Children Missing Education Attendance Officer

Priority Candidates will be considered in the first instance

Salary: Grade 6, £25,944.87 - £28,629.82 per annum

37 hours per week, term time (38 weeks +2) working 40 weeks per year

We're on a journey to build a workforce reflective of our Borough.

We are committed to fostering diverse teams where everybody can bring their authentic selves to work and feel that they belong. If you want to work for a Council where everybody is encouraged to meet their full potential and make a difference in our neighbourhoods, we would love to hear from you!

Your role:

As a CME Attendance Officer, you will work in a fast-paced and varied role to support the Local Authority in ensuring that all children in Wigan receive a full-time, suitable education, including those who are Electively Home Educated (EHE) or Children Missing Education (CME).

You will manage a diverse caseload, working closely with families, schools, other local authorities across the UK, and partner agencies such as the Police and Border Force. The role includes carrying out home visits, attending multi-agency meetings, and taking appropriate action where required, including following the School Attendance Order process and representing the Local Authority in legal proceedings.

You will be part of a supportive team and work collaboratively across Children’s Services to safeguard children and young people.

About you:

You will have experience working with children, young people and families, ideally within education or safeguarding. You’ll be organised, confident using IT systems and able to manage your own workload. Strong communication skills are essential, as you’ll work with a range of people in sometimes challenging situations. You should be able to build positive relationships, make sound decisions and keep accurate records. A relevant qualification or equivalent experience is required, along with an understanding of safeguarding and the importance of children accessing education.

About us:

Wigan Council has been voted ‘Overall Council of the Year’ at the APSE (Association for Public Service Excellence) Awards. We are signed up to the Greater Manchester Continuous Service Commitment ensuring that your service will be continuous or 'unbroken' between the supporting organisations.

The Progress with Unity plan is a place movement for change for the next decade, bringing a new era for Wigan Borough. It draws on the strengths of our individual organisations, recognising that together we can achieve much more for our communities by delivering on our 2 place missions; create fair opportunities for all children, families, residents and businesses and make our towns and neighbourhoods flourish for those who live and work in them.

You’ll be joining a committed and supportive team within Children Missing Education and Elective Home Education services. We work together to ensure every child has access to education and that safeguarding is at the heart of what we do. We foster a collaborative team culture and opportunities to develop your skills and knowledge. This is a rewarding role where you can make a real difference to children and families.

Here at Wigan, we are proud to support flexible working patterns, when the service can accommodate this. We also take a blended approach to where we work, depending on the work we do. This may include working from home, the office, or the community. We like to thank our employees for their hard work and commitment by giving them the opportunity to access a range of exclusive rewards and benefits click here to find out more about working for #TeamWigan.

To be appointed to this role you must be able to prove your right to work in the UK, and you must maintain a valid (active) right to work. Please note, at present we are not a licenced sponsor. Please visit the link below to check you qualify to apply. Prove your right to work to an employer: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Prove your right to work to an employer

For further information, please contact Sarah Arnold at Sarah.arnold@wigan.gov.uk

Interview date:

Priority Candidates Thursday 2^nd July 2026

All other Candidates Friday 10^th July 2026

This position is subject to Enhanced Disclosure Procedures plus child barred list check

The employer is committed to safeguarding

To view the details relating to this position, please click the links below: