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Emotional Wellbeing and Support Officer (Job Reference: 26002043)
Primary Location : Antrim-Belfast-Mercy College Belfast
Contract Type : Permanent
Duration of Contract/Contract End Date : n/a
Status : Full-Time
Contract Options : Flexible working arrangements available during school holidays (E.g. Option 1, 2, 3)
Hours per Week : 36 hours per week
Working Pattern : Monday to Friday, 7.2 hours per day
Grade/Scale : Administrative Officer | NJC pts 29 – 32 | £39,862 – £42,839 per annum
Additional Allowance(s) : Not Applicable
Anticipated Interview Date(s) : TBC
Additional Information: na
Emotional Wellbeing and Support Officer
Contract: Full time (36 hours per week)
Grade Administrative Officer, SCP29-32
Location: Mercy College Belfast
Reports to: Assistant Principal Pastoral
Purpose of Role:
Work alongside pastoral staff responsible for pupil emotional health and wellbeing support across all key stages. Work with other relevant postholders to ensure all pupils fully access and benefit from curriculum, interventions and support programmes to improve their emotional health and wellbeing.
Take professional responsibility for and lead emotional wellbeing interventions. In conjunction with the Assistant Principal Pastoral, and Pastoral Team, develop and facilitate action plans for aspects of student emotional wellbeing and support in school.
Support school staff by providing specialist knowledge and integrity in decision making that is required for effective pupil support.
Specific duties/responsibilities
- Contribute to school improvement through the delivery of evidence-based group and individual interventions in line with school development priorities and the EHWB Framework.
- To improve the emotional wellbeing of all year groups through the delivery of evidence-based programmes of intervention to identified pupils within groups or as individuals.
- Identify, in partnership with YLs, pupils who would benefit from support. Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of their individual needs and priorities and develop appropriate strategies to meet them.
- Intervene with personal issues that are affecting pupils’ performance at school and advise senior and middle leaders on appropriate action.
- Monitor the development and success of interventions, including the provision of data, to show evidence of impact and progress, in line with the whole school reporting protocols.
- Implement strategies and support for pupils to enable them to positively regulate emotions, build self-esteem, confidence and resilience.
- Contribute to the co-ordination of support for pupils in lessons who are experiencing difficulties.
- Support pupils with integration issues within their wider social environment.
- Contribute to the development of best practice across the school in all areas of pastoral care.
- Provide regular and systematic feedback to pupils, staff, and parents/carers (where appropriate), on targets and progress made towards them.
- Flexibly meet the needs of targeted pupils, amending practice to facilitate positive outcomes and progress by placing the child at the centre of the provision.
- In line with school protocols, develop effective relationships with parents of pupils requiring support, advising them on strategies to support their child’s emotional health and wellbeing where appropriate.
- Support the Pastoral Assistant Principal as required with providing feedback to members of staff and other professionals working with the pupil and assist in making further recommendations.
Pastoral Support & Welfare
- Be a member of the School Safeguarding Team and assist in the completion of UNOCINIs if required.
- Attend case conferences and LAC reviews on behalf of and with students.
- Undertake home visits as and when required.
- Mobilise family, school, and community-based resources to enable the child to learn as effectively as possible in his or her educational program.
- Assist in developing early intervention strategies to address pupil needs including mental health, emotional literacy, self-discipline and negative peer and community influences.
- Ensuring up to date records of students and family engagement.
- Utilise a variety of sources of evidence to demonstrate impact in the role on a termly basis via a termly review report – students/ parental/ external feedback, student voice, attendance statistics, case conference attendance statistics, behavioural record and any other source of evidence that will demonstrate impact.
- Work closely with the Safeguarding team and meeting on weekly basis. Use restorative approaches to address and reduce conflict and/or wrongdoing.
- Assist the student to develop emotional literacy and positive social interaction skills.
- Act as advocate for students in case conferences.
- Develop staff in-service training programs on factors that impinge on students’ progress at school e.g., trauma, neglect, domestic abuse.
- Work with teachers to strengthen and restore relationships when issues arise.
- Make referrals to appropriate statutory, voluntary and community organisations when student and/or family support is required.
External Agencies
- To manage contact with other agencies, on behalf of the school and parents/carers and to liaise when required, including attendance and input at multi-agency meetings.
- Network with other appropriate professionals e.g. social workers and CAMHS as advised by Pastoral Assistant Principal.
- Be responsible for positive and effective communication with school teams, external agencies and stakeholders.
- Manage conflicting priorities and various workplace demands.
- Be accountable for personal performance management, setting challenging objectives/targets in line with the school priorities.
- Actively monitor provision to ensure efficiency and value for money, providing feedback to the Pastoral Vice Principal and Teacher in charge of Emotional Health and Wellbeing.
- Ensure high quality records are kept and information is shared appropriately in line with guidance, including the preparation of written reports when required.
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date pupil information on school’s management information systems and own pupil filing records in line with school protocols.
