Ministry of Defence Hiring for Defence Children Services (DCS) Education Welfare Officers (Two Roles) – Army Job at Pewsey, England , UK Full Time

Are you passionate about keeping children safe in education? Would you like to be challenged in a complex environment? Then these roles within Defence Children Services may be for you!

The Welfare and Social Work Team (DCS-SSS-WSW) are based in Upavon and led by the Welfare and Social Work Team leader. The team provides Education Welfare Officers for all schools and are instrumental in the review process for Electively Home Educated children across the world. This team also co-ordinate the social work contracts for Cyprus and the Rest of the World.

Both posts are advertised at 37 hours per week.

The DCS Vision is that we Educate the Child – Support the Family – Defend the Nation.

Defence Children Services (DCS) is a Defence delivery organisation, subordinated under Army Regional Command. HQ DCS is UK based at Trenchard Lines, Upavon and has forward deployed staff all over the world. DCS is responsible for the education and care of children of accompanied Service and Defence entitled personnel in MOD schools and settings; provides advice and guidance in respect of education for service families in the United Kingdom and the wider world.

The DCS Specialist Support Service is made up of individual teams with specific responsibility for activity that supports the education and care of children of Service and other entitled personnel. The service is led by the Assistant Head (Specialist Support Service). These teams work with the children, families and schools in DCS Schools and Settings, and support the education of UK Service children and families across the world. Specialist Support Service teams focus on Safeguarding, Overseas Supportability, Special Educational Needs, Elective Home Education, Education Welfare and Social Work, Educational Psychology, Speech and Language, Education Advice for Service Families in the UK and other areas of Defence, Training, Assessment and Careers Education in support of Service Children. All activity is striven to meet the needs of Service children and their families in respect of effective education and alleviating the challenges of mobility.

The two roles within the Welfare and Social Work Team that we are advertising for are both based in Upavon, UK.

(1) Education Welfare Officer – UK

(2) Education Welfare Officer – RoW

If you need to contact Defence Business Services (DBS) regarding this vacancy, please indicate that your vacancy is being handled by Resourcing Team 1.

If you experience any technical difficulties with the CS Jobs system, please contact the Support Team at [email protected]

If you join our team your key responsibilities will be to:

• Act as an authorised officer to fulfil DCS’s statutory duties, responsibilities and powers for school attendance. The role provides general advice to schools, parents, Command and stakeholders regarding issues which impact of children and young people’s ability and opportunities to access education.

• Supports arrangement and lead on behalf of DCS for children experiencing attendance issues in line with DCS and MOD policy.

• Provides support and challenge to school leaders in the development and delivery of procedures for monitoring attendance and mitigating barriers to attendance.

• Contributes to multi-agency working, intervention plans to support the welfare of service children and families. The role works in partnership with service welfare teams and in partnership with the appointed Education representative, the evaluation of Elective Home Education.

• Hold responsibility for locating all service children and managing MOD responsibilities for ‘Children Missing from Education’(CME).

You will find further information on this exciting role and our dynamic organisation within the attached candidate information pack. Please refer to this when completing your statement of suitability.

To be successful in this role you will require the following knowledge and experience:

• Experience and knowledge of local authority/broader education organisation working
• Experience and knowledge of working in a multi-agency team.
• Experience in working as an education welfare officer.
• Knowledge of the legal framework related to school attendance
• Experience and knowledge of how schools and local authorities deliver an educational welfare function
• Significant experience and expertise in safeguarding procedures

Alternatively, you must have secured Social Work registration through a post graduate Diploma route.

Evidence of qualification will be required at interview. All qualifications declared must be held at point of application and if applicable be in date. Equivalent Qualifications will not be accepted.

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Changing and Improving
• Managing a Quality Service

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions

We are passionate about delivering extraordinary things for our people. We also know you will have a life outside of work; we respect your priorities, and we are committed to flexible working opportunities to give you freedom to balance work and life.

We employ people who challenge and guide each other, working within a highly capable team who will support you to develop your skills and experience.

Some of the many benefits you will receive include

• Opportunities to travel to our Schools and Setting Overseas.
• Learning and Development opportunities for professional and personal development of skills
• Flexible working practices
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• 25 days paid annual leave rising (1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of 5 years’ service
• In addition to 8 public holidays per year you will also receive leave for HM The Queen’s birthday
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave
• Onsite gym and free parking
• Opportunities to undertake apprenticeships
• Highly competitive Civil Service pension scheme – further details can be found at www.civilservicepensionscheme.org.uk
• Hybrid working is encouraged, with working arrangements agreed between individuals and managers that contribute towards positive work/life balance and wellbeing.

This post does not offer assistance with relocation allowances.

Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.

Discover My Benefits

Please follow the link to visit the Discover My Benefits site which showcases the benefits and discounts offered when working as a civilian for the MOD. https://discovermybenefits.mod.gov.uk/civilian/

This post provides the opportunity to develop continuous improvement skills and Civil Service behaviours within an organisation with Defence wide responsibilities.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform crucial job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

Job contact :

Name :
Aimi Jones, Welfare and Social Work Team Leader
Email :
[email protected]

Recruitment team :

Email :
[email protected]