical approach to information gathering, recording and reporting.
* Knowledge of key areas within the Education Acts and Children's Act. Together with an understanding of Child Protection procedures, and other child related abilities, skills and experience relevant to DfE Statutory Guidance. In particular Children Missing Education; Elective Home Education Statutory Guidance, and Working Together to Safeguard Children.
* Knowledge of alternative education approaches, curriculum frameworks, and resources suitable for home education.
* Experience of innovative working in collaboration with other partners and key stakeholders.
You will be part of the Council’s Early Help Service with experience working with families, young people, and children with a range of needs.
As a team member you will contribute to our ‘can do’ approach by being flexible and responsive to the unique needs of each family, child, and young person you are supporting. You will need to combine the ability to work both independently and collaboratively, supporting team colleagues and representing the service where this is required.
The Early Help Service consists of a multi-disciplinary team that works with children, young people, and families.
Key responsibilities
* Assess the suitability of home education through managing a caseload of children, conducting home visits, reviewing written plans and parent reports, providing tailored feedback and resources, and performing statutory follow-ups.
* Safeguard and ensure the welfare of children in elective home education by promptly addressing safeguarding concerns, referring to appropriate services, when necessary, maintaining accurate records for all home education provision and attending multi-agency meetings.
* Manage the registration and data integrity of EHE students by overseeing registrations and removals and updating all relevant data systems.
* Deliver training and ongoing professional development by creating and presenting training on EHE policies, engaging in professional development, and staying updated on best practices and EHE law.
* Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to support EHE families by working with health and children’s services, liaising with SEND Officers, and participating in SEND annual reviews, ensuring the voices of parents, children, and young people are meaningfully included in assessments, plans, and reviews.
* Serve as the named Bracknell Forest contact for EHE queries, supporting parents with administrative and welfare issues, maintaining effective communication, and collaborating with statutory and voluntary agencies to ensure high-quality service and timely updates on health, education, and community initiatives.
* Coordinate and facilitate educational and community events by innovatively facilitating an EHE parent/carer forum, organizing training sessions, liaising with local resources to create unique opportunities for EHE families, managing event logistics, representing EHE at various forums, and fostering a supportive and imaginative community network.
* Support post-16 transitions and career development through creative organising of careers events, coordinating with NEET programs, and booking career counselling sessions for post-16 students.
Our benefits include...
* Generous annual leave entitlement of 25 days increasing to 28 days after 3 years’ service (pro rata for part time).
* Annual leave purchase policy.
* Opportunities for flexible and agile working, to support our employees’ work-life balance.
* An inclusive and social working environment with a variety of staff networks including sports and social clubs.
* Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and fostering leave.
* Career development through internal and external training opportunities.
* Local government pension scheme.
* Life insurance cover (linked to the pension scheme).
* A great office location next to travel links and the regenerated town centre.
* Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support employees’ health and wellbeing.
* Staff dental and health plans.
* Discounted leisure centre and gym membership.
* Supermarket discount.
Interview date
Interviews will be held on 29th November 2024.
Interviews will be conducted in person, providing candidates with the chance to personally meet the team and experience our work environment.
We will be reviewing applications regularly and reserve the right to close the advert early if suitable candidates are identified. To avoid disappointment, you are advised to submit your application as soon as possible.
Please note AI is prohibited during the interview; any candidate using AI will be withdrawn from consideration.
Want to ask us a question?
For an informal discussion or to ask any questions about this role, please contact:
Lisa Thomas, Education Welfare Team Leader
Email: lisa.thomas@bracknell-forest.gov.uk
At Bracknell Forest, we champion equality, diversity and inclusion. At Bracknell Forest Council, we are always learning, ambitious and inclusive. Please see our candidate pack for more details.
Bracknell Forest Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults. We expect everyone employed with us to share this commitment. All successful candidates for this role will be subject to a DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) check as part of our pre-employment checks process.
Any successful internal candidate will be offered the position as a secondment and, in line with Section 8.1 of the Secondment Policy, must consult with their manager before applying.
We can only accept applications from candidates currently residing in the UK.
Candidates currently residing in the UK who require sponsorship to work are encouraged to assess their eligibility for a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) based on the relevant criteria. Please be aware that sponsorship availability varies and is subject to eligibility requirements and budget limitations. As a result, we cannot guarantee sponsorship for all roles and will evaluate sponsorship requests on a case-by-case basis.
No agencies please.
Job Types: Part-time, Fixed term contract
Contract length: 12 months
Pay: £30,762.00-£35,983.00 per year
Expected hours: 30 per week
Schedule:
* Monday to Friday
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Bracknell, RG12 7JZ
Reference ID: People/24/296835
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