The City of Edinburgh Council are recruiting a Pupil Support Officer post based at Clovenstone Primary school.
The post is part-time working 27 hours per week sessional 39 weeks a year, with a salary of £24,890 – £28,854 per year (pro-rata for part-time and sessional).
Purpose of Job
Pupil support officers play a key role in supporting the assessment, planning and direct support of children, young people and their families in relation to relationships and emotional health and wellbeing.
Major Tasks
- Promote better relationships, better learning and better behaviour through liaising and promoting understanding between school, children, young people and families.
- Support the development of positive relationships and emotional wellbeing of children and young people using evidence based interventions with individual learners and groups.
- Build links with families to promote participation in their children’s learning and remove barriers to their and their children’s involvement in school life.
- Effectively link families with, and support their attendance at, local authority evidence based parenting groups.
- Make links with relevant organisations in the community to develop networks of support and opportunity to complement school-based and partner services and agencies support.
- Support strengths based, solution focussed individual planning and review.
- Support planning and delivery of whole school /individual plans for example; behaviour, family engagement, risk management and child or young people’s plans with the involvement of all key parties including parents/carers and school partners.
- This list is indicative of activity, not exhaustive, and describes a range of typical activities undertaken by the post holder.
Knowledge and Skills
- The post will contribute towards tailored planning, preparation and delivery of services considering children, young person and family’s views, progress with supports and family /carer circumstances
- The post will identify opportunities for enhancing support and resilience of children, young people and their family’s building links with relevant community organisations.
- In relation to the delivery of evidence based approaches, in liaison with practice supervisor, adapt the implementation of programmes, per local circumstances whilst maintaining essential fidelity
- Through regular evidence based individual, small group work or targeted family activities (e.g. excursions or events), the post holder, will build good working relationships with individual
children, young people and their families with the view to empowering and increasing their capacity to implement change. - The post holder will communicate clearly and regularly with school staff to develop a shared understanding of individual support needs and to foster positive and empathic relationships between staff, vulnerable learners and their families.
- Work collaboratively with senior staff, the named person, young person, carers and partners supporting the completion of risk assessment and risk management documentation and agree recommendations to minimise risk and increase individual and family capacity to manage and avoid risk.
- The post will be responsible for day to day assessment of behaviours and judgements about when to implement relevant interventions and supports and/or to seek specialist advice. The post holder will be responsible for day to day family contact and facilitating links with wider school staff.
- Taking an anticipatory and preventative approach the post holder will identify and escalate any matters of concern to senior school staff in line with school procedures and GIRFEC framework.
- Most decisions will reflect existing school and Council procedures and school processes/working practices.
- The post will support the local authority parenting framework, raising attainment for all strategy and 1 in 5 poverty work.
- Knowledge and skills equivalent to SVQ level 3 or equivalent in relevant subjects e.g. child development nursing, psychology, social care, education or community /youth work, support for learning; emotional and behaviour support or substantial evidence of proactive and ongoing professional development in related work for example Triple P Parenting or Seasons for Growth.
- Proven experience working/engaging effectively with families and / or children and young people with complex needs/behaviours in small groups or through individual targeted work with a focus on maintaining positive relationships, maximising engagement and adopting a child and family centred strengths based approach.
- The post is subject to PVG scheme membership.
- Where working in an Early Years setting, the post must either be registered with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) prior to appointment or register within 6 months of the date of appointment and maintain registration throughout the period of employment.
Environment
- The post will work in a busy school environment but may also meet families in their home or local community venues if it is appropriate to do so.
- All employees are expected to adhere to Council standards of practice in line with policy, e.g. health and safety.
- The post will use their time and resources effectively and efficiently to maximise the level of support they can offer targeted children and young people within the school setting.
- The post will undertake a range of physical tasks, in accordance with the Council’s Health and Safety Guidelines, as part of the school team. Staff will spend up to 10% of their time involved in bending, twisting, stooping, kneeling, sitting on the floor and participation in games and outdoor activities.
- Working in accordance with risk management procedures, the post holder will have daily interaction with children and young people with a range of social, emotional and care needs, some of whom may have associated challenging or aggressive behaviour.
You can read the full job advertisement and apply for the post online here. The closing date for applications is 9 October 2023.
