Education Welfare Officer

Education welfare officers work with children, parents, carers, schools and other agencies to promote regular school attendance, deal with absenteeism and help children and young people at risk of exclusion.

The job involves:

• assessing problems
• sharing information
• assessing children and young people
• improving the links between school and home
• advising schools on strategies to improve attendance
• tracking pupils who go missing
• issuing work and performance permits to children and young people
• writing reports and preparing evidence for legal action and giving evidence in court
• supporting excluded pupils on their return to school.

Education welfare officers usually work from 9.00am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday. There is also some evening work. They are usually based in a centre or school, often as part of a multidisciplinary team. Some work from home.

Much time is spent away from their office meeting other professionals, and on home visits to young people and their parents. Education welfare officers are likely to need a driving licence.

Salaries range from around £18,000 to £55,000 a year.

An education welfare officer should:

• be able to build trusting relationships with pupils and their parents and carers
• appreciate the value of education
• keep up to date with relevant laws
• be able to analyse problems
• be able to keep accurate records
• be prepared to give evidence in courts
• be interested in young people and their problems.

Most education welfare workers are employed by local authorities, although some are directly managed by schools.

There are no set minimum entry requirements, but entry without qualifications is unlikely. Some authorities now require a degree in social work or a professional qualification in education welfare, social work, youth and community work or teaching. The Diploma in society, health and development may be relevant to this area of work.

Previous experience of work with young people is usually required.

Initial training for new staff covers areas such as child protection, personal safety and equal opportunities, and offers an introduction to working with other agencies involved with young people. New entrants are likely to work under the guidance of an experienced education welfare officer.

It is possible to specialise in areas such as children with special educational needs, children of primary school age or in reintegrating children into mainstream education. Promotion is possible to more senior posts, such as team leader, manager or senior and principal education welfare officer.

Further details