Education Welfare Officer (SO2)

Job Description

Job Category : Social Care – Unqualified
Location : Civic Centre, Enfield Council
Hours Per Week : 35.00
Start Date : Immediate Start
Start Time : 09:00
End Time : 17:30
Salary: £20.74
Enfield council is looking for an innovative, enthusiastic, and skilled individual to join our Education Welfare Service.
As an Education Welfare Officer, you will provide practical guidance to schools on attendance policy and the law, advice and support to children and their parents/carers on promoting good attendance and punctuality and where appropriate, make recommendations to other agencies enabling them to provide vulnerable families with a holistic package of support.
With experience of working as an Education Welfare Officer or similar role, the successful candidate will join a dedicated group of officers who are responsible for promoting equality of opportunity for all children to enable access to appropriate educational entitlement. It is essential that you have the skills and experience to work on your own initiative while managing a demanding workload, prioritising work, and adopting a flexible approach to changing and competing challenges.
The post holder must have a good understanding of the education system, especially in relation to school attendance.
The role requires the ability to travel across the borough carrying out home visits where necessary, visiting schools, and attending meetings.

This role is Term Time only – Please only submit candidates that meet the requirements of having previous experience as an Educational Welfare Officer or School Attendance Experience.

1 Work with Schools
• Implement a programme of regular monitoring of all school attendance.
Consult, advise, and support Head teachers and other school staff on
issues of attendance and absenteeism, ensuring children of compulsory
school age attend regularly or are receiving alternative approved
education.
• Understand and analyse school data, challenge, and assist when
appropriate. Support schools in identifying persistent absenteeism and
develop effective, individual reintegration plans.
• Devise in-school programmes to promote the attendance of individual
pupils. Consider a range of appropriate actions and alternatives suitable
to individual circumstances and recommend implementation to Head
teachers, in accordance with relevant legislation, Department for
Education guidelines and Council priorities.
• Assist in enquiries and complaints from schools and members of the
public.
• On a day to day basis to be knowledgeable on up to date safeguarding
guidelines and child protection issues and ensure that these underpin
all aspects of the role.
• Attend Core Group and Strategy Meetings for young people in need or
young people in need of protection.
35%
EWO (TT)
Updated Oct 2023 Page 2 of 9
• Participate in attendance panels at schools as appropriate
• Advise and train school staff with inset programmes on issues such as
data analysis , attendance, interpreting data other issues relevant to the
Education Welfare Service.

Essential:
1. As a regular and intrinsic part of this role requires you to speak to members of the public in English, the ability to
converse at ease, politely and courteously with customers and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential
and consistent with the requirements of this role.
2. Experience of working collaboratively with Schools and Agencies in a partnership role, with a track record of
successfully developing and maintaining excellent professional working relationships.
3. 4. Excellent communication, negotiation, influencing and organisational skills.
Proven competency to understand and communicate complex processes in a clear and respectful manner to parents
who may be challenging and come from diverse backgrounds.
5. Proven competency to effectively deliver timely, accurate and relevant advice, guidance and support on complex
procedures, regulations, and legislation.
6. 7. 8. Sound understanding of the operation, priorities, and obligations of a Local Authority regarding Education Welfare.
Ability to provide innovative and creative solutions to deliver positive outcomes
Evidence of ability to deliver timely, accurate and relevant advice, guidance and support on complex procedures and
regulations
9. Ability to communicate effectively in both written and oral format with a variety of audiences to ensure that key issues
are identified and understood. Uses a range of communication styles to influence the decisions and actions of others.
10. Competent and confident in the use information technology and presenting to a range of audiences, including children
and young people.
11. Well-developed all-round ICT skills relating to systems and processes with experience of using Microsoft office, Excel,
Teams and other products and applications.
12. Keen eye for detail and accuracy
13. Ability to work collaboratively both with own service and across other services.
14. Ability to work using own initiative while managing a demanding workload effectively, prioritising work and adopting a
flexible approach to changing and competing challenges
15. Understanding of and commitment to the principles underpinning equal opportunities and ability to apply them.
Desirable:
1. Knowledge and practical experience of delivering an Education Welfare Service
A/I
EWO (TT)
Updated Oct 2023 Page 8 of 9
2. 3. 4. Knowledge of the structure and operation of Local Government relating to school attendance.
Knowledge of national and local processes and policies relating to Education Welfare Service
Knowledge of the processes, systems and legislation associated with child employment and Chaperones.
and its various multi-agency groups and Schools
Behaviours
Appropriate behaviours are key to the delivery of our vision for Enfield.
We want staff who will work collaboratively, flexibly, and constructively, and exhibit this ethos in all their dealings with residents,
colleagues, and partners. Our leaders will be exemplars of the following behaviours and encourage them in staff at all levels;
Take Responsibility
We want staff who are willing to make decisions and be accountable for them. Staff should have a positive can-do attitude
where they see problems as challenges which can be overcome. They should accept responsibility for service delivery, be clear
about their service offer and deliver what they promise.
Open, Honest and Respectful
We want staff who are comfortable and confident to acknowledge the difficulties and the barriers they face. They should also be
able to constructively challenge the way things are done where there is evidence that it impedes service delivery. Challenge
should be conducted in a professional, courteous manner with the aim of reaching a mutually agreeable resolution.
Listen and Learn
We want staff who are prepared to actively listen and reflect on customer concerns with a view to understanding the customer’s
point of view. Staff should be able to receive constructive criticism and be prepared to adapt the way they operate and deliver
services where appropriate.
A/I
Work Together to find solutions
We want staff who can work collaboratively with other departments and partners, freely sharing their knowledge and skills to
identify solutions to address customer concerns.
Qualification(s)*
o Level 4 standard of education.
o Qualification in a child/education would be desirable.
o Customer care qualification/training would be desirable.