Family Engagement Partner in Walsall

We are an Alternative Provision Free School located in Walsall, offering a second chance for young people who struggle in mainstream education. The role is focused on strengthening the connection between home and school, removing barriers to attendance and engagement, and supporting safeguarding through early help, multi‑agency collaboration and consistent communication.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Family Engagement & Support
  • Build trusting relationships with families, especially those who may feel disconnected or wary of education settings.
  • Provide practical and emotional support to parents/carers to help them engage with their child’s education.
  • Conduct home visits to support attendance, welfare and engagement.
  • Offer early help support, signposting families to relevant services (housing, mental health, financial support, youth services).
  • Facilitate family meetings, restorative conversations and solution‑focused discussions.
  • Promote a culture where families feel like partners, not observers.
• Attendance & Engagement
  • Work closely with the Attendance Lead to monitor patterns, identify concerns and intervene early.
  • Support families to overcome barriers to attendance, including routines, transport, anxiety, or safeguarding concerns.
  • Contribute to attendance action plans, parenting contracts and multi‑agency attendance meetings.
  • Maintain accurate records of interventions, home visits and communication.
  • Promote a sense of belonging and connection for students and families.
• Safeguarding & Multi‑Agency Working
  • Act as a key point of contact for families involved with social care, early help, youth justice or CAMHS.
  • Attend and contribute to TAC/TAF meetings, CIN/CP conferences and multi‑agency reviews.
  • Work with the DSL team to ensure timely reporting, accurate record‑keeping and effective follow‑up.
  • Support the school’s safeguarding culture through professional curiosity, early identification of risk and proactive communication.
  • Ensure families understand safeguarding processes and feel supported throughout.
• Supporting Students in AP Context
  • Understand the complexities of students who have experienced permanent exclusion, trauma, SEND, SEMH and disrupted education.
  • Work with pastoral and behaviour teams to support re‑engagement, regulation and belonging.
  • Support reintegration meetings, managed moves and transition planning.
  • Contribute to risk assessments, behaviour plans and personalised support strategies.
  • Model calm, consistency and relational practice at all times.
• Communication & Administration
  • Maintain high‑quality records on CPOMS and school systems.
  • Produce reports for SLT, governors and external agencies.
  • Ensure communication with families is timely, respectful and accessible.
  • Support the organisation of family events, workshops and information sessions.
  • Promote the school’s values through all interactions.

Qualifications and Skills

Essential Experience & Knowledge

• Experience working with vulnerable families in education, social care, youth work or community settings.
• Strong understanding of safeguarding, early help and multi‑agency processes.
• Knowledge of trauma‑informed practice and how adverse experiences affect behaviour and engagement.
• Experience conducting home visits and managing challenging conversations.
• Ability to build trust with families who may be resistant or anxious.
• Strong communication skills with diverse audiences.
• Experience supporting attendance and engagement in a school or AP context.

Desirable Experience & Knowledge

• Experience in Alternative Provision or PRU settings.
• Understanding of SEND, particularly SEMH, ASD and ADHD.
• Training in restorative practice.
• Experience with multi‑agency safeguarding.
• Knowledge of local Walsall services (Early Help, CAMHS, Youth Justice, Housing).

Personal Qualities

• Calm, consistent and emotionally resilient.
• Non‑judgemental and empathetic.
• High expectations with unconditional positive regard.
• Solution‑focused and proactive.
• Able to work independently and as part of a team.

What can we offer you?

Benefits and compensation are competitive and include:

• Discounts on everyday purchases (Eden Red).
• A comprehensive free of charge health plan (UK Health Care).
• A cycle to work scheme via Halfords.
• Access to the Blue Light Card.
• Educational sector leading CPD and professional development opportunities.

Pay range: Scale Grade 7 (SCP £22-27) – actual £25,460–£28,876 | FTE £33,699–£38,220.

The Mercian Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people and vulnerable adults, and all appointments are subject to enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks and satisfactory references. The Mercian Trust is also committed to promoting equality, challenging discrimination and developing community cohesion. We welcome applications from all sections of the community.

Please review our policies attached to this advert. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.