Family Liaison Officer

Harwich and Dovercourt High School, Harwich, Essex, CO12 3TG

10 days remaining to apply

• Job start date

  1 September 2026

• Closing date

  12 July 2026 at 11:59pm

• Date listed

  2 July 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Pastoral, health and welfare
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Part time
• Contract type: Permanent
• Full-time equivalent salary: £25,324.00 - £27,036.00 Annually (Actual)

Family Liaison Officer job summary

Be a Part of a Community Driven by Opportunity at Harwich and Dovercourt High School

Are you an organised, calm and proactive professional ready to help shape the daily life of a busy secondary school? Do you want to work in a community where strong relationships, high expectations and genuine care for young people sit at the heart of everything we do?

At HDHS, we believe every student deserves to feel that they belong, can believe in themselves and their future, and are supported to become the very best version of themselves. We are committed to creating calm, purposeful environments where students feel known, valued and challenged to succeed.

We are seeking to appoint a Family Liaison Officer to be the vital bridge between our school, our students, and their families. Working directly with children on our roll, your primary focus will be to provide hands-on support that empowers parents and carers, ensuring that the positive work we do inside the classroom continues seamlessly at home. You will be a trusted face in our community - someone families can turn to for guidance, reassurance, and practical advice.

In collaboration with our dedicated Pastoral Leadership team, you will also play a key role in conducting home visits. This is a highly rewarding opportunity to build strong, empathetic relationships, break down barriers to education, and ensure every child has the stable foundation they need to thrive both socially and academically.

• The successful candidate will work 37 hours per week. The working pattern will be 8:00am-16:00pm Monday-Thursday and 8:30am-16:00pm Friday.
• This is a 39-week-per-year role, which includes term time plus non-pupil days.

A Day in the Life:

You’ll be responsible for bringing your passion and expertise to the following areas:

In liaison with the Pastoral Leadership support home visits to families.

• Provide direct support with students and with parents/carers in order to support the work undertaken in school.
• Promote and facilitate pupils’ attendance at school.
• Help establish and maintain positive relationships between school staff and parents/carers.
• Co-ordinate links and arrangements with a variety of outside agencies.
• Encourage the inclusion of pupils in a mainstream setting by demonstrating the use of positive behaviour management techniques designed to develop the pupil’s ability to engage positively in school.

• Participate in the evaluation and review of the agreed support for students in conjunction with other staff.

What We’re Looking For:

You are the perfect fit for our team if you have

• Successful experience of working with children in an education, health or social care environment.
• 5 GCSEs (including English & Maths) at Grade C and above or equivalent.
• Excellent communication skills with young people, families and professionals.
• The ability to write detailed and complex reports, places and letters.
• Excellent understanding of child development and learning processes.
• The ability to make a proactive contribution to the work of the team supporting children, their families and carers.

• The ability to establish rapport and respectful and trusting relationships with children, their families and carers and other adults.

Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification for full details.

Please note that an integration period applies to all new staff joining the Trust, to support introduction into the organisation.

Why Choose The Sigma Trust?
We believe in investing in our staff and fostering a culture of collaboration. We offer a competitive salary and a comprehensive package designed to support your professional and personal life.

Professional Development:

• A robust CPD training program that empowers you to flourish.
• Unrivalled opportunities to collaborate with colleagues across the Trust, sharing ideas and building strong professional relationships.

Employee Benefits:

• A competitive salary and excellent pension scheme
• A Health Cash Plan to help manage your everyday healthcare costs
• Access to a confidential Employee Assistance Programme to support your well-being
• Exclusive perks like the Cycle to Work scheme, access to discounts via free membership to Perkbox, eligibility for a Blue Light Card, and more

Commitment to Safeguarding & Diversity

The Sigma Trust is committed to safeguarding and protecting the children and young people that we work with. As such, all posts are subject to safer recruitment processes, including the disclosure of criminal records, online checks and other vetting checks. We ensure that we have a range of policies in place which promote safeguarding and safer working practice across our schools.

The Sigma Trust is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. We are committed to equal employment opportunities regardless of any protected characteristics. This is embedded in our vision ‘To Be Greater Than The Sum Of Its Parts’, where we believe we are strong and more successful working together, creating a workplace which celebrates diversity.

To Apply:

Ready to take the next step? Find out more about the role and apply by Midnight Sunday 12th July via MyNewTerm.

• Interviews will take place on Thursday 16th July

Please note that we reserve the right to close this advert early should we receive an overwhelming response. Candidates may be invited to interview prior to the closing date, so an early application is advised.

We are unable to provide sponsorship for this position, so please ensure you have the right to work in the UK before you apply.

We are managing all current recruitment directly and kindly request that agencies do not contact us regarding open positions.

Further information about the job

The candidate will be required to undergo a full enhanced DBS check and must be eligible to work in the UK.

Visas cannot be sponsored.

If you're interested in teaching or training to teach in England as an international citizen, we can help you understand your next steps.

Commitment to safeguarding

Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment.

Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance.

Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant):
childcare disqualification
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
medical
online and social media
prohibition from teaching
right to work
satisfactory references
suitability to work with children

You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.

Applying for the job

This school accepts applications through their own website, where you may also find more information about this job.

CVs will not be accepted for this application.

About Harwich and Dovercourt High School

• School type: Academy, ages 11 to 16
• Education phase: Secondary school
• School size: 1091 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 11 to 16
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• School website: Harwich and Dovercourt High School website
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/harwich-and-dovercourt-high-school-harwich

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