Education Officer For Children Looked After

Contract Type: Permanent

Contract Hours: 37 per week

Salary: Soulbury EIP 3-6 OR 7 OR 8 OR 9 OR 10 OR 11 £47,370 - £59,360 per annum

Closing Date: 29th September 2026 at 23:59pm

This post is open to employees currently On Notice/At Risk and Internal.  Please note applications from employees currently On Notice/At Risk will be given priority. On Notice/At Risk employees should complete the application form as normal, upon submission you must email the Recruitment Team – recruitment@blackpool.gov.uk to ensure that your application form is marked as priority.

Blackpool Virtual School is seeking an exceptional and passionate Education Officer to lead on supporting Our Children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).

This role reflects our commitment to ensuring that some of Blackpool's most vulnerable children and young people receive the coordinated, high-quality support they need to thrive. As the number and complexity of Our Children with SEND continues to grow, we are investing in dedicated expertise and leadership to strengthen educational outcomes, improve stability and ensure that statutory responsibilities are fulfilled.

This is an exciting opportunity to champion the rights and aspirations of Our Children.

As Education Officer you will act as the lead for Our Children with EHCPs, providing oversight, challenge and support to ensure that educational provision is effective, appropriate and focused on achieving the very best outcomes.

You will work across organisational boundaries, collaborating with schools, social care, health professionals, carers and partner local authorities to ensure that EHCPs, Personal Education Plans (PEPs), care planning and placement decisions are fully aligned.

The role will be instrumental in ensuring Our Children receive their statutory entitlements, that barriers to learning are identified and addressed early, and that educational planning remains central to wider care and permanence planning.

Key Responsibilities

You will:

• Lead on educational planning, progress monitoring and outcome improvement for Our Children with EHCPs.
• Provide strategic oversight of SEND processes and statutory responsibilities.
• Ensure effective coordination between EHCP reviews, PEPs, social care planning and placement arrangements.
• Represent the Virtual School at multi-agency meetings, annual reviews and strategic forums.
• Provide professional challenge where provision is not meeting need or statutory duties are not being fulfilled.
• Support transitions, admissions, consultations and placement planning to promote educational stability.
• Build strong relationships with schools, alternative providers, health services and neighbouring authorities.
• Identify and maximise funding opportunities while supporting effective use of resources.
• Contribute to the implementation of emerging national policy and legislation affecting children with SEND.
• Deliver training, advice, consultation and guidance to schools, social workers, carers and partner agencies.
• Promote inclusive practice and high aspirations for children and young people with SEND.

What We Are Looking For

We are looking for a highly motivated professional who:

• Has significant experience working with children and young people with SEND.
• Possesses a detailed understanding of the SEND Code of Practice, EHCP processes and statutory responsibilities.
• Has experience of multi-agency working across education, social care and health services.
• Demonstrates strong analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Can build effective relationships whilst providing constructive support and challenge.
• Has a proven track record of improving outcomes for vulnerable children and young people.
• Understands the challenges facing children in care and other vulnerable cohorts.
• Is committed to inclusion, trauma-informed practice and child-centred approaches.
• Has excellent communication, influencing and negotiation skills.

Why Join Blackpool Virtual School?

At Blackpool, we are ambitious for Our Children and believe every child deserves the opportunity to succeed regardless of their circumstances.

This role offers the opportunity to:

• Influence developments across education, SEND and children's services.
• Improve outcomes for some of the most vulnerable children and young people in our community.
• Work within a highly committed Virtual School team.
• Develop innovative approaches that strengthen inclusion, stability and achievement.

Most importantly, you will play a central role in ensuring that Our Children with EHCPs receive the coordinated support they need to fulfil their potential and achieve the very best life chances.

For further information and to discuss this role please contact Head of Virtual School, Helen Piggott for further information: 

E: helen.piggott@blackpool.gov.uk

T:  07341065601  

to view the Job Description.

Please click here to see the benefits of working for Blackpool Council.

Are you a Blackpool resident aged between 16-24? Would you benefit from some free guidance on producing a quality application for job vacancies such as this one? Blackpool Council?s Youth Hub - The Platform, has highly skilled Employment Advisers that can support you with demonstrating how you can evidence you meet the Essential and Desirable criteria requirements on a Job Description.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children/vulnerable adults. This post is subject to satisfactory reference history of at least two years, Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check, medical clearance, evidence of any essential qualifications and proof of Right to Work in the UK in accordance with the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and amendments to the exemptions order, which mean that certain offences are ‘protected’ and do not need to be disclosed, guidance on the "filtering" of offences can be found at New filtering rules for DBS certificates (from 28 November 2020 onwards) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)