Senior Education Welfare Officer

Senior Education Welfare Officer

Location: Southwark

Contract: Initial 3-Month Contract

Hours: Full-Time, 36 hours per week

Rate: £30 per hour (umbrella) - (£22 PAYE an hour)

About the Role:

Southwark Council is seeking a dedicated and experienced Senior Education Welfare Officer to join our specialist Education Inclusion team within the Family Early Help service. This is a key role contributing to Southwark's Fairer Future promises, supporting the inclusion, attendance, and welfare of children and young people across the borough.

Key Responsibilities:

• Support school attendance and inclusion for children of compulsory school age.
• Work with families, schools, and professionals to prevent exclusions and promote full-time education.
• Deliver Southwark's statutory duties on attendance, including enforcement actions where necessary.
• Assess and intervene early with children at risk of exclusion using a Team Around the Family approach.
• Lead on education legal planning and represent the Council in court when required.
• Help identify and reintegrate children missing education in line with the borough's protocol.
• Provide expert guidance to schools and Family Early Help practitioners on attendance and legal thresholds.

What We're Looking For:

• Proven experience in an Education Welfare or similar statutory role within children's services.
• In-depth knowledge of education law and local authority responsibilities around attendance and exclusion.
• Strong assessment, case planning, and multi-agency working skills.
• Confident in leading enforcement actions and legal proceedings.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building abilities with schools, families, and professional networks.