Child Missing Education and Home Education Case Worker

Central Bedfordshire Council; Caulcott; Hybrid; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Central Bedfordshire Council is seeking a proactive CME & EHE Case Worker to join the Education Access and Engagement Team. You will manage a caseload of CME and EHE children, working with families, schools and partners to ensure safety and suitable education.

The role is hybrid with regular office attendance and travel required across the Ivel Valley area. You will conduct enquiries, provide guidance on education arrangements, support statutory processes, and contribute to service improvements

Qualifications

• Knowledge of legislation and guidance relating to Children Missing Education and Elective Home Education.
• Experience of working with children, families and professionals in education or related services.
• Excellent written and verbal communication with professional reporting skills.
• Ability to assess risk and make evidence-based decisions.
• Willingness to travel across the Ivel Valley area for home and school visits.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of CME and EHE children across Central Bedfordshire.
• Conduct enquiries to locate children with unknown education arrangements.
• Collaborate with parents, schools and partner agencies to safeguard welfare.
• Provide guidance to families on elective home education.
• Maintain professional relationships while tracking educational progress and welfare.
• Support statutory processes and provide evidence for legal proceedings when required.
• Contribute to service development and ongoing improvements; travel as needed.

Skills

Knowledge of CME/EHE legislation

Experience with children and families

Strong communication skills

Analytical and investigative skills

Ability to travel across Ivel Valley

Job description

We are looking for a proactive CME & EHE Case Worker to join the Education Access and Engagement Team, supporting children and families across the Ivel Valley area of Central Bedfordshire. This is a rewarding and varied role where no two days are the same. You will manage a caseload of children identified as Children Missing Education (CME) and those who are Electively Home Educated (EHE), working closely with families, schools and partner agencies to ensure children are safe and receiving a suitable education. This is a hybrid role. Team members are expected to attend the office at least every two weeks for team working, supervision and service meetings. The role also involves regular travel across the community, including home visits, school visits and multi-agency meetings, so flexibility and the ability to work independently are essential. As part of the Education Access and Engagement Team, you will play a key role in helping some of our most vulnerable children remain visible, supported and able to achieve their full potential.

In this role you will:

• Manage a caseload of children identified as Children Missing Education and Electively Home Educated.
• Conduct enquiries and investigations to locate children whose education arrangements are unknown.
• Work closely with parents, carers, schools and partner agencies to assess educational provision and safeguard children.
• Provide advice, guidance and challenge to families in relation to elective home education.
• Build positive and professional relationships with families while maintaining oversight of children's educational progress and welfare.
• Contribute to statutory processes including School Attendance Orders and where required, provide evidence as part of legal proceedings.
• Support service development, policy implementation and continuous improvement initiatives., This is an opportunity to play a vital role in ensuring children are safe, visible and receiving a suitable education.

In return, we offer:

• A supportive and experienced management team.
• Regular supervision and professional development opportunities.
• Ongoing training in safeguarding, attendance, CME and EHE practice.
• Opportunities to contribute to service development and improvement.
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements.
• A collaborative team culture focused on achieving the best outcomes for children and families.

Our are to be read in conjunction with our Recruitment Pack.

For an informal discussion about this position, please contact Sam Barrington, CME/EHE Team Leader, at or call 0300 300 6220.

Safeguarding: Central Bedfordshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all employees, volunteers and contractors to share this commitment. This post is subject to the disclosure of criminal records. To maintain a fair and consistent approach for applicants, it is Central Bedfordshire Council's policy to only consider applications made via our online application system and we therefore thank you for not submitting your application offline. Your application to us is a reflection of who you are professionally and should give us an accurate and authentic picture of your skills, experiences and if applicable qualifications. Before you submit your application, we will ask you to confirm if you have used AI. All new starters will join us on a four-month probationary period. During this time, if you are offered a Hybrid role you will be required to attend a Central Bedfordshire Council office location more frequently to support thorough and well-supported onboarding into your role. Please keep this in mind if you anticipate extensive travel to Central Bedfordshire. Please note we are unable to offer sponsorship for our roles. Successful applicants that may require a visa will need to consider the options for obtaining and/or maintaining the legal right to live and work in the UK for the duration of the contract offered. Free information, advice and guidance into work or learning provides free, impartial, information advice and guidance to those aged 16+ looking to get into work, learning or exploring a change of career.

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• Knowledge of legislation and guidance relating to Children Missing Education, Elective Home Education, safeguarding and SEND.
• Experience of working with children, young people and families in education, children's services or a related field.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to engage positively while maintaining professional challenge where required.
• Excellent analytical and investigative skills, with the ability to assess risk and make evidence-based decisions.
• Experience of working collaboratively across agencies and building effective professional partnerships.
• The ability to organise and prioritise a demanding caseload while working independently.
• Strong written skills and confidence producing clear reports, records and formal documentation.
• Confidence presenting information and evidence as part of statutory or legal processes where required.
• Ability and willingness to travel across the Ivel Valley area to undertake home visits, school visits and multi-agency meetings. Experience of working directly with children, families and professionals within community settings.