Other
All service providers and staff are expected to:
- uphold the duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils;
- maintain up-to-date role specific knowledge;
- develop trusting and professional relationships with each other and with pupils in order for them to access support with the outcome of improving emotional wellbeing;
- work flexibly to meet the needs of pupils; this may include evening work where appropriate;
- facilitate open and clear lines of communication with all stakeholders;
- contribute to the school’s development and implementation of policies designed to achieve the school’s priorities and targets;
- ensure parents are well informed about the school and their child’s progress;
- contribute to sustaining an inclusive environment and support the development of strategies to improve attendance.
The job description is not necessarily a comprehensive definition of the post. It will be subject to modification or amendment, after consultation with the post holder. The post-holder should also avail of regular, professional supervision.
Evaluated 24 November 2023 (AO grade, SCP29-32)
Updated 30.03.26 for MCB
Person Specification
Factor
Essential Criteria
Method of Assessment
Qualifications/Professional Membership
A relevant degree or professional qualification in education, youth or social work or equivalent experience.
An understanding of child protection and safeguarding policies and legislation.
Committed to personal and continued professional development.
Shortlisting by Application Form
Experience
Proven experience of working in an organisation/agency that supports children and young people’s emotional health and wellbeing.
An up-to-date understanding of the specialist support service available to young people.
Experience of working successfully with young people aged 11-19 with emotional and mental health difficulties; experience of working in a post-primary school will be an advantage at interview.
Experience of working with pupils experiencing social, emotional and behaviour issues (including loss, bereavement, separation, anxiety, self-harming, low mood).
Experience of planning, delivering and evaluating individual and group work.
Competence in the use of relevant ICT packages including a knowledge of SIMS.
Shortlisting by Application Form
Knowledge
See section 2
Skills/Abilities
See section 2
Other
- Have access to a suitable vehicle (appropriately maintained and insured for Education Authority business) that will enable you to carry out the mobility requirements of the post in an efficient and effective manner;
OR
- Provide sufficient information to satisfy the employer that you have access to an appropriate alternative form of transport that will enable you to carry out the mobility requirements of the post in an efficient and effective manner.
SECTION 2 – ESSENTIAL CRITERIA
The following are additional essential criteria which will be measured during the interview/selection stage.
Factor
Essential Criteria
Method of Assessment
Experience and Knowledge
Experience of planning, delivering and evaluating individual and group work.
An understanding of mental health and emotional wellbeing issues including knowledge of academic, emotional and social issues which may affect young people.
Knowledge of a range of evidence-based interventions used to deliver group and individual work to improve young
An understanding of child protection and safeguarding policies and legislation.
Knowledge of basic structure and organisation of inclusive education including knowledge of how young people learn
An up-to-date understanding of the specialist support service available to young people
Interview
Skills / Abilities
Good interpersonal skills and the ability to interact positively and develop good working relationships with pupils and staff.
Ability to communicate effectively with pupils, parents and other school staff.
Proven ability to coordinate, plan, monitor and deliver evidence-based interventions and demonstrate/evaluate their impact.
Ability to use initiative and have problem solving skills.
Ability to ensure completion of tasks while working to a high level of accuracy, including working effectively under pressure, particularly when dealing with conflicting priorities.
Good case management skills and the ability to prioritise and plan.
Excellent team-working skills, as well as the ability to work creatively and independently.
Coaching/counselling skills.
Mentoring skills.
Interview
Core Behaviours
Committed, resilient, robust, reliable and resourceful. A proven track record of building trust and evidence of integrity.
Demonstrate fairness, honesty and integrity in his/her existing practice and conduct as a professional.
Ability to understand and be committed to equal opportunities, promoting equality of provision for all members of the school community.
Ability to work flexibly as and when required.
Interview
Values Orientation / Identification with School Ethos
Evidence of how your experience and approach to work reflect the School’s Values/ethos. You will find information about our Values/ethos on the school’s website
Interview
SECTION 3 – DESIRABLE CRITERIA
Some or all of the desirable criteria may be applied by the Selection Panel in order to determine a manageable pool of candidates. Desirable criteria will be applied in the order listed. You should make it clear on your application form how, and to what extent you meet the desirable criteria, as failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted.
Factor
Desirable Criteria
Method of Assessment
Experience/ Knowledge
Professional in Practice (PiP) achievements.
Competence in the use of relevant ICT packages.
Evidence of a proven commitment to personal and continued professional development.
Experience of having worked with post-primary aged pupils in a school/educational environment.
Experience of delivering Staff training or contributing to staff development.
Shortlisting by Application Form
Shortlisting by Application Form
- STAR Model
It may be helpful to apply the STAR model when providing answers and evidence as follows:
S
T
A
R
Situation (the Lead Question)
Start with an open question about their experience,
e.g.: Tell me about a time when you had to persuade someone to do something?
Task
Ensure you understand what the candidate was working towards,
e.g.: What was the objective?
Action
Probe for as much evidence as possible on what they did and how,
e.g.: What did you personally do? What did you do next?
Result
Find out what happened,
e.g. How did you deal with that reaction? What was the outcome?