Job title: Caseworker - Elective Home Education

Salary: C1 £28,598 - £31,022

Hours: 37 hours per week

Contract: Permanent

Location: Tech North and other LCC bases.

As a member of the Elective Home Education Team, you’ll thrive on working with many people and developing positive relationships.

Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.

About you

You will bring to the role:

the ability to work to tight and often conflicting deadlines
excellent verbal and written communication skills to build positive relationships with parents, children, and other agencies
an ability to listen effectively on the phone and in person
the ability to take and maintain accurate records with attention to detail and follow policy and procedure

About the role

It is a varied role that will require you to support a team to work with home educating families and ensuring the local authority’s statutory duties are being delivered and children are receiving suitable educations.

As our next case work support officer, you will provide caseworkers with current information and support families to access a suitable education.

The role is integral to our wider team of attendance improvement officers, pupil tuition teachers and elective home education caseworkers.

What we offer you

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further

How to apply

Please complete the online application form.

Read our guidance for further advice. Please check your information carefully and ensure you complete all sections before submitting your application.

If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role please contact Lynne Bentley, EHE Lead, lynne.bentley@leeds.gov.uk

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be carried out on preferred candidates. Read our recruitment of ex-offenders policy.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job Description

Job purpose

Under the direction of the Head of Service, Learning Access, provide comprehensive case work support and administrative processes to ensure the local authority’s statutory duties that EHE children remain safe and that parents are ensuring access for their children to a “suitable education”.

Responsibilities

Working within the ethos of restorative practice work and within the statutory guidance of elective home education:
To support the caseworkers to provide up to date information by phone and email to EHE families to enable children and parents/carers access to city wide activities, post 16 services and return to school as required as part of weekly duty day.
To support caseworkers when parents/carers with their request to return to school where appropriate including providing information on school places, appropriate paperwork and advice on the process following admission guidance.
Ensure that all EHE families receive information in the meetings or after that will support the child, their education and future plans – including keeping welcome pack updated
When required to accompany case worker officers on initial and annual safeguarding visits to EHE families, having supported the caseworkers to undertake research into the child’s context on PSS and, as required by the caseworker, contact any other agencies working with the child and/or family at the point of notification.
Maintain regular contact with any agency/cluster/AIP also working with EHE families to ensure best outcomes for the child.
To provide weekly information on cases held/visits made and progress made.
Provide half term and annual data collection for cases held.
Undertake and provide support for quality assurance audit of case files on a half termly basis.
To attend multi-agency meetings on particular cases and organise these when required and under the direction of the lead officer.
Support the development of the team, attending team meetings, training and parent’s forum events.
To undertake other duties appropriate to the post as required by the line manager.
To comply with the requirements of all Leeds City Council policies, procedures and staff instructions, including responsibilities under the Health and Safety Policy and Procedures.
To actively promote and support Leeds City Council's Policies on Equal Opportunities and to work in an anti-oppressive manner.

The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.

Qualifications

Maths and English GCSE or equivalent

Essential requirements It is essential that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post. Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate that they meet all the essential requirements.

Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Ability to listen attentively on the phone and in person
Ability to build positive relationships with parents/carers, children, and other agencies
Ability to plan, prioritise and time manage own workload.
Ability to take and maintain accurate records with attention to detail and follow policy and procedure
Ability to work as part of a team

Knowledge required

Of elective home education in relation to the Education Act 1996 and the LA’s statutory duties
Of restorative practice in Leeds
An understanding of IT systems including Microsoft Office, Internet and Email
Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of confidentiality and the needs and wishes of individuals, families as appropriate
Ability to take and maintain accurate records with attention to detail and follow policy and procedure

Essential Behavioural and other Characteristics

Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct.
Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon
Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council equality and diversity policies.
Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.
Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities.
Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities.
Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & diversity policies of Leeds City Council.
Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person.
The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.