Attendance and Family Support Officer

Sky UK; Taunton; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

LGPS pension

Generous annual leave

Induction & career progression

Wellbeing support

Health benefits & gym discounts

Family leave options

Cycle to work & on-site parking

Job summary

The Sky Academy in Taunton is seeking an Engagement and Welfare Support Officer to work with young people and families to reduce barriers to attendance, engagement and wellbeing.

You will listen, co-create practical supports, and collaborate with safeguarding and pastoral colleagues to help learners feel safe, valued and able to engage with education.

Commitment to trauma-informed, relational practice and safeguarding is essential, with a focus on inclusion and improved life chances.

Qualifications

• An understanding of the range of experiences and circumstances affecting young people and families, including barriers to attendance, engagement and wellbeing.
• An understanding of trauma-informed, relational and inclusive practice, especially when supporting learners with disrupted education or challenges.
• Proven experience working with young people and families in education or related sectors (youth, community, health, social care).
• Ability to build safe, respectful and trusting relationships with young people and families who may not have engaged before.
• Ability to listen without judgement, recognise strengths and collaboratively identify solutions.
• Ability to work constructively with partners including parents, school staff and external professionals.
• Understanding safeguarding policies and the importance of safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.
• Ability to combine empathy with professional challenge, accountability and high expectations.
• Commitment to improving life chances and ensuring young voices shape support.

Responsibilities

• Build trusting relationships with young people and families to identify practical, achievable supports.
• Collaborate with pastoral, safeguarding and education colleagues to strengthen attendance and wellbeing.
• Promote inclusive education and ensure access for learners across Somerset.

Job description

This is an opportunity to make a meaningful difference to young people and their families by helping them to feel safe, understood, connected and able to engage positively with education.

We are looking for an Engagement and Welfare Support Officer who will work relationally with young people, families and colleagues to understand and reduce the barriers that can affect attendance, engagement and wellbeing.

We recognise that difficulties with attendance can be connected to a range of experiences and circumstances. Rather than seeing absence simply as a behaviour to be addressed, we want to understand what may be making it difficult for a young person to attend, engage or feel that they belong.

You will build trusting and respectful relationships with young people and their families, listening carefully to their experiences and working alongside them to identify practical, achievable ways forward.

Working collaboratively with pastoral, safeguarding and education colleagues, you will help develop individualised and supportive approaches that strengthen engagement, attendance, wellbeing and a sense of belonging. You will also work with families and external professionals to help make education as accessible and inclusive as possible.

Central to the role will be a commitment to working with, rather than simply doing to, young people and families. You will recognise strengths, celebrate progress and understand that meaningful and sustained change often develops through trust, consistency, curiosity and strong relationships.

You will understand that behaviour, attendance and engagement can communicate an underlying need, experience or barrier. You will bring curiosity, compassion and professional persistence, while maintaining clear safeguarding responsibilities and appropriate professional boundaries.

You will have:

• An understanding of the range of experiences and circumstances that can affect young people and their families, including barriers to attendance, engagement and wellbeing.
• An understanding of the importance of trauma-informed, relational and inclusive practice, particularly when supporting young people who may have experienced disrupted education or other significant challenges.
• Proven experience of working alongside young people and families within education or a related area, such as youth, community, health or social care.
• The ability to build safe, respectful and trusting relationships, including with young people and families who may have found it difficult to engage with education or other services previously.
• The ability to listen without judgement, recognise strengths and work collaboratively with young people and families to identify solutions.
• The ability to work constructively with a wide range of partners, including young people, parents/carers, school colleagues and external professionals.
• An understanding of safeguarding policies and procedures and the importance of safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults.
• The ability to combine empathy and relational practice with appropriate professional challenge, accountability and high expectations.
• A commitment to improving the life chances of children and young people and ensuring that their voices and experiences help shape the support they receive.

The Sky Academy is a special school for young people in Years 5-11 who have an EHCP to support their SEMH and SCL needs. Located in Taunton, we welcome young people from across Somerset, with some travelling up to 75 minutes to attend.

At the heart of our work is a belief that every young person deserves to experience education as a place where they are safe, valued, understood and able to succeed.

We recognise that some young people will have experienced challenge or disruption in their previous educational journey. Our role is to create the relationships, consistency, support and opportunities that enable them to reconnect with learning, develop confidence and prepare successfully for adulthood.

We provide a targeted core curriculum with a strong focus on literacy, numeracy, PSHCE and PE, alongside a wider curriculum including art, ICT, careers and life skills. Our aim is to ensure that every young person leaves us better equipped for adulthood and with meaningful opportunities available to them at post-16.

Applicants are advised to refer to the full requirements of the role in the attached job description and person specification, prior to submitting an application.

Why work at CLF?

We are a diverse and inclusive community of 37 academies across five cluster regions in the South West that is committed to excellence and making a positive impact. Our people bring unique perspectives, but we're all driven by a shared moral purpose and a passion for making a positive impact, whether in a teaching, leadership or support role. We're proud to foster a culture where everyone can thrive, feel valued, and make a meaningful difference to the lives of others.

We aim to remove any barriers to employment, ensuring everyone can compete on equal terms. Job share, part-time and flexible working opportunities will be considered.

What we can offer you:

• Access to a generous pension through the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).
• Generous annual leave.
• A comprehensive induction and ongoing commitment to wellbeing and career progression, through a range of training, apprenticeships and in‑role/wider-trust development opportunities.
• Well‑being support through an Employee Assistance Programme.
• Health benefits, including wellness sessions, gym discounts, and flu jabs.
• A range of generous family leave options, including above industry average occupational maternity pay.
• Additional benefits like cycle to work scheme, on-site parking plus many more!