Child Missing Education Officer

Job Description

The London Borough of Harrow is committed to ensuring that every child has the opportunity to thrive through access to a suitable full-time education. The Child Missing Education Officer plays an important role in helping children and young people who are out of education to re-engage with learning as quickly as possible. Working closely with families, schools and partner agencies, the postholder supports the Council in fulfilling its statutory responsibilities by identifying, tracking and locating children who are missing education, while always maintaining a strong focus on safeguarding, wellbeing and positive outcomes.

This is a rewarding and varied role that combines investigation, partnership working and family engagement. The Child Missing Education Officer manages a caseload of children missing education, carrying out enquiries, home visits and assessments to understand individual circumstances and remove barriers to education. Working collaboratively with schools, health services, children's social care, SEND services, housing teams and other local authorities, the postholder helps ensure that children are supported back into appropriate educational provision. Through a compassionate but proactive approach, they build positive relationships with families, offer guidance and challenge where needed, and ensure that vulnerable children receive the support they need.

As part of Harrow's Education Services team, the Child Missing Education Officer contributes to the continuous improvement of local practice, helping to strengthen procedures, promote effective information sharing and support schools in meeting their statutory responsibilities. The role requires excellent communication, organisation and problem-solving skills, together with a commitment to equality, inclusion and safeguarding. By working collaboratively across services and maintaining accurate records and data, the postholder helps ensure that every child has the best possible chance to achieve, succeed and reach their full potential.

The sucessful candidate will have:

• Strong knowledge and understanding of education legislation, statutory guidance and local authority procedures, with the ability to interpret and apply them effectively, particularly in relation to Children Missing Education (CME).
• Excellent understanding of safeguarding within an education context, with the ability to identify risks, take appropriate action and maintain a child-centred approach at all times.
• Experience of working with children, young people and families within a local authority, school, academy, or other education-related environment.
• Ability to manage complex cases and work with families in a sensitive, supportive and solution-focused manner to overcome barriers to education.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including report writing, letter writing, case recording, presentations, formal meetings and one-to-one discussions.
• Strong partnership-working skills, with the ability to build and maintain effective relationships with schools, social care, health services, partner agencies and other local authorities.
• Experience of investigating, tracking and monitoring CME, attendance, admissions, SEND, inclusion or alternative provision cases in line with statutory requirements.
• Strong analytical skills, including experience of data interrogation, data analysis and producing reports to support decision-making and service improvement.
• High level of IT competence, including Microsoft 365 applications and the ability to work confidently across a range of databases and case management systems.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritise a demanding workload, work independently and contribute effectively within a multi-agency team.

Additional Desirable Requirements

• Knowledge of cross-border CME arrangements and education law.
• Recent experience of working with statutory and voluntary organisations that support children and young people.
• Educated to degree level or equivalent, or able to demonstrate relevant professional experience.
• Enhanced DBS clearance.
• Commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion and anti-discriminatory practice.

Please note: This role involves travel for business purposes.

For more information, please refer to the Role profile/ Selection criteria

About us

Harrow Council is the 12th largest London borough and one of the most culturally diverse local authorities in the UK, making it a great place to live, work and visit with a range of cultures, religions and opinions that come together to produce high achieving schools and a close and friendly community. Located 10 miles from the city centre and just 13 minutes to Euston from Harrow & Wealdstone station there are great transport links via the Metropolitan Line, Watford DC Line and national rail service. It is easily accessible to the M1, M25 and A406.

Other information

Support for candidates visit:Harrow.gov.uk Our behavioural indicators roles below G11 and above G11 Here at Harrow Council, the vision is one of 'Working together to make a difference for Harrow' Please click here to view Harrow Council's benefits

Important Note

To deliver our commitment to equality of opportunity in service provision, all staff are expected to promote equality in the workplace and in the services the Council delivers. All sections of the population will have equal access to jobs at the London Borough of Harrow. No applicant or employee will receive less favourable treatment because of age, disability, gender, reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy, or maternity unless a Genuine Occupational Qualification applies. As such, we value diversity and welcome applications from all backgrounds. For further information, please read our equality statement.

As a disability-confident employer, we are committed to making our recruitment practices barrier-free and accessible to everyone. This includes reasonably adjusting the recruitment process for those with disabilities or long-term health conditions. For further information, please contact us at resourcing@harrow.gov.uk

London Borough of Harrow is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Harrow operates stringent, safer recruitment procedures.

Due to the high number of applications received for some posts, we may close vacancies before the stated closing date if sufficient applications are received. Therefore, please apply as soon as possible.

Harrow redeployees will be given priority consideration.

The personal information we have collected from you will be shared with Cifas who will use it to prevent fraud, other unlawful or dishonest conduct, malpractice, and other seriously improper conduct. If any of these are detected you could be refused certain services or employment. Your personal information will also be used to verify your identity. Further details of how your information will be used by us and Cifas, any your data protection rights, can be found by visiting www.cifas.org.uk/fpn