Elective Home Education Officer

• EHE_Officer_JD_Aug_2023_FINAL

Please apply online via the link provided.

Please note, we do not accept CVs submitted without a fully completed online application form.

Brighter Futures for Children

Elective Home Education Officer

Term Time (+10 days), Permanent

About us

Brighter Futures for Children is a not-for-profit company, owned by, but independent of, Reading Borough Council. Although we are independent, we are very much part of the Reading Family. Our people enjoy all of benefits as other Council employees including membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme and continuous service.

We work closely with partners in the local community and key organisations including Reading Borough Council, policy, public health and voluntary groups. We are responsible for the delivery of children’s social care, early help & prevention, education services (including SEND). This also includes fostering and adoption, the Youth Offending Service and traded services with schools.

Our main aim is to protect and enhance the lives of the children of Reading. We help families find long-term solutions to ensure children lead happy, healthy and successful lives.

About the role

We have an exciting opportunity for you to join our Education Access Team.

This role will provide operational management of the Elective Home Education (EHE) and responsibilities in liaison with the Education Access Team Manager, and Head of Education Access and Support

Key responsibilities:

• Implement robust safeguarding procedures and apply local threshold of need to cases of pupil welfare concerns, making appropriate safeguarding referrals as necessary
• Triage and provide advisory support to EHE queries from members of the public, colleagues and key partners
• Collate and analyse information on EHE through interactions with schools and other stakeholders, tracking provision, escalating issues of a strategic nature to the Education Access Team Manager, maintaining a central register of all children known to Reading who are in receipt of EHE
• Conduct welfare checks and home visits with families to ensure sighting and delivery of children where there are EHE and/or safeguarding concerns for children out of school (including lone working)
• Maintain records for children not receiving a suitable education and support timely reintegration, escalating those of concern to the Education Access Team Manager
• Contribute to meetings with schools, families and partners regarding potential Elective Home Education
• To visit families engaged in EHE and offer advice when requested and as set out in government guidance in policy, including statutory annual contact for each child on the register carrying out an assessment of suitability of education provided as defined by law
• To work in partnership with schools and partner organisations (e.g. Attendance Support Team, Special Education Needs and Disabilities Team, Elevate, Health) in relation to EHE pupils
• To contribute to the development of the Reading policy, procedures and practice through review, monitoring and self-evaluation

Experience/skills required.

• Educated to an A-Level standard or equivalent
• Good GCSE or equivalent passes, especially in English and Maths
• Knowledge of current Education legislation including School Attendance, Safeguarding and Elective Home Education
• Good working knowledge of child protection and safeguarding processes, procedures and thresholds
• Relevant professional qualification (e.g. Qualified teacher status, social work) with membership of appropriate professional body where relevant (e.g. GTC, HCPC) or NVQ level 4 in relevant field (e.g. Education Welfare, Learning Mentor or substantial experience as an Learning Support Assistant desirable

Our offer

We offer a supportive environment to grow and develop your career with the opportunity to put your ideas across. Innovation and ambition are strongly encouraged, and you’ll get a great feel for that working in our friendly and collaborative environment.

A competitive salary alongside a range of benefits including:

• Local Government Pension Scheme with generous employer contribution
• Incremental holidays starting with 26 days plus public holidays (rising to 33 after 10 years’ service)
• Discounted Child Care (on site nursery)
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Season train ticket loans
• Salary Sacrifice Car Lease Scheme
• A range of local shopping discounts

Inclusion and Diversity

We want Brighter Futures for Children to be a great place to work and to ensure that our children, young people and families are represented in leadership roles and positions of power. A vital part of this is ensuring we are a truly inclusive organisation that encourages diversity in all respects, including diversity of thinking.

We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and those of Other Ethnicities, LGBT+, disabled and neurodiverse communities to make a real difference to our children, young people and families so that equalities and justice remains at the heart of everything we do.

Asking for Adjustments

Brighter Futures for Children is committed to making our recruitment practices barrier-free and as accessible as possible for everyone. This includes making adjustments or changes for disabled people, neurodiverse people or people with long-term health conditions.

If you would like us to do anything differently during the application, interview or assessment process, including providing information in an alternative format, please let us know.

Closing date: 17th August 2025

Interview date: 27th August 2025

We look forward to hearing from you!