Job Introduction
Staffordshire Virtual School for Looked After Children is responsible for promoting and driving the educational attainment and outcomes of children who are looked after from 0 – 25 years.
We are seeking to appoint an experienced, innovative and enthusiastic person with knowledge of the education and care systems, and how they impact on children's education.
You will be contributing to raising the standards of educational attainment, achievement and attendance of Looked After Children placed in the districts of Stafford and South Staffordshire.
You will need to be passionate about working with young people, with excellent communication, interpersonal and organisational skills and have experience of working with both teaching and social care professionals.
You will be able to respond flexibly to meet the individual needs of children and young people.
This post is a 6-month fixed term contract initially, with the potential to be extended by a further six months.
Please note: This vacancy may close before the advertised closing date.
Main Responsibility
The successful candidate will:
- Contribute to maintaining effective monitoring and tracking systems for Looked After Children’s educational attainment
- Have responsibility for implementing the Virtual School new to care screening process.
- Attend and contribute to Personal Education Plans for C&YP as directed by the education coordinator and ensure SMART aspirational target setting for looked after pupils.
- Respond to identified areas of educational need within schools and settings for young people in public care under the direction of the education transition co-coordinator e.g.:
- Where there is danger of exclusion.
- Where the young person has been out of school.
- Where there is poor or non-attendance.
- Where the young person is under achieving educationally as indicated by test scores, key stage results etc.
- To support education stability of looked after children
- To ensure effective transition planning
- Liaise with other agencies and partnerships where required to ensure effective co-ordination of support services where they relate to the education of looked after children.
- Contribute to the development and delivery of training packages that promote educational attainment of Looked After Children for key stakeholders.
- Contribute to performance management reports as directed by the education coordinator.
- Ensure voice of C&YP informs development of individual plans, to meet young people wherever possible to inform planning.
- Support PEP audit and quality assurance processes
- Participate and engage in team meetings, supervision and training as appropriate.
- Actively contribute to the ongoing development of the service, commensurate with the grade of the post.
- Undertake any other duties commensurate with the grading of the post although suitable adjustments will be made in line with the Disability Discrimination Act.
- Comply with Staffordshire’s County Council’s Policy, Procedures and Guidance relating to Children and their Families including Child Protection Procedures and legislative frameworks, including relevant Education Acts.
The Ideal Candidate
As a Virtual School Advisor, you will have:
- A minimum of 2 years’ experience working directly with vulnerable children in an education setting.
- Knowledge and understanding of the education system and services,
- Experience of strategies to motivate and engage vulnerable children and young people.
- Experience of supporting multi-agency partnership working.
- An understanding of the effect of trauma and attachment on the education of looked after children.
- Experience in the use of IT to both record information and inform data gathering, ensuring accurate communication of all information.
- Knowledge of safeguarding policies and procedures.
- Ability to communicate effectively with children, their families/carers, and other professionals.
- Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team.
- Ability to demonstrate reflective practice.
- Ability to work effectively in situations of conflict and resolve difficulties
- Ability to manage time effectively and work within agreed timescales.
- Ability to work ‘flexibly’ to meet the needs of children, young people and their carers
This post is designated as a casual car user
For more information about this role, please contact Joy Oakes
About Staffordshire County Council
We are no ordinary county council:
Our Values:
The core of who we are as an organisation. Just like we all have personal values that shape our thoughts and behaviour, organisational values drive how we think and act collectively.
Our values were created and shaped by colleague feedback and national best practice and they sit at the heart of People Strategy:
We have a real sense of community spirit that brings our people together. This feeling of belonging means we are all connected to what we do and take pride in the difference we make every day for Staffordshire people. We are ambitious and our sights are set firmly on a better future.
We look forward and race ahead - that goes for your career too.
Our benefits:
We recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive working environment where employees can achieve their full potential and achieve a healthy work-life balance.
In addition to your salary, as a member of staff, you will have access to a range of benefits.
Our recruitment process:
As an Authority we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
Staffordshire County Council is an equal opportunities organisation and Disability Confident employer. We encourage applications from all background and communities
As part of our commitment as a Disability Confident employer, a Silver Award Armed Forces employer and our commitment to supporting care leavers - we offer a guaranteed interview as long as your application meets the minimum criteria for the post.
