Tuition Services Navigator in Sunderland

We are seeking a skilled and motivated Tuition Services Navigator to join our Tuition Services team at a critical time for inclusion across the city. This is a preventative frontline role focused on supporting children and young people at risk of disrupted education due to medical needs, including Emotion Based School Avoidance (EBSA). You will work directly with families, schools and partner agencies to prevent severe absence and escalation into statutory and crisis services, and support our Post 16 team to facilitate the delivery of employability skills for young people not in education, training or employment.

As the tuition navigator, you will manage a caseload of young people with complex EBSA cases and provide independent advice, professional challenge and coordinated multi‑agency support to help children remain safely included in education wherever possible. The role has a particular focus on children with a social worker, where complexity and risk are often greatest.

• Manage a caseload of children and young people with complex medical needs, including mental ill health.
• Raise awareness of the particular vulnerabilities of children with a social worker when they are absent for extended periods from a school or education provision.
• Provide independent advice to carers and partners around attendance and reintegration back to school or alternative education settings following absence.
• Facilitate the delivery of employability skills for care‑experienced young people not in employment, education or training.
• Quality‑assure the suitability of education offers to ensure the provision and curriculum meet the child’s needs.
• Ensure high‑quality tuition education plans are put in place by home schools, with SMART targets aligned to SEN support plans or EHCP targets.
• Provide support and professional challenge to schools and agencies when support for children to return to their mainstream setting is neither timely nor adequate.
• Chair multi‑agency meetings and coordinate responses.
• Represent the local authority at school, social care, health and partnership meetings.
• Contribute to quality assurance, data monitoring and statutory responsibilities (e.g. CME, Section 19, medical absence).

• Significant experience supporting children and families with complex attendance needs, ideally in an education setting.
• Strong understanding of SEND, safeguarding, core curriculum and national statutory guidance relating to medical absence.
• Ability to build trusted relationships while providing clear professional challenge where attendance or safeguarding responsibilities are not being met.
• Confident leading meetings, writing professional reports and managing sensitive, high‑stakes cases.
• Shares our commitment to early intervention, prevention and improving life chances for vulnerable children and young people.

• A high‑impact role at the heart of Sunderland’s inclusion system.
• The opportunity to work directly with children, families and over 100 schools.
• Access to TfC leadership, coaching and professional development programmes.
• A supportive, values‑driven organisation focused on prevention and system improvement.
• Competitive salary and benefits.

• Hold a degree or equivalent.
• Leadership qualification or willingness to work towards one.
• Evidence of continual professional development.

We value diversity and strongly encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including but not limited to various ages, disabilities, neurodiverse individuals, gender identities, sexual orientations, religions, beliefs, races and ethnicities. We aim for our team to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check from the Disclosure and Barring Service. We will also carry out an online internet search for information that is publicly available online that might suggest you are not fit to work with children or young people. Due to recent changes in UKVI rules, this role does not meet the criteria for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship under the updated eligibility requirements effective 22 July 2025.