Hours: Term Time Only. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (8:00am - 4:00pm), Tuesday (8:00am - 5:00pm)

Start date: October 2026 (where possible)

Your new school

Gretton School welcomes autistic children and young people aged from 5-19 years old, as weekly boarders or as day learners.

Every learner at Gretton has a diagnosis of Autism, and the ability to learn at or above the level of their mainstream peers, but require a specialist setting in order to achieve their remarkable potential.

As autism specialists, we understand that consistent daily routines and staffing helps to keep anxiety at a minimum and ensures that our learners feel safe and confident in their surroundings.

We have a high staff to learner ratio and classes are small and personal - we know each of our learners really well and employ the best strategies to support them in their everyday school life.

A broad curriculum, an emphasis on holistic development, and the development of life and social skills, means that we are able to bring out the best in all our learners, and to provide them with opportunities to flourish.

At whatever stage a young person joins Gretton, we will ensure they are happy and prepared to make the most of the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life.

Your new role

As a GAP Family Support Worker Officer, you will play a vital role within the Gretton GAP Pathway, supporting learners whose anxiety, emotional wellbeing needs or other challenges are impacting their ability to access education. Working closely with learners, families, school staff and external agencies, you will help remove barriers to learning and promote attendance, engagement and positive outcomes.

This varied and rewarding position combines family liaison, outreach work and direct learner support.

You will:

• Build strong, positive relationships with learners, families and colleagues.
• Deliver targeted interventions that support emotional wellbeing, resilience and engagement in education.
• Provide one-to-one and small-group support within school, at home, online or in agreed off-site locations.
• Conduct risk-assessed home visits to strengthen family engagement and implement supportive strategies.
• Support families experiencing challenges linked to Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA).
• Monitor attendance and work collaboratively to develop successful reintegration plans.
• Liaise with external professionals and agencies, contributing to multi-agency meetings and coordinated support plans.
• Signpost families to appropriate services and support referral processes.
• Maintain accurate, confidential records and contribute to the ongoing evaluation of interventions and outcomes.

This is an opportunity to work in a role where every day brings new challenges and where your support can have a lasting impact on a young person's future.

What you'll need to succeed

To be successful in this Family Support Worker role, you will ideally have:

• Experience working with children and young people with SEND, particularly autism.
• Knowledge of anxiety, emotional wellbeing and Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA).
• Experience supporting families using a solution-focused approach.
• Experience working alongside external agencies and contributing to multi-agency meetings.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trust quickly.
• Strong organisational and record-keeping skills.
• A resilient, patient and adaptable approach.
• The ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a wider team.
• A full driving licence and willingness to travel for home visits is preferred.

Desirable qualifications and experience include a Level 3 qualification in Social Care or a related field, experience with assessments such as EBSA or Boxall, knowledge of specific learning difficulties (SpLD), experience of education settings and EHCPs, and training in CBT approaches or restorative practice.

What you'll get in return

In return, you will join a highly regarded specialist school where staff are valued, supported and empowered to make a difference.

Benefits include:

• A rewarding opportunity to positively influence the lives of autistic children and young people.
• Working within a specialist multidisciplinary environment focused on holistic support.
• A collaborative and supportive staff team.
• Ongoing professional development and training opportunities.
• Small class sizes and high staff-to-student ratios.
• The opportunity to be part of a forward-thinking school committed to helping every learner achieve their potential.
• Term-time only working pattern, supporting a healthy work-life balance.

Safeguarding recruitment statement: Gretton School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and expects all staff to share this commitment, applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening, including checks with employers and the Disclosure & Barring Service. We aim to be a fair employer and are committed to equal opportunities. Gretton School does not discriminate against employees on the basis of gender, ethnic origin, disability or age.

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