Job Description

Do you have a passion for supporting schools, families, children and young people? We are seeking a School Attendance Liaison Practitioner to join the Team Around the School and Setting, part of the innovative Education Division of Children's Services.


The successful applicant will have the opportunity to support schools with their work on improving attendance. As part of a team of experienced staff, you will work alongside professionals to draw up and deliver bespoke packages of support. Your primary focus will be to work directly with our schools and settings, children and families to support improved attendance and outcomes for children and young people with additional needs. The practitioner will provide a point of contact for parents to increase parental confidence, reduce anxiety, and support successful inclusion in mainstream settings. The role of the School Attendance Liaison Practitioner will provide a link between home and school that ensures good, consistent, and effective communication between the two. They will develop strong partnerships with outside agencies and form positive working relationships with families to enable effective support for pupils, and their families to ensure regular attendance at school by working to alleviate barriers to learning and improving communication and links between school and home.


We are looking for a skilled practitioner with a genuine interest in this area, who is experienced in working within an educational setting to support attendance and engagement with learning. You will have:


Interpersonal and communication skills and ability to engage with children, families and setting staff and ability to deal with difficult situations. Ability to carry out person-centred, outcomes based planning and confidently and accurately demonstrate specific strategies when working with individuals, groups or cohorts. Experience of working in a multi-agency context where there are competing priorities and knowledge of the LA's responsibilities around supporting children with SEND. Organisational skills with the ability to effectively manage own workload and balance using own initiative against need to seek management guidance. Evidence of experience of direct work with children, parents and families within a variety of settings and from a range of ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds including those who may not have previously accessed services.
Please download the and Person Specification for more information.


To apply for this role, please follow the 'Apply Now' button above and upload your CV and a Supporting Statement. We will be using your Supporting Statement to shortlist so please be sure to address how you meet all the criteria in the person specification, drawing on any relevant work/life experience, education, or personal interests.


Interviews will take place in person on Friday 26 September 2025 at St Mary's House, Eastbourne.


In addition to opportunities to grow your career within our team, we offer a diverse range of benefits to help and support you during your employment, which include:


Support through regular line management supervisions, and peer support. Opportunities for flexi-time working Flexibility for some home working as part of a hybrid working model. Regular CPD opportunities
We offer a diverse range of benefits to help and support you during your employment. More information can be found on our benefits page.


If you have any questions or would like to have an informal discussion about the role, please email Vidyulatha Narayan, with your questions:


Vidyulatha.Narayan@eastsussex.gov.uk



Working within the Education Division is a privilege and offers the chance to support the people of East Sussex to live life to the full. In this job you assist with that every day.



Additional Information



This post is subject to an Enhanced DBS check or Enhanced check for Regulated Activity with the Disclosure & Barring Services (previously the Criminal Records Bureau). For further information about what is required in this process please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-check-applicant-criminal-record . Please note that we require evidence of an overseas police check if you have lived or worked abroad.



Your starting salary will be pro rata if the above position is part-time or term-time only.



If you require sponsorship to work in the UK please let the hiring manager know this in your application so we can check eligibility for sponsorship for the role. For further information please go to https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas



If you require any reasonable adjustments, due to disability, to enable you to participate fully in the process please contact the hiring manager on the contact details above.