The role
Southwark Family Early Help is committed to ensuring that families are helped when problems emerge and receive the support needed to create and sustain positive change avoiding escalation into statutory services.
Although as a local authority we believe that school attendance is everyone’s business, statutory duties for education welfare are still retained within the Family Early Help Service and are delivered within the principles of a whole family approach within the FEH Education Inclusion Team.
This is an exciting opportunity for a dynamic and experienced education or children’s social care practitioner who holds relevant qualification at NVQ level three or equivalent, to move into a senior education welfare role.
The candidate will contribute to the development and delivery of an ‘outstanding’ education inclusion service to young people, families, schools and other key stakeholders in Southwark, with the key aim or reducing the number of young people experiencing negative outcomes as a result of school exclusion and poor attendance.
We are looking for a candidate who has significant experience and working knowledge of education welfare and inclusion practice with young people and their families.
You will have an advanced awareness of the educational risk factors that lead to exclusion or poor attendance, and the statutory responsibilities of local authorities in responding to these.
The candidate will be able to work confidently with schools, early help practitioners and
social care professionals to provide expert consultation and guidance in identifying families that meet the threshold for education legal planning.
You will be able to effectively case manage and implement statutory enforcement action, using the full range of parental responsibilities measures available.
You will be required to carry out statutory investigations in relation to persistent non-attendance at school and prepare cases for prosecution.
The candidate will have the knowledge, skills and expertise to complete analytical and focused assessments to identify the underlying factors that lead to difficulties with attendance and behaviour in school.
You will be based in the heart of the community and on occasions will be required to work flexibly as at times there is the need for out of core business hours working so that we can fully meet the needs of the children and families we are working with.
You will have substantial skills and experience in coordinating evidence- based education inclusion plans using a Team Around the Family approach in collaboration with schools, health professionals, voluntary sector, police, social workers and other professionals to achieve best educational outcomes for children.
If you are interested in the role and would like to find out more details please contact Shane Steere-Jones, Service Manager in Family Early Help via shane.steere-jones@southwark.gov.uk, or by telephone 020 7525 7978.
To apply, please complete our online application form.
Recruitment timetable
Closing date: Sunday 09 February 2020
Interviews and assessment date: Thursday 27 and Friday 28 February 2020
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