Missing Children Coordinator

Durham County Council; Pity Me; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 38,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working (home and office)

Local Government Pension Scheme

27 days annual leave (rising to 32)

Job summary

Durham County Council is seeking a Missing Co-ordinator to join the ERASE Team, helping reduce missing episodes and strengthening safeguarding responses across County Durham. You will lead on coordinating Return to Home Interviews and ensure children's voices are central to decision-making.

The role requires coordinating with Children’s Social Care, Durham Constabulary, and partners, plus QA, analysis of trends, and development of safeguarding practices with a focus on vulnerable children and

Qualifications

• Experience coordinating Return to Home Interviews and safeguarding processes.
• Strong safeguarding knowledge and awareness of contextual safeguarding.
• Experience working with vulnerable children and families, including those at risk of exploitation.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and oversee Return to Home Interviews across County Durham.
• Monitor performance and undertake quality assurance activities.
• Analyse trends relating to missing children and inform safeguarding practice.

Skills

Communication

Organisational skills

Relationship building

Analytical thinking

Education

Level 3 qualification in Child Care

Job description

We are seeking to appoint a Missing Co-ordinator to join our dynamic ERASE Team and play a key role in reducing missing episodes, understanding children's lived experiences, and driving improvements in safeguarding practice across County Durham.

The ERASE Team works with children and young people who are vulnerable to exploitation, missing episodes and contextual risks. Working alongside colleagues and partner agencies, the team helps coordinate effective safeguarding responses, identify emerging risks, and ensure that children's voices remain at the heart of decision-making.

As a Missing Co-ordinator, you will lead on the coordination, development and quality assurance of Return to Home Interviews, ensuring children are offered opportunities to share their experiences and that learning from missing episodes informs future safeguarding interventions.

If you are passionate about safeguarding, confident in multi‑agency working, and committed to improving outcomes for vulnerable children and young people, we would like to hear from you.

WHAT IS INVOLVED?

You will coordinate and oversee Return to Home Interviews across County Durham, ensuring statutory and local requirements are met. You will monitor performance, undertake quality assurance activity, analyse trends relating to missing children, and work closely with Children's Social Care, Durham Constabulary and wider partners to improve safeguarding responses. You will champion the voices and experiences of children and young people and work alongside the ERASE team to inform the ongoing development and review of partnership responses to missing children and young people.

Are you passionate about improving outcomes for vulnerable children and young people? Do you have experience working with children who go missing, experience exploitation, or face complex safeguarding risks?, You will have significant experience working with children, young people and families, particularly those who are vulnerable, go missing, or are at risk of exploitation.

You will hold a Level 3 qualification in Child Care, or an equivalent relevant qualification, and have a strong understanding of safeguarding, child exploitation and contextual safeguarding.

You will be confident in building effective relationships, working with partner agencies, analysing information, identifying risk, and maintaining accurate records. Strong communication, organisational skills and the ability to balance competing priorities are essential.

Most importantly, you will be passionate about improving outcomes for children and young people, ensuring their voices are heard and making a positive difference to their lives.

Please refer to the attached Person Specification for the full criteria.

If successful, you will be required to apply for a Disclosure and Barring Service Enhanced Disclosure.

We offer a competitive rewards package that includes attractive salaries, a generous annual leave entitlement of 27 days (rising to 32 after five years' continuous local government service), membership of the excellent contributory career average Local Government Pension Scheme, and a range of flexible working arrangements including hybrid working (home and office) where applicable.

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