Job info	Job info details
Job title	Inclusion and Achievement Support Officer
Strategic team/Directorate	Children’s Services
Service	Education
Business unit	Virtual School
Responsible to (day to day issues)	Inclusion and Attachment Lead Officer
Accountable to (line manager)	Virtual School Headteacher
Salary grade	G
JE ref	CSERV013

1. Key purpose of job

• To ensure all children have a school place in the relevant year group.
• To provide high quality planned support including crisis response work with children and young people, and schools as and when required.
• To provide support and solutions to those schools in order to promote inclusion where there is a real risk of those children and young people not engaging in education.
• To provide robust support and challenge to schools in order that every child reaches their academic potential.
• To all children in either the primary or secondary phase have an up-to-date Personal Education Plan.
• To support and contribute to the core business of the Virtual School.

2. Anticipated outcomes of post

• Effective partnership working to improve outcomes for children, young people and their schools in order the children and young people are enabled to sustain positive change.
• To provide a high standard of trauma informed and attachment aware practice to children, young people who are Cared For.
• Children receive interventions, both academic and social and emotional, in order to achieve best outcomes.
• Transitions from and to educational provisions are well managed and ensure a smooth and positive transition for each child.
• All professionals support the child to achieve at least a literacy level equivalent to their chronological age or above.
• No child is permanently excluded from school.
• Transitions between phases of education are planned and supportive and result in a positive experience for the child.

3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post

• Responsible for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children at all times. 
• To be responsible for a caseload of children aged 4 – 11 or 11 - 16. This will include complex cases, resolving problems, addressing areas of conflict with all relevant agencies to remove barriers to engagement.
• To work in partnership with children, young people and their schools ensuring professional boundaries are set and maintained.
• To be aspirational for the educational attainment, outcomes and experiences for all young people cared for by the Local Authority whether placed in or out of borough, thus contributing to positive learning outcomes and transitions to next phases of education.
• To assist in the creation of a sensitive, caring but structured working relationship enabling young people to explore their difficulties and express their wishes and feelings.
• To offer both robust support and challenge to children, young people and their schools as part of any agreed change process.
• To establish effective working relationships with statutory and voluntary agencies to ensure high standards of service and support to young people and their families.
• To work with the children and wider professionals to ensure a smooth and effective transition is planned and received between nursery settings and primary schools, and primary schools to secondary schools.
• To prepare internal and external reports and maintain accurate case records.
• To participate in PEP meetings in order to ensure, through support and challenge, that each child receives interventions which are tailored to need.
• To be responsible for conducting assessments and delivering interventions, to include literacy, numeracy, social and behavioural interventions.
• Providing objective and accurate feedback and reports as required on pupil achievement, progress and other matters, ensuring the availability of appropriate evidence.
• Supporting the role of carers in pupils’ learning and contributing to/leading meetings with carers to provide constructive feedback on pupil progress/achievement etc.
• Providing feedback to pupils in relation to progress and achievement and creating learning resources for use during term time as well as holiday periods.
• To provide a prompt response to requests for intervention on educational matters or referrals for advice.
• Deliver training, advice and information to Designated Teachers, Social Workers, Carers and educational professionals on matters relating to promoting the educational achievement of Cared For Children.
• To monitor attendance and resolve issues of non-attendance as they arise in partnership with the school and the VS’s Inclusion Officer.
• To undertake training as required.

4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post

• None. 

5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post

• None. 

6. Working environment and conditions of the post

• Work independently within the Community undertaking school visits and lone working. 

7. Physical demands of the post

• Normal physical effort. 

8. Specific resources used by the post

• Computer and other IT equipment. 
• General office equipment. 
• Mobile phone.

9. Key contacts and relationships

External: 

• Schools including Designated Teachers and Inclusion Officers. 
• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS). 
• External Agencies. 
• Other local authorities.

Internal: 

• Social Work teams – in particular those working with Cared For Children and Young People. 
• Education including SEND and Educational Psychologists.

