Education Welfare Officer

Education welfare officers work with schools, children, their parents, carers 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 and possible solutions by working closely with schools, pupils, their parents and carers
• sharing information with other parties such as teachers, educational psychologists, social workers and the police
• assessing children and young people
• improving the links between the school and the home
• helping families get all the benefits and help they are entitled to
• advising schools on strategies to improve attendance
• tracking pupils who go missing
• issuing work and performance permits to children and young people, and following up breaches in regulations on the employment of children
• writing reports and preparing evidence for legal action, and giving evidence in court
• supporting excluded pupils on their return to school.

Education welfare officers tend to work from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. There is also some evening work. They are usually based in a centre or school, often as part of a multi-disciplinary 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 £21,000 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.

Education welfare workers are employed by local authorities. Many schools employ attendance officers, and some education welfare officers are directly managed by schools.

Although many educational welfare officers have degrees, requirements vary. Some authorities now require a degree in social work or a professional qualification in education welfare, social work, youth and community work or teaching.

Previous experience of work with young people is usually required.

Initial training for new staff covers areas such as child protection, personal safety, 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 working with children with special educational needs, with children of primary school age, or in re-integrating 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