Education, Training & Employment (ETE) Practitioner

