Family Liaison and Support Officer

Riverside Bridge School

Salary: Scale 5.12
Contract: Term-time, initially 1 year fixed term contract.
Hours: 8:30am-4:00pm
Location: Barking, London, IG11 0HZ
Responsible to: Deputy Headteacher

Riverside Bridge School is a specialist school in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, providing education for children and young people aged 4-18 with complex special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Our pupils have a wide range of needs, including autism, severe and profound learning difficulties, complex communication needs, sensory processing differences, physical and medical needs, and emotional regulation difficulties.

Many of our pupils are non-verbal or minimally verbal and use alternative and augmentative communication (AAC), visual systems and Total Communication approaches.

We recognise that families caring for children and young people with complex SEND may experience significant challenges navigating education, health and social care services, managing daily routines, accessing community support and meeting their children's individual needs.

At Riverside Bridge School, we believe that strong home-school partnerships, early intervention and practical support are essential to improving outcomes for pupils and their families.

We are seeking a compassionate, proactive and highly organised Family Liaison and Support Officer to join our team.

This is a varied, practical and rewarding position, combining direct family support, home visits, outreach, family engagement and the coordination of agreed interventions.

Working under the direction of the Deputy Headteacher, the successful candidate will contribute to the delivery of our Home Support Programme, supporting families through Universal, Targeted and Specialist pathways.

The postholder will also contribute to our Bridging Communication Framework and Communication, Participation and Regulation (CPR) Panel, helping ensure that agreed support strategies are implemented consistently between home and school.

This is not solely an administrative or office-based role. The successful candidate will work directly with families, undertake home visits, deliver practical interventions and collaborate with professionals to address barriers affecting pupil wellbeing, attendance, communication, participation and independence.

We are looking for someone who can establish trusting relationships with families, respond sensitively to complex circumstances and translate professional advice into practical, achievable support.

Family support and engagement

• Build positive, trusting and professional relationships with parents, carers and families.

• Provide practical advice, guidance and direct support to families experiencing difficulties or barriers.

• Work collaboratively with families to identify strengths, priorities, concerns and achievable goals.

• Support families to develop confidence and independence in meeting their children's needs.

• Promote consistent approaches to communication, regulation, independence and daily routines between home and school.

• Support families through transitions, changes in circumstances and periods of increased vulnerability.

• Encourage meaningful parental involvement in school life and decisions affecting their children.

Home visits and outreach

• Undertake planned home visits in accordance with school procedures, safeguarding requirements and risk assessments.

• Identify barriers affecting pupil wellbeing, attendance, communication, emotional regulation and engagement.

• Provide practical guidance to help families implement agreed communication strategies, routines and support approaches.

• Support parents and carers in developing strategies that promote their children's independence and participation.

• Maintain accurate records of home visits, agreed actions and outcomes.

• Identify and escalate safeguarding or welfare concerns promptly.

Home Support Programme and interventions

• Contribute to the day-to-day delivery and coordination of the school's Home Support Programme.

• Support referrals across Universal, Targeted and Specialist pathways.

• Deliver agreed family support interventions and contribute to individual Family Support Plans.

• Arrange and contribute to family support meetings and reviews.

• Monitor progress against agreed outcomes and follow up outstanding actions.

• Develop practical resources and guidance for families.

• Maintain accurate intervention records and provide updates to relevant school staff.

Communication, Participation and Regulation (CPR) Panel

• Support the preparation and coordination of family support referrals to the CPR Panel.

• Gather relevant information from families, school staff and external professionals.

• Contribute to panel documentation, records and agreed actions.

• Implement and monitor family support interventions agreed through the panel.

• Support the review of interventions and their impact on pupils and families.

• Escalate concerns requiring additional or specialist support.

Attendance and family engagement

• Work collaboratively with attendance and safeguarding colleagues to support families where attendance concerns arise.

• Identify barriers associated with health, transport, emotional wellbeing and family circumstances.

• Contribute to attendance support meetings, individual plans and reintegration arrangements.

• Support families in overcoming barriers to regular attendance and engagement.

• Encourage positive participation in school activities, meetings and events.

Parent workshops and community engagement

• Support the planning and delivery of parent workshops, information sessions and family events.

