Family Liaison Officers

There’s a certain kind of person who can build bridges between families in challenging circumstances, the carers working with them and local authorities. As Family Liaison Officer at Witherslack Group, your experience and passion for the role will bring about enhanced life opportunities for families all across the region. Our aspirational homes, schools and ethos help us achieve the best possible outcomes. Our Family Liaison Officers are a huge part of making sure our children and young people’s needs are fully recognised and comprehensively met. This is your chance to make a lasting, positive impact on the lives of families experiencing educational (and potentially other) difficulties.

Supported by a brilliant and dedicated team, you’ll work closely with parents, young people, carers and the local authority to explore the circumstances and see how collaborative, effective, life-changing resolutions can be agreed and put into place. It will also be up to you to coordinate visits to see parents, where you’ll talk at length and work out strategies for coping with whatever life throws at them. Then you’ll draw on your broad knowledge of local resources to help direct them to all the additional support they might need. Not to mention organising and taking part in admission interviews in partnership with the Head Teacher and making sure full and detailed inductions are given.

Our young people come from all walks of life, diverse backgrounds and with different needs - and our workforce reflects that diversity, so that our teams can engage, encourage and inspire our young people to be themselves. You’ll be more than a Family Liaison Officer; it’s a truly special type of person that will thrive here, who has a positive drive to support families in challenging circumstances.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate visits to see parents, discuss circumstances, and work out strategies for coping with life challenges.
• Collaborate with parents, young people, carers and the local authority to explore circumstances and agree and implement collaborative, effective, life-changing resolutions.
• Draw on broad knowledge of local resources to direct families to additional support they might need.
• Organise and participate in admission interviews in partnership with the Head Teacher and ensure full, detailed inductions are provided.
• Engage with children and families from diverse backgrounds to recognise and meet needs.

Qualifications and Experience

• Previous experience with SEN and with working with families in challenging circumstances and expertise to support and resolve difficulties.
• Strong contacts within the local authority, including education, social services and healthcare professionals.
• Experience of multi-agency work with an understanding of legislation, policies and guidance around safeguarding and child protection.
• Genuine passion for wanting to enhance the life opportunities for our young people and their families and the ability to be empathetic and understanding.

About Ardenwood and the Witherslack Group

For children with complex, challenging needs, the level of care and education must go above and beyond. That’s what drives us at Witherslack Group. With our high staff-to-child ratio and in-house clinical teams, we’re proud to have won a reputation for excellence and market leading OFSTED ratings. Opening in Autumn term 2026, Ardenwood School will operate as the primary campus of The Secret Garden School, an all-through school spanning primary and secondary across two sites. Ardenwood is a purpose-built, state-of-the-art primary campus and will cater for up to 40 pupils with a wide range of needs, including autism and social, emotional and mental health needs. This new exciting opportunity serves Coventry and the wider communities; you are at the heart of its development. Our aim is to ensure that every pupil will continue to receive an outstanding educational experience, with individual progress, care and wellbeing at the centre of everything we do.

Equal Opportunities and Safeguarding

At Witherslack Group, inclusion is part of who we are. We’re committed to creating an environment where everyone feels respected, valued and that they truly belong. As a specialist provider of education and care for children and young people with special educational needs, we understand the importance of embracing individuality and championing difference—especially when it comes to neurodiversity. We celebrate diverse perspectives, lived experiences, and the unique strengths that each person brings to our community. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities, and abilities. We are proud to be recognised as an inclusive employer and are committed to making our recruitment and workplace practices inclusive and accessible. If you need any adjustments to support you through the recruitment process or in the workplace, we’ll be there every step of the way. By building a diverse and inclusive team, we’re better able to support the children, young people and families we serve and ensure every member of our team can thrive, grow, and be their authentic self.

The Witherslack Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of its young people. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check (we will cover the cost) and an online search. We are an equal opportunities employer welcoming applications from all sections of the community.

Benefits

• Training: A full induction and on the job training.
• Holiday: You’ll work hard at WG, so you’ll be rewarded with 35 days holiday including bank holidays.
• Progression: If career development is your thing, most of our head teachers and leaders have been promoted from within our group.
• Flexible benefits: meaning you can increase/decrease benefits such as life insurance.
• Wellbeing: a host of wellbeing tools and advice including employee assistance.
• Medical cover so you can claim back the cost of things like an opticians or dentist appointment and a host of high-street discounts.
• Beautiful working environments with the very best facilities.
• A recommend a friend scheme that offers a £1,000 bonus every time.
• Contributory pension scheme - matched up to 5%.