Family Engagement & Advocacy Practitioner (Family Support) – Dysart School
About This Role
We are seeking a Family Engagement & Advocacy Practitioner to join our team.
The role aims to:
build and strengthen relationships between home and school, reducing some of the pressures and stressors for parents and carers, knowing that this in turn positively impacts the pupils’ wellbeing, engagement and quality of life.
To ensure a smooth and welcoming transition into Dysart School, and again, out of Dysart when students move on from the school onto possible college placements.
To work with external agencies surrounding the pupils to promote inclusive, joined up working.
Key Responsibilities:
Advocate for parents in meetings and support preparation and follow-up.
Support inclusive communication and access to information through relational drop-ins: supporting and reassuring, offering guidance, and signposting families to appropriate services.
Recognise safeguarding concerns and escalate appropriately.
Assisting the SLT and class team in welcoming new families to the school through open mornings and transition meetings, ensuring a smooth transition into Dysart School.
Class visits, including lunch duties, to see students within their learning environments to inform conversations with families and further understand and experience the school environment.
Key Requirements:
Essential Experience/Knowledge
GCSE grade 9–4 (or equivalent) in English and Mathematics
Commitment to working alongside families with dignity and respect, understanding that reducing family stress supports positive outcomes for pupils
Proven experience working effectively with children and young people
Understanding of safeguarding, equal opportunities and relevant legislation, aligned with PBS values of dignity and respect
Awareness of barriers families may face in accessing school activities
Essential Skills and abilities
Confident supporting groups, events or workshops
Ability to organise own work, manage time effectively and work with appropriate guidance
Confidence contributing specialist insight to multidisciplinary meetings, reviews and planning
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work collaboratively with families and professionals with the ability to manage sensitive or complex conversations
OHCAT is an exciting, forward-thinking organisation, and we offer many benefits to attract and keep our staff, contributing towards maintaining and improving wellbeing, and encouraging our required behaviours, achievements, values, and skills. Below is just a selection of the benefits available to our employees:
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Source: UK Teaching Vacancies Service (teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.