10. Other duties

• To undertake additional duties as required, commensurate with the level of the job. 

Other Information

• All staff must commit to Equal Opportunities and Anti-Discriminatory Practice.
• The Council operates a Smoke-Free Policy and the post-holder is prohibited from smoking in any of the Council's buildings (including Council owned and Council leased buildings, but excluding designated areas in residential schemes), enclosed spaces within the curtilage of buildings, and Council vehicles. The Council does not permit smoking breaks within work time, however, in services where the flexi-scheme is in operation, employees may take reasonable break times outside of core hours, in accordance with flexi-time arrangements. Employees should follow the flexi-scheme procedure for agreeing time away from their duties in the normal manner with their immediate colleagues and line manager, with break start and finish times being recorded, as with any other break-time arrangement. 
• The post-holder is expected to familiarise themselves with and adhere to all relevant Council Policies and Procedures.
• The post-holder must comply with the Council’s Health and Safety requirements as outlined in the H&S policy appropriate to the role.
• The post is eligible for both hybrid and permanent home working.
• The post-holder must be committed to the Council’s Core Values for employees – “Torbay Council employees are committed to being forward thinking, people orientated and adaptable - always with integrity”. Evidence will be sought during the probation and appraisal processes.
• If you are required to use your own vehicle on Council business or drive a council vehicle you will be asked to provide information on any driving endorsements by accessing gov.uk/view-driving-licence and providing a code to your Line Manager in order to share your driving licence information with the Council.
• As this post meets the requirements in respect of exempted questions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, all applicants who are offered employment will be subject to a criminal record check (Disclosure) from the Disclosure & Barring Service before the appointment is confirmed. This will include details of ALL cautions, reprimands or final warnings as well as convictions, whether “spent” or “unspent”. Criminal convictions will only be taken into account when they are relevant to the post.
• Torbay Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo the checks appropriate to the post applied for.
• The post holder is expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures.
• As this post meets the requirements of the Immigration Act 2017 (part 7) the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.

Person Specification

Note for Candidate

All Candidates

The supporting statement on your application form will be used to assess ability to meet the essential requirements of the role, so you should explain how you meet each of the numbered essential requirements within your supporting statement. In a competitive situation, the desirable criteria may be taken into consideration, so you are encouraged to show how you also meet each of the desirable criteria.

Candidates who consider that they have a disability

Reasonable adjustments will be made to the job, job requirements or recruitment process for candidates with a disability.

If you consider yourself to have a disability you should indicate this on your application form, providing any information you would like us to take into account with regard to your disability in order to offer a fair selection interview.

Where ever possible and reasonable we will make adjustments and offer alternatives to help you through the application and selection process.

If you have indicated that you have a disability on your application form you will be guaranteed an interview if you clearly demonstrate in your supporting evidence how you broadly meet the essential requirements of the role.

Job info	Job info details
Job Title	Inclusion and Achievement Support Officer
Strategic team/Directorate	Children’s Services
Service	Education
Business unit	Virtual School

