Looked After and Care Experience Support Officer

**Join a vibrant college committed to the success of our staff, learners, businesses and communities**

We have some exciting opportunities available at Barking and Dagenham College. We are looking for **Looked After and Care Experience Support Officer** to join our Safeguarding Team.

You will join us on a**full-time, Term-time only, permanent basis**and in return, we will offer a competitive salary of £33,101 to £35,899 - to be pro rata'd to hpw, term-time only (38 weeks per year).

**The Looked After and Care Experience Support Officer** **role**:
To raise the achievement of Children Looked After by Local Authorities in Post 16 Education and Training.

Reporting to the Looked After and Care Experienced Coordinator, you will support partnership collaboration with Virtual School, Children’s Services, Carers and Keyworkers to ensure the college is compliant with its Statutory Duties.

Providing active support and monitoring to Looked After / Care Experienced learners to enable them to achieve their full potential and progress successfully from the College to HE, training or employment.

**Key Responsibilities of our** **Looked After and Care Experience Support Officer**:

- To act as a point of contact for enquiries relating to Looked After Child /Care Experienced (LAC/CE) learners
- To monitor the progress, performance and wellbeing of a caseload of students taking all measures necessary to ensure they meet and then exceed their college and Personal Education Plan (PEP’s).
- Contribute to appropriate paperwork PEPs, Pathway Plans for LAC/CE learners in line with Statutory requirements and best practice
- To track and monitor levels of attendance and retention, taking immediate action by liaising with teaching staff, learners, carers, Virtual School and Children’s Services to improve attendance and punctuality and thereby boost their achievement.

**Essential requirements;**
- Relevant professional experience or significant voluntary experience, e.g. family support work, education, social work, youth and community work, mentoring, counselling or similar
- Have, or be willing to take, a Designated Safeguarding Lead qualification
- Recent experience of supporting Looked After Children and Care Leavers
- Experience of managing caseloads for students or young people
- Experience of working with young people (14+) in an educational, youth work or club/voluntary setting
- Excellent communication (oral and written) and presentation skills including effective use of IT systems and tools
- Excellent organisational and time management skills including the ability to plan effectively

**Desirable attributes;**
- Knowledge of different coaching and/or mentoring techniques to improve student achievement

For the full critieria, please see attached job description

If you are passionate about success and can do the above, then we want to hear from you

**PLEASE NOTE;**
- **This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020**

**Barking & Dagenham College are committed to Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people**

**Safeguarding at BDC**

**_You will be required to become familiar with College’s policies and comply with the requirements to safeguard and protect the welfare of children and young people and vulnerable adults. All staff are asked to complete mandatory training on KCSIE and other key areas, and to read the relevant policies._**

If you would like to learn more about our **Looked After and Care Experience Support Officer** role, then please click ‘**apply**’ today