Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council

Position reference: 50144281/50144282/50009578/756054

Directorate: Children's Services | Service: Education & Partnerships

Salary: £35,412 - £38,220 pro rata

Working Arrangements: Monday to Friday flexible working

Hours per week: 2 x 37 hrs fixed term & 1 x 30 hrs permanent

Contract type: 2 x Fixed Term until 31/10/2027 / 1 x Permanent

We are happy to talk flexible working arrangements with you, please get in touch.

Suitable for Secondment: Employees wishing to be considered for secondment should agree with their head of service before submitting an application form.

See our range of Employee Rewards: Employee rewards and benefits

Closing date: 31/10/2025 at 23:59

The successful candidate will be required to speak English to an appropriate standard.

This post requires an Enhanced DBS Check

If you are currently living overseas or have lived overseas in the last five years please be aware, if you are the preferred candidate for the post, you will be required to apply for an overseas criminal records check from the country/countries you have resided in. If you experience difficulty in obtaining an overseas criminal record check please email dbs@barnsley.gov.uk

Prospective employees will be required to apply for a Police Vetting Check, Please note that this doesn’t supersede the DBS check. Recruitment Vetting provides the Police service with an assurance as to the integrity and reliability of persons seeking employment within the police community.

When applying, please ensure you are prepared to start work with all the necessary legal documents, such as a valid visa, relevant to the type of work you will be undertaking. Please be aware that our organisation does not possess a Home Office license and, as a result, is unable to provide sponsorship for anyone seeking a visa as a skilled or temporary migrant worker.

Pensions Regulations have provisions to reduce pension payments in certain circumstances of those who return to work within local government service. If you are in receipt of a pension upon commencing employment with the authority, this may affect your pension entitlements and you should therefore seek advice from the relevant Pensions Authority.

At Barnsley Council you can start a career that makes a real difference to people’s lives, helping our council and residents to be the best they can be.

We’re an award-winning council and one of the biggest employers in the borough, supporting around 243,000 people. We put people at the heart of everything we do, and that includes our employees. As part of the team, we offer lots of benefits and rewards to support you to thrive and grow, like flexible working, employee discounts, support for your health and wellbeing, and opportunities for training and development to grow your career and develop your skills.

There’s so much happening in our thriving borough, and now’s the perfect time to join our excellent Education & Partnerships team as we work to make Barnsley the place of possibilities.

• We’re an award-winning team and one of the biggest employers in the borough supporting around 243,000 people.
• Working at Barnsley Council means being part of a team that makes a real difference to people’s lives, where you can develop the skills you need to make change happen.
• If you join the team you’ll receive great pay alongside an excellent pension scheme. With flexible working we’ll also support your work/life balance, helping you to adjust your hours and take time off when you need it.
• We’ll help you to develop your career and grow your skills with opportunities for training and development.
• There’s so much happening in our thriving borough and your talent and skills will help us make Barnsley the place of possibilities.
• Key to our success is working with our residents, partners, businesses and organisations and building these partnerships to bring about change in Barnsley.

About the Post:

Are you passionate about making a difference in the lives of children and families?

Barnsley Council is launching a bold, multi-agency initiative to reduce Elective Home Education (EHE) registrations by 30%, in line with our "Every Child in School Every Day" (ECISED) plan, funded through our Great Childhood Ambition. We are seeking two dedicated Education Welfare Officers (EWOs) to join a newly formed project team focused on reintegrating children—particularly those in Year 9—back into school-based education.

About the Role

As an EWO, you will be a lead practitioner for identified families, working collaboratively with partners across Youth Justice, Early Help, Social Care, the Virtual School, and the Contextual Safeguarding Team. You will conduct in-depth assessments and develop bespoke transition plans that address educational, emotional, and social barriers to school reintegration.

Key Responsibilities

• Undertake comprehensive assessments using tools such as Motional and Early Help Assessment.
• Develop and implement tailored transition packages for children and families.
• Deliver interventions including:
• One-to-one academic readiness support.
• Whole-family support.
• Mental health and wellbeing programme referrals.
• Peer mentoring and school orientation.
• Links to Family Hubs and parenting support.
• Monitor progress and contribute to case studies and longitudinal tracking.
• Work closely with the Project Lead to ensure alignment with the ECISED plan and wider strategic goals.

What We’re Looking For

• Experience in education welfare, social work, or a related field.
• Strong assessment and case management skills.
• Ability to build trust with families and work collaboratively across agencies.
• Knowledge of safeguarding, educational inclusion, and the challenges facing children outside formal education.
• Commitment to improving outcomes for vulnerable children and reducing NEET risk.

Why Join Us?

• Be part of an innovative, evidence-based project with real impact.
• Work in a supportive, multi-agency environment.
• Access to training and professional development.
• Help shape best practice and contribute to cross-sector learning.

Please use the documents below to help support you with your application form.

Job Profile: 128927 Education Welfare Officer Profile 20210330.pdf

Vacancy Exposure Profile: Exposure Profile LOW.pdf

Help with your application form

Why work for us?

Please ensure you view the job profile for this role, as you will need to demonstrate in your application form how you meet the required criteria.

We welcome the opportunity to have a chat about the role and are happy to address any questions you may have about flexible working arrangements, including as a result of caring responsibilities.

We're committed to creating a workplace where differences are valued and everyone truly feels able to be themselves. If you have any support needs during the recruitment process, please let us know.

CV's are not accepted for this role.

At Barnsley Council, we believe in second chances and value diversity. Our recruitment process is inclusive, and we welcome applicants with past convictions. We're committed to fairness and do not discriminate. Join us in building a future where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. #InclusiveHiring #SecondChances"

www.barnsley.gov.uk/jobs

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