Education Navigator - Integrated Front Door

Cheshire East Council; Wheelock; On-site; GBP 34,000 - 43,000; Full time

Job summary

Cheshire East Council is seeking an Education Navigator to join the Integrated Front Door team, working across education settings, children\'s social care, health partners and other services to review information, identify needs and support timely decisions that safeguard and promote educational outcomes.

The role focuses on coordinating referrals, planning interventions with schools and partners, and maintaining strong relationships with professionals to help vulnerable children access

Qualifications

• Experience in education or children's services.
• Strong safeguarding knowledge and practice.
• Ability to assess risk and make professional judgments.
• Excellent communication and collaboration across agencies.

Responsibilities

• Act as the main link between education providers and the Integrated Front Door Service.
• Support multi‑agency safeguarding decisions through information sharing and professional advice.
• Contribute to child protection meetings, safety planning and risk assessment processes.
• Provide specialist guidance to schools and education settings on safeguarding and child protection matters.
• Help ensure vulnerable children receive appropriate support and protection.
• Build strong partnerships across education, social care, health and police services to improve outcomes for children and families.

Skills

Safeguarding expertise

Child development knowledge

Analytical skills

Excellent communication

Cross-agency collaboration

Risk assessment

Organisational skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Education or Social Care

Job description

Are you passionate about making a positive difference to the lives of children, young people and families? Cheshire East Council is looking for a dedicated and motivated Education Navigator to join our Integrated Front Door team. This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in ensuring children and families receive the right help, at the right time, from the right services.

As an Education Navigator, you will work within a multi-agency environment, acting as a key link between education settings, children's social care, health partners and other support services. You will be responsible for reviewing and analysing information relating to children and young people, helping to identify needs, risks and strengths, and supporting effective decision‑making. By providing education‑focused expertise, you will contribute to assessments, early help interventions and safeguarding processes, ensuring that children's educational experiences and outcomes remain central to planning and support.

The role involves working closely with schools, colleges and other educational providers to develop a comprehensive understanding of a child's circumstances and to identify appropriate pathways for support. You will help coordinate responses to referrals, gather and interpret information from a range of sources, and contribute to plans that promote positive outcomes for children and families. Strong partnership working is essential, as you will collaborate with colleagues and partner agencies to provide timely advice, guidance and challenge where required.

We are looking for someone with experience of working within education, children's services or a related environment, who has a strong understanding of safeguarding, child development and the challenges that can impact educational engagement and achievement. The successful candidate will be an excellent communicator with strong analytical and organisational skills, able to build positive relationships with a wide range of professionals while maintaining a child‑centred approach.

In return, you'll join a supportive and collaborative team committed to improving outcomes for children and families across Cheshire East. This role offers the opportunity to contribute to meaningful and rewarding work, helping to ensure that children and young people receive the support they need to thrive both in education and in life.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as the main link between education providers and the Integrated Front Door Service.
• Support multi‑agency safeguarding decisions through information sharing and professional advice.
• Contribute to child protection meetings, safety planning and risk assessment processes.
• Provide specialist guidance to schools and education settings on safeguarding and child protection matters.
• Help ensure vulnerable children, including those missing education, electively home educated or with SEND, receive appropriate support and protection.
• Build strong partnerships across education, social care, health and police services to improve outcomes for children and families

This is just a snapshot of some of the exciting things you’ll be doing in the role, to find out more about the other key responsibilities of the role please view the attached job description.

About you:

You will be a skilled safeguarding or education professional with experience of supporting vulnerable children and young people and working collaboratively across agencies. Confident in building relationships, sharing complex information and influencing positive outcomes, you will be passionate about ensuring children are safe, supported and able to access education.

• Experience working with children’s services, schools, or other education providers.
• Strong knowledge of safeguarding and child protection legislation and practice.
• The ability to assess risk, analyse information and make sound professional judgements.
• Excellent communication skills and the confidence to work with a wide range of professionals and partners.
• A collaborative approach and the ability to build effective working relationships.
• Resilience, initiative and a commitment to improving outcomes for vulnerable children and young people.
• A relevant degree‑level qualification or professional background in education, social care or a related field.