Skills and effectiveness

Essential skills and effectiveness

• Able to communicate effectively with service users and professionals face to face and virtually, to ensure understanding, engagement and effective sharing and management of information.
• Able to make significant decisions on complex matters which impact on outcomes for children by obtaining and analysing relevant information, involving all relevant parties, drawing informed conclusions and making effective judgements based on outcomes and risk.
• The ability to prioritise tasks and manage time effectively to ensure duties are undertaken rigorously, consistently and effectively to agreed standards and deadlines through the school year.
• Able to carry out assessments, plan and deliver trauma informed and attachment based packages of support.
• Proven problem-solving skills including the ability to deal with emotional and challenging situations and bring about resolutions which meet the needs of all parties and deliver appropriate outcomes. The post holder whilst working with each educational establishment’s policies will need to ensure the cohort are not disadvantaged by a ‘one size fits all’ approach. Some of these matters are likely to be complex and contentious with parties involved all having a vested interest. The post holder will need to act as a ‘Champion’ of the young person but ensure a consistent, objective and best interest for all outcome is reached.
• Able to plan and deliver interventions in both literacy and numeracy to support end of Key Stage examinations/assessments.
• Competent in the use of ICT sufficient to produce a range of documents, data and reports.
• Ability to produce and maintain accurate record.
• Ability to deal sensitively with people, take a solution-focused approach and deal with conflict with good emotional resilience. This will include a creativity to each individual issue such as non-engagement in education. The post holder will need to have a high degree of creativity to have a solution focused approach based on the individual needs of the young person such as unmet attachment needs, anxiety or school refusal for example.
• Ability to engage positively with children, young people and their carers.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and as a team member.
• Effective communication/interpersonal skills. 
• Excellent literacy skills in producing succinct and effective documentation.
• Organisational skills sufficient to ensure information data compliance, effective performance monitoring and evaluation of outcomes.
• Ability to challenge families appropriately.
• Effective numeracy skills sufficient to analyse and manipulate statistical data and produce reports.
• As this post meets the requirements of the Immigration Act 2016 (part 7), the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.

Desirable skills and effectiveness

• Experience of multi-agency working and Service development. 
• Advocacy skills. 
• Mediation skills. 

Knowledge

Essential knowledge

• Detailed knowledge of the practice and procedure of securing good educational outcomes for cared for children/young people by narrowing the attainment gap between them and their peers not in the care system.
• Detailed knowledge and understanding of processes within Children’s Services regarding Cared For Children and the importance of the PEP process and its quality being captured within the statutory timescales for Care Plans.
• Through knowledge of the current educational landscape both locally and nationally.
• Trauma informed and attachment aware practices. 
• Understanding the importance of literacy skills for all young people. 
• Understanding that behaviour is communication. 
• Excellent working knowledge of IT software including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook) and Internet Explorer, sufficient to produce and maintain comprehensive records, documents and reports.
• An understanding of how Personal Education Plans are devised, recorded and monitored.
• An understanding of the needs of children within the care system and how this may impact on their education, training and employment.
• Knowledge of Children’s Act 1989 and 2004, Adoption legislation, Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (Parenting Orders and Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003.
• Up to date knowledge of the DfE statutory guidance ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’.
• Self-awareness of own strengths and weaknesses.

Desirable knowledge

• Knowledge of software such as SIMS and Liquid Logic. 
• Knowledge of Pupil Premium Plus. 
• Knowledge of Local Government policies and procedures as well as a working knowledge/understanding of current Children’s Services. 

Experience and achievements

Essential experience and achievements

• Work in a school/educational environment (paid or unpaid) with children and young people.
• Experience of working with children, young people and families displaying behaviour which adults find difficult to understand.
• Experience of applying an evidenced informed practice approach.
• Evidence of having delivered improved outcomes and impact for young people.
• Experience of working in a fast paced, changing environment, and making robust evidenced informed decisions.
• Experience in working in a multi-agency setting.
• Experience of school systems and procedures. 

Desirable experience and achievements

• Experience of delivering training on attachment. 

Qualifications/professional memberships

Essential qualifications/professional memberships

• Educated to A level standard or equivalent.
• GCSE pass in English and Maths at Grade C or above or equivalent.
• Trauma informed/attachment qualification. 

Desirable qualifications/professional memberships

• Degree. 
• Teaching qualification. 
• Trauma Informed Schools Mental First Aid Certificate. 

Other requirements

Other requirements of the job role

• Demonstrates a commitment to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people. 
• Ability to carry out the physical requirements of the role (i.e. manual handling). 
• Ability to travel efficiently around the Bay in order to carry out duties. 
• Ability to accommodate unsociable hours. 
• Ability to accommodate on-call working. 
• Ability to accommodate occasional home-working.