At a Glance
- Tasks: Support families and students by removing barriers to education and promoting engagement.
- Company: The Ladder School, a supportive alternative provision free school in Walsall.
- Benefits: Health plan, discounts on purchases, cycle-to-work scheme, and community-focused environment.
- Other info: Join a team dedicated to safeguarding and promoting equality in education.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in students' lives by fostering family connections and support.
- Qualifications: Experience with vulnerable families and strong communication skills required.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 40000 £ per year.
The Ladder School is an Alternative Provision Free School in Walsall with a brand new building dedicated to giving students a second chance.
We offer GCSE and vocational courses, a strong careers programme and a supportive environment that recognises the role of family.
Family Engagement Partner
Assisting as a key link between home and school, the Family Engagement Partner removes barriers, improves attendance and engagement, and supports safeguarding through early help, multi‑agency collaboration and consistent communication.
- Key Duties and Responsibilities
- 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 and signpost 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 Ladder School’s values through all interactions.
- Pay
- Scale Grade 7 (SCP 22-27) | Actual £25,460–£28,876 | FTE £33,699–£38,220
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.
Benefits
- 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.
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 read our policies attached to this advert.
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