• Develop and share accessible, practical resources and guidance.

• Help families access local services, specialist support groups and community opportunities.

• Contribute to transition, holiday and extended provision activities where agreed.

• Promote family wellbeing, community inclusion and participation.

Multi-agency working

• Work collaboratively with Early Help, Family Support Services, Children's Social Care, local authority EHC teams, health professionals and community organisations.

• Liaise with Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Educational Psychology and CAMHS services where appropriate.

• Support referrals and contribute to multi-agency meetings, support plans and reviews.

• Help families understand and access appropriate education, health and social care services.

• Maintain clear professional boundaries and appropriate information-sharing arrangements.

Recording, monitoring and reporting

• Maintain accurate, confidential records of family contacts, home visits, referrals, interventions and outcomes.

• Monitor progress against Family Support Plans and agreed targets.

• Arrange review meetings and ensure agreed actions are followed up.

• Provide appropriate updates to the Deputy Headteacher and relevant school staff.

• Identify emerging patterns of family need and contribute to the evaluation of support arrangements.

• Comply with safeguarding, confidentiality and data protection requirements.

Safeguarding is central to this role. The successful candidate may become aware of concerns relating to child protection, welfare, attendance or family vulnerability and must respond appropriately and promptly.

The postholder will be expected to:

• Recognise potential indicators of abuse, neglect, exploitation and family vulnerability.

• Report safeguarding concerns immediately through the school's agreed procedures.

• Work closely with the Designated Safeguarding Lead and safeguarding team.

• Demonstrate professional curiosity, sound judgement and clear professional boundaries.

• Maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information appropriately.

• Understand the limits of the role and refer matters requiring statutory or specialist intervention to the appropriate professionals.

We are looking for someone who is approachable, resilient, well organised and confident in working directly with families experiencing complex circumstances.

The successful candidate will have:

• Experience working with children, young people or families in education, SEND, social care, family support, safeguarding, health or community services.

• Experience supporting families facing complex challenges and barriers.

• Experience contributing to support plans, interventions, referrals or multi-agency working.

• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build positive relationships with parents, carers and professionals.

• Excellent organisational, communication and record-keeping skills.

• A sound understanding of safeguarding, child protection and professional boundaries.

• The ability to work independently, manage competing priorities and recognise when concerns require escalation.

• Experience facilitating meetings, workshops or family engagement activities.

• A compassionate, practical and solution-focused approach.

Experience within a specialist SEND environment, knowledge of EHCPs and SEND legislation, Early Help processes, home visiting or parent workshops would be advantageous.

The post requires the use of a car or a driving licence to drive a school vehicle.

At Riverside Bridge School, families may be managing complex challenges relating to communication, medical needs, personal care, sleep, emotional regulation, housing, financial pressures or access to specialist services.

Many of our pupils cannot communicate their needs, feelings or experiences through speech. Changes in behaviour, sensory responses or emotional presentation may therefore provide important information about their wellbeing.

We need someone who understands these complexities and can combine sensitivity with practical action, professional persistence and appropriate boundaries.

Our priority is to work alongside families, not simply signpost them elsewhere. We want someone who can help families implement agreed strategies, strengthen relationships between home and school, and contribute to meaningful improvements in pupils' daily lives.

Riverside Bridge School is committed to supporting the professional development of its staff.

The successful candidate will receive appropriate induction and safeguarding training, alongside opportunities to develop knowledge and skills in specialist SEND, family support, communication approaches and multi-agency working.

Occasional flexibility may be required to support agreed family meetings, home visits, workshops, transitions or community events.

Riverside Bridge School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All staff and volunteers are expected to share this commitment.

The successful candidate will be subject to safer recruitment procedures, including an enhanced DBS check with a children's barred-list check and relevant pre-employment checks.

We welcome applications from suitably qualified candidates and are committed to equality of opportunity and reasonable adjustments.

If you are compassionate, organised, confident in working directly with families and committed to improving outcomes for children and young people with complex SEND, we would welcome your application.

Position: Family Liaison and Support Officer
Salary: Scale 5.12
Contract: Term-time
Hours: 8:30am-4:00pm
Location: Riverside Bridge School, Barking, IG11 0HZ
Email: (email address on the original advert)