Job info	Job info details
Job title	EYFS, Kinship and Care Experienced Officer
Strategic team/Directorate	Childrens Services
Service	Education & SEND
Business unit	Business unit Vulnerable Pupils & Virtual School
Responsible to (day to day issues)	Service Manager - Virtual School
Accountable to (line manager)	Service Manager - Virtual School
Salary grade	F
JE ref	JCT48

1. Key purpose of job

• To provide educational advice and guidance to adoptive parents and those who hold a Special Guardianship Order (SGO) for cared for and/or care experienced children.
• To act as a reference point for schools on post cared for children duties, advice and guidance.
• To maintain a register of support services and act as a signpost to these services.
• To support the Early Years cohort of Cared for Children.

2. Anticipated outcomes of post

• Adoptive parents and those with SGOs receive good advice and guidance and the children have the opportunity for better educational outcomes.
• Schools have a reference point on post cared for children and are confident in their post cared for children duties.
• Children moving from cared for children to SGO status are well-supported educationally through the process.

3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post

• As an Employee of Torbay Council all roles are 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. The Designated Senior Lead for Safeguarding is the Chief Executive and Director of Children’s Services.
• Be the central point of contact for all education queries in relation to post cared for children.
• Provide advice and support on all education matters to social work colleagues in relation to young people on their regular caseload.
• Provide advice and support to the Adoption SW and the SGO Team, whenever possible, on education issues raised by parent(s) of adopted young people and those on SGOs.
• Inform social work colleagues, the parent(s) of adopted young people and relevant school teachers and support staff of the latest Department for Education support for Adopted/SGO Children.
• Provide advice, support and training in schools on how to manage adopted children with attachment difficulties and support adoptive parents in school related issues. 
• Provide advice and support to Headteachers, Inclusion Leaders and/or Designated Teachers in schools, academies and settings on how to plan to use Pupil Premium for Post cared for children in partnership with parent(s) in order to help adopted young people in school to maximum effect.
• General admin tasks to ensure the efficient running of the Virtual School.
• Dealing with general enquiries and taking messages.
• Comply with and assist with the development of policies and procedures relating to child protection, health, safety and security, confidentiality and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person.
• Be aware of and support difference and ensure equal opportunities for all.
• Contribute to the overall ethos/work/aims of the school and the LA corporate values.
• Establish constructive relationships and communicate with other agencies/professionals.
• Attend and participate in regular meetings.
• Participate in training and other learning activities and performance development as required.
• Recognise own strengths and areas of expertise and use these to advise and support others.

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

• Normal working conditions. 

7. Physical demands of the post

• Normal physical demands. 

8. Specific resources used by the post

• Normal Resources. 

9. Key contacts and relationships

External:

• Carers; designated teachers in Torbay and outside of Torbay; schools (in area and out of area); Early Years settings.

Internal:

• Children and young people; social workers; education professionals; Service Manager Virtual School and virtual school colleagues.

10. Other duties

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

Other Information

• All staff must commit to the Workplace Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Practice and Policy.
• 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. And are aware that the Chief Executive and the Director for Childrens Services are the Safeguarding Leads for the Council. 
• This post is office based at the Town Hall, Castle Circus, Torquay but the post holder may be required to move their base to any other location within the Council at a future date.
• The post is eligible for hybrid working.
• 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.
• 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-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 this post is customer facing, it will require the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.
• If you are required to access a government system such as HMRC, DWP or The Public services network (PSN) as part of your role with the Council you will be required to complete a basic disclose with your line manager before you can access these systems. Your manager will be required to complete a verification form that confirms your identity, nationality and immigration status, employment history and unspent convictions (third party).
• 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.

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	EYFS, Kinship and Care Experienced Officer
Strategic team/Directorate	Childrens Services
Service	Education & SEND
Business unit	Business unit Vulnerable Pupils & Virtual School

Skills and effectiveness

Essential skills and effectiveness

• Excellent communication skills.
• Ability to prioritise tasks, deal with pressure and manage time effectively.
• Competent in the use of ICT.
• Ability to deal sensitively with people, take a solution-focused approach and deal with conflict with good emotional resilience.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and as a team member.
• Effective organisational skills.
• Ability to take the initiative and be a self-starter.
• Effective numeracy skills.
• Insert any ‘behaviour based competencies’: customer focus.
• This role requires the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.

Desirable skills and effectiveness

• Design skills for newsletters and other Virtual School publications relating to post cared for children. 

Knowledge

Essential knowledge

• Knowledge of the current educational landscape both locally and nationally for Early Years settings as well as for children of statutory school age. 
• Knowledge of the latest version of the DfE statutory guidance ‘Keeping children safe in education’.

Desirable knowledge

• Knowledge of the care system.
• Knowledge and understanding of the impact of trauma on learning.
• Knowledge of software such as SIMS and PARIS.
• An understanding of Personal Education Plans.
• Knowledge of Council financial systems such as FIMS.
• 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

• Experience of working with a range of IT software including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook) and Internet Explorer.
• Experience of working within a team.
• Experience of working in a busy office environment.
• Experience of dealing with a range of enquiries both on the telephone and face to face.

Desirable experience and achievements

• Experience of delivering training on attachment.
• Experience in working in a multi-agency setting.
• Experience of school systems and procedures.
• Experience of working in an educational setting.

Qualifications/professional memberships

Essential qualifications/professional memberships

• Educated to GCSE O Level (level 2) or equivalent in Maths and English. 

Desirable qualifications/professional memberships

• Attachment Lead Qualification (schools-based programme accredited by HEI) or equivalent. 
• THRIVE accredited practitioner. 
• Social work/teaching qualification. 

Other requirements

Other requirements of the job role

• Demonstrates a commitment to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people.
• Ability to travel efficiently around the Bay/South West/UK in order to carry out duties.
• Ability to accommodate unsociable hours.
• Ability to accommodate occasional home-working.