School Liaison Officer

Role Responsibility

Term Time only - 40 weeks per year

An exciting opportunity has emerged to recruit a School Liaison Officer to join the PRU, Inclusion and Attendance Service (PIAS) situated within the Children, Young People and Education directorate.

The subject of school attendance has been a regular feature in national and local media ever since the Covid-19 pandemic, and this is an exciting time for PIAS in ensuring the service is ready to deliver on the expectations set out in the Department for Education's 'Working together to improve school attendance' guidance which becomes statutory in August. 

You will be the link for a group of allocated primary, secondary and special schools, working in partnership with staff, families, and a range of services internal and external to Kent County Council with the key objective to reduce levels of persistent and severe absence for individual pupils and cohorts of pupils which data shows have higher rates of absence than their peers.

You will already have knowledge and experience in the education field, working in or alongside schools. Being highly motivated, willing to learn quickly and self-sufficient are key qualities being sought. You will be a confident team player, showing resilience when challenging situations arise and ultimately represent our organisation’s values with the highest level of professionalism.

Representing the local authority and contributing within a wide range of forums such as Attendance Improvement Meetings, District Contextual Safeguarding Meetings and Child Protection Conferences is a key duty. You will be skilful in balancing advice and guidance with professional challenge where necessary to ensure statutory guidance issued by the Department for Education is followed.

There will be occasions where you will conduct investigations where parents fail to secure their children’s regular school attendance in accordance with statutory legislation which may lead to legal intervention being pursued by the Local Authority in the Magistrates Court. Therefore, attention to detail and the ability to meet deadlines are essential attributes. 

This role will require regularly visiting schools and family homes, therefore there will be an expectation to travel across a wide geographical area at various times of the day, and on occasion, outside of core business hours.

Please note that School Liaison Officers do not work directly and intensively with children and families to support with day to day tasks to improve school attendance as this is an advisory role.

This post is considered by KCC to be a customer-facing position. KCC therefore has a statutory duty under Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) to ensure that post holders have a command of spoken English / Welsh sufficient for the effective performance of the job requirements. The appropriate standards are outlined in the Job Description / Person Specification.

This post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure Application to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Contact Details

For further information on this role please contact:

Lee Kennedy | Area Education Lead (South Kent) | PRU, Inclusion & Attendance Service | Children, Young People & Education | Kroner House, Eurogate Business Park, Ashford, TN24 8XU | T: 03000 418658 | lee.kennedy@kent.gov.uk

About the Company

Work that works for you and us - let’s talk flexibility!

KCC is committed to building a workforce which reflects the diversity of the county’s working residents, encouraging applications from people of all ages, abilities, genders, sexual orientations, ethnic backgrounds, faiths and those with caring responsibilities, and aspires to create an inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves at work.

Please note – if you are interested, please apply as soon as possible as the closing date for this advert may be earlier than stated should a number of suitably qualified candidates apply.