Service Support Officer in Bradford

Bradford District is the fifth largest Metropolitan Local Authority District in England. It is the youngest district in the UK with nearly a third of the population aged under 20. We want Bradford to be a great place to be a child – a place where all our children and young people are given the best start in life and can develop their talents and abilities to the fullest extent. This is reflected in our ambition to become a UNICEF Child Friendly District, where the voice of the child is at the heart of all we do and all our children and young people have the opportunity to develop, thrive and prosper.

For children to be able to develop, thrive and prosper, it is essential that they attend school every day. When a child finds it difficult to attend school, it is essential that they receive excellent support from their school and, when necessary, Bradford Council.

As a Service Support Officer, you will share the responsibility for ensuring every child is able to attend school regularly. You will work primarily with Bradford schools and the rest of our Education Safeguarding Team to support the team with a host of activities, review requests for penalty notices in relation to poor school attendance and process them efficiently. Through this important role, you are supporting our ongoing efforts to improve attendance, and so improving the outcomes of Bradford’s children and young people.

The role requires you to be meticulous in the reviewing of referral requests and supporting information, able to seek further information from professionals where necessary, and use your initiative and knowledge of relevant statutory guidance to consider the legal options available to the council to enforce regular school attendance.

We are seeking people who have a strong desire to make a difference to children and Young People in the Bradford District. You will be naturally inquisitive and professionally curious, as well as being able to work individually and as part of a team to resolve complex problems and situations.

In order to be successful, you will have a knowledge and understanding of a range of IT packages, working within legal and/or statutory frameworks and are optimistic, reliable, energetic, able to communicate effectively with members of the public and able to contribute effectively to a team.

An Enhanced Disclosure Check with the Disclosure and Barring Service will be sought for all appointees to this post.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race (including colour, nationality, and ethnic or national origin), religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued, respected, and able to thrive. If you require any adjustments to the recruitment process to support your application, please let us know, and we will work with you to meet your needs.

The RESPECT Allyship Programme is available to all staff, which offers the opportunity to learn more about the diverse communities & groups and provides added benefits and resources to its members.