Defence Children Services (DCS) SO3 Education Welfare Officer (EWO)

Job summary

The Ministry of Defence employs over 50,000 Civil Servants. Within that, with responsibility for an annual budget of over £10bn, the Army is a major part of the Ministry of Defence and one of its largest operating centres who employ around 12,000 Civil Servants located at over 300 locations supporting the 110K regular and reserve soldiers across the Army. This Civil Service workforce is diverse, with many different functions and professions ranging from police officers, security guards, trainers, human resources, teachers, and psychologists to storekeepers, financiers, project and programme managers, and policy secretariat staff.

Defence Children Services (DCS) is a Defence delivery organisation, subordinated under Army Regional Command. Our Vision is that we Educate the Child – Support the Family – Defend the Nation. HQ DCS is UK based at Trenchard Lines, Upavon and has forward deployed staff all over the world. DCS is responsible for the education and care of children of accompanied Service and Defence entitled personnel in MOD schools and settings; provides advice and guidance in respect of education for service families in the United Kingdom and the wider world. The Welfare and Social Work Team team provides Education Welfare Officers for all schools and are instrumental in the continued supportability of pupils overseas both in DCS schools and Host Nation provisions. This team also co-ordinate the social work contract for overseas and the Early Help Offer for defence overseas, providing Subject Matter Expertise across all issues affecting Education Welfare, Attendance, Child Protection, Early intervention and prevention.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week.

Job description

The Education Welfare Officer (EWO) works with the Welfare and Social Work Team Leader. Acting as an authorised officer to fulfil DCS’s statutory duties, responsibilities and powers for school attendance. Providing general advice to schools, parents, Command and stakeholders regarding issues which impact children and young people’s ability and opportunities to access education. Supporting arrangements and leads on behalf of DCS for children experiencing attendance issues in line with DCS and MOD policy.

The role provides support and challenge to school leaders in the development and delivery of procedures for monitoring attendance and mitigating barriers to attendance. Contributing to multi-agency working, intervention plans to support the welfare of service children and families. Working in partnership with service welfare teams and agencies across defence responsible for the welfare and safeguarding of service children. The EWO holds responsibility for locating all service children and managing MOD responsibilities for ‘Children Missing from Education and oversight of all service children who are deemed to be “At Risk” in education (reduced timetables, persistent absences etc). The EWO is a pupil facing role and provide direct intervention to children and families where school attendance is either currently affected or likely to be affected offering both a preventative and reactive package of support.

The post holder’s key responsibilities and main duties are:

• To oversee the data management and DCS response for the identification and education of children in overseas locations (and manage DCS response to ‘Children Missing from Education’).
• To deliver educational welfare service overseas - where DCS has identified responsibility.
• To deliver intervention and support directly to children, young people and families to prevent school attendance or attainment issues or as part of the DCS staged response to School Attendance.
• To develop and support DCS school and setting attendance strategies (including early intervention approaches)
• To develop and coordinate systems and processes for overseas education welfare and school attendance
• To support the provision of guidance and support to schools and settings
• To support the provision of direct support to families and young people to mitigate risk to school attendance and educational opportunities.
• To monitor and report on attendance data, trends and patterns
• To represent DCS at strategic meetings regarding attendance and welfare with partner agencies within and beyond the MOD.
• To ensure DCS processes and directives are consistent with policy and legislation
• To work with DCS Overseas Education Supportability Team when a child or young person has been identified as part of the Assessment of Support Needs as having an Attendance related concern whilst currently in the UK.
• To provide Subject Matter Expertise advice on Attendance in Education to DCS HQ teams, DCS schools and settings, Host Nation Schools and commands overseas.

Person specification

The post holder will be required to hold the following essential knowledge and experience:

• Have experience and knowledge of local authority/broader education organisation working
• Have experience and knowledge of working in a multi-agency team.
• Be an experienced professional with experience in working as an education welfare officer.
• Knowledge of the legal framework related to school attendance
• Experience of providing interventions to children, young people and families
• Have experience and knowledge of how schools and local authorities deliver an educational welfare function
• Have significant experience and expertise in safeguarding procedures

Essential Qualifications:

Minimum NVQ Level 4 in relevant field (social care, education, youth and community, welfare)

Desirable Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelors Degree
• Experience and understanding of working in the military context.

Qualifications

Minimum NVQ Level 4 in relevant field (social care, education, youth and community, welfare)

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Making Effective Decisions

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £30,740, Ministry of Defence contributes £8,905 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

The Army prides itself on being a supportive employer and where possible encourages flexible working, helping you to maintain a great work/life balance.

Other benefits for Army civil servants include:

• 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service
• Pension contribution: 28.97%
• Personal and professional development of skills
• Alternative working patterns for many roles
• Access to the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), a free service that assists you with achieving a productive, healthy environment that is conducive to a healthy lifestyle.
• Enhanced parental and adoption leave
• 6 days special leave per year which can be used for volunteering activities
• Learning and Development
• Onsite Gym
• Onsite Cafe

We believe that everyone has the potential to make a difference, and you will be supported to help you learn and advance in your career. This includes working towards membership of a professional body and/or undertaking a modern apprenticeship as part of your role.

A modern apprenticeship is a combined package of work and training. Through the schemes available you will gain a professional qualification, practical experience, and the broader skills required to develop in your current role and pave the way for your future career.

Where business needs allow, some roles may be suitable for a combination of office and home-based working. This is a non-contractual arrangement where all office-based employees will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of their working time in office, subject to capacity and any required workplace adjustments. Applicants can request further information regarding how this may work in their team from the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details). Defence Business Services cannot respond to any questions about working arrangements.

The post does not offer relocation expenses.

External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.

Any move to MOD from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.

MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – We may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Policy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

At sift, you will be assessed against your CV and/or Statement of suitability and the following behaviour:

• Making Effective Decisions Civil Service Behaviour.
• CV is to include job history and qualification details.
• Your Personal Statement (maximum 750 words) should demonstrate the relevant skills and experience that detail how you meet the essential criteria as detailed in the job role and responsibilities, including examples of evidence.

At interview you will be assessed on your experience along with the following Civil Service Behaviours;

• Changing and Improving
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk .

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came in to effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category and we will not sponsor a visa. It is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system.

Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero-tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Ami Jones
• Email : aimi.jones897@mod.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk

Further information

Please ensure you read the attached candidate information document prior to completing your application. If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from DBS, or believe that DBS has failed to follow the recruitment process in line with the Civil Service Commission principles of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of Fair and Open competition, you can raise a formal complaint by writing to DBS at the following address: Defence Business Services, Scanning Hub, Room 6124, Tomlinson House, Norcross Lane, Blackpool, FY5 3WP. If after raising your complaint with DBS you remain dissatisfied you can complain directly to the Civil Service Commission at the following address: Civil Service commission, Room G/8, 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ Or by email: info@csc.gov.uk.

Attachments

EVP Army TLB Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 3851kB)MOD Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)Candidate Information Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 128kB)