The postholder will report to the Designated Safeguarding and Attendance Lead, Inclusion Manager and the Headteacher. Apart from other colleagues in the school, the main contacts of the job are Designated Safeguarding Lead, Headteacher, Inclusion Manager, teaching staff, other support staff, pupils, children, parents, members of the community and other visiting staff.
Main Purpose of the Job
* To support the Designated Safeguarding and Attendance Lead in facilitating the development of safeguarding and child protection policies, training and procedures and guidance for the setting, ensuring that the CP Policy is reviewed annually by the Governing Body.
* To oversee the attendance of all pupils across the school, identifying patterns of absence and vulnerable groups and providing support and challenge for families.
* To be knowledgeable about the support that is available to families and to support and signpost those in need.
Family Support Worker Role
* To act as the lead point of contact for the parents/carers of pupils receiving additional support.
* Maintain regular communication with specific parents/carers and provide personalised support for families through issues as they arise.
* Put interventions in place to encourage parents/carers' involvement in supporting pupils' development and progress.
* Support families on the cusp of requiring the involvement of statutory services through the Early Help Assessment process.
* Keep up to date on the latest services available in the local area so you can promote and signpost parents/carers to these via a range of communication channels (e.g. social media, newsletters, in meetings, etc).
* Carry out home visits, where required.
* Implement and monitor progress of action plans, working with parents/carers to make adjustments to support as necessary.
* Provide personalised support for parents/carers to help manage transition for their child.
* Take a lead role in the planning and delivery of weekly Stay and Play sessions for pre‑school children and their parent/carers.
* Take a lead role in the planning and delivery of weekly Young Carers sessions.
* Support parents/carers through the application process for accessing local services and help them attend relevant meetings.
* Attend local network meetings as necessary.
* Ensure that, if the postholder is disabled, all necessary aids, adaptations or equipment are provided to allow them to carry out all duties. If a task is unachievable, job redesign will be pursued.
Attendance Role
* Ensure daily attendance registers are accurate and complete, and follow up with staff members about any incomplete data.
* Follow up on any unexplained absences with parents/carers, escalating issues as appropriate in line with school procedures.
* Initiate and oversee the administration of absence procedures, for example letters home, attendance clinics and engagement with local authorities/other external agencies and partners.
* Manage the process of issuing penalty notices to parents.
* Maintain accurate records of communications with parents/carers and relevant interventions.
* Build and refresh knowledge of the school's MIS and other relevant systems.
* Produce and interpret attendance reports for school leaders, identifying key statistics, reasons for absence and any patterns of concern.
* Track attendance of vulnerable groups of pupils and share information with school leaders.
* Identify pupils that need additional support to improve their attendance.
* Work with school leaders to identify appropriate interventions to improve attendance for particular groups or individual pupils.
* Work with school leaders to develop and revise the school's attendance policy.
* Implement children missing education (CME) procedures when appropriate.
* Coordinate meetings with pupils and parents/carers to implement interventions and track progress.
* Build positive relations with parents/carers to encourage family involvement in their child's attendance.
* Identify, and where possible, mitigate potential barriers to attendance in partnership with families.
* Carry out home visits, where necessary, to address attendance concerns for individual pupils.
* Ensure that, if the postholder is disabled, all necessary aids, adaptations or equipment are provided to allow them to carry out all duties. If a task is unachievable, job redesign will be pursued.
Qualifications and Essential Skills
* Experience of working with parent/carers, children and young people and/or schools and settings.
* Experience, knowledge and understanding of appropriate current relevant legislation, policy and guidance.
* Excellent oral and written communication skills.
* Demonstrable problem solving, decision making, influencing and analytical skills.
* Experience working with children / young people with additional needs (e.g. special educational needs (SEN), disabilities, behavioural needs, mental health needs).
* Experience of working openly and collaboratively with parents/carers, multi‑agency colleagues and professionals and understanding of the issues around confidentiality.
* Knowledge of the barriers to learning that pupils may face.
* Excellent facilitation skills for meetings with individuals and groups.
* Demonstrable ability to deal calmly with confrontation and to recognise and clarify misunderstandings.
* Competent IT skills, including word processing and database use.
* Ability to plan, prioritise and organise own work efficiently and effectively in order to meet deadlines.
* Ability to create good relationships with children, staff, parents and external agencies.
* Ability to manage a range of tasks and multiple priorities with confidence.
* Ability to travel to various sites.
* Knowledge of available support services in the local area.
* Tact and diplomacy in all interpersonal relationships.
* Self‑motivation and personal drive to complete tasks to required timescales and quality standards, with an appropriate awareness of confidentiality.
* Ongoing commitment to inclusive education practices and equality of opportunity.
* Flexibility to adapt to changing workload demands and new organisational challenges, including flexibility with time in emergency situations.
* Drive, tenacity, good time management, and an ability to maintain focus, objectivity and sound judgement to achieve desired outcomes.
* Ability to work under pressure and prioritise effectively.
* Personal commitment to ensure services are equally accessible and appropriate to the diverse needs of pupils.
* Personal commitment to continuous self and service development.
* Team player with a positive attitude and the ability to inspire and motivate.
* Positive commitment to the implementation of Equal Opportunities through all aspects of work.
* Committed to safeguarding, equality, diversity and inclusion.
* Willingness to comply with all school policies and uphold the ethos of the school.
* Willingness to consent to and apply for an enhanced disclosure check.
* Command of spoken English sufficient to enable effective performance of the role, including confidence, accuracy and appropriate listening skills.
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