Education Welfare Assistant

Medirest Signature; Weston-super-Mare; Hybrid; GBP 22,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent council seeks a dedicated Education Welfare Assistant to join its Inclusion team. The role involves supporting school attendance, maintaining vital databases, and liaising with parents and schools. Exceptional candidates will have strong communication skills, relevant educational qualifications, and a passion for improving education welfare.

Benefits

Competitive salary and benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Local Government Pension

Opportunities for professional development

Inclusive Staff groups

Dedicated in-house Wellbeing Team

Qualifications

• General understanding of legislation for attendance, Children Missing Education, and Elective Home Education.
• Ability to work independently and prioritize tasks effectively.
• High level of ICT skills.

Responsibilities

• Act as the first point of contact for attendance queries.
• Maintain databases and track queries regarding children missing education.
• Liaise with schools and other agencies on welfare matters.

Skills

Communication

Data Management

Problem Solving

Education

Level 2 Maths and English or equivalent

Level 3 or 4 qualifications or equivalent

Tools

Capita One database

Job description

About Us

North Somerset Council is committed to providing high-quality services to our community. We are committed to creating a fair, green, and more inclusive environment for all our residents. Join us and contribute to making a positive impact on our community.

The Role

We are seeking a dedicated and experienced Education Welfare Assistant to join our Education Welfare Service within the broader Inclusion team to offer support to the service. The Education Welfare Service are responsible for delivering on supporting school attendance and meeting our statutory duties including Children Missing Education (CME), Penalty Notices and Court Prosecutions.

In this role, you will be in contact with schools and parentsand other agencies on a daily basis. You will offer initial advice and information on attendance, children missing education, elective home education and penalty notices, referring complex queries to the Education Welfare Officers. You will track and monitor queries and maintain databases. On occasion, you may be required to carry out home visits.

Key Responsibilities:

• Receive email and telephone queries for the service, act as the first port of call for the Education Welfare Service.
• Maintain the Capita One database for children missing education, elective home education, school attendance and fixed penalty notices
• Liaise as appropriate with schools, parents and other agencies on a range of issues for the Education Welfare Service.
• Provide information and advice on a range of issues for the Education Welfare Service and to signpost where/when needed.
• Be prepared to undertake home visits for the service under the instruction of the Education Welfare Officer

This position is exempt under the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions) Order 1975 and is subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.

Valid driving licence and own transport, or be able to provide alternative, suitable method of travel is an essential condition for this role.

This position is based at our Town Hall offices in Weston-super-Mare.

Work Style

At North Somerset Council, we offer a hybrid working environment based on four distinct work styles. Depending on the role and personal circumstances, you will fall into one of these categories. However, please note that during the induction period, it may be necessary to spend more time in the office to support your learning and development. We are flexible and open to discussions about your preferred working style, and if you wish to be in the office more frequently, this can be negotiated.

This role falls into the category of Select Workstyle Type which means you can expect to work in the following way:

• Flexible Worker
  • 2-3 days in the office
  • Works both from home and the office, depending on the task at hand.
  • Training is provided to help balance work-life and manage time effectively, with an emphasis on communication for team touchpoints and planning in-office days for collaboration.

About You

We are looking for an individual who is passionate about Education Welfare and Inclusion, and who possesses the following skills and experience:

Essential Criteria:

• Level 2 Maths and English or equivalent
• An awareness and general understanding of legislation for attendance, Children Missing Education, Elective Home Education.
• Ability to work with internal colleagues and partner agencies including schools and other teams within the Council.
• Ability to prioritise own workload and work without close supervision and to seek advice when appropriate

Desirable Criteria:

• Level 3 or 4 qualifications or equivalent to demonstrate technically specific skills relating to Business Support/ICT/Administration.
• Evidence of a high level of ICT skills

What We Offer

At North Somerset Council, we value our employees and provide a supportive and inclusive work environment.

We offer:

• Competitive salary and benefits
• Flexible working arrangements
• Local Government Pension
• Opportunities for professional development
• Inclusive Staff groups including Carers, Disabled, LGBTQ+, REACH (Race, Ethnicity, and Cultural Heritage), and Young Staff Forums
• Opportunity to purchase up to an additional 10 days annual leave each year
• Dedicated in house Wellbeing Team
• Salary sacrifice Cycle to Work and Electric Vehicle schemes

Further details of our excellent rewards package can be found in our Benefits booklet.

How to Apply

If you share ourvision and valuesand are ready to make an impact to North Somerset, please select the apply online button below. If you are interested in this exciting opportunity, please submit your application by 11.59pm on the application closing date. When completing our online application form, please detail how you meet the essential criteria for the role.

Contact Information

For further information about the role, please contact Georgia Humphrey, Inclusion and Post-16 Participation Manager, at [e-mail]

Important Information

As a Disability Confident Leader, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the job role.

Interview Date: To be advised.

Please note: We are currently only able to accept applications from candidates who have full permission to work in the UK.

Equal Opportunities

At North Somerset Council we want all our employees to feel valued and appreciated. We aim to ensure equality of opportunity and prevent discrimination irrespective of your sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or belief, race, age, disability, including neurodiversity, if you are married or in a civil partnership or are pregnant or currently on maternity leave. We strive to create a workplace that reflects the communities we serve and where everyone feels empowered to bring their full, authentic selves to work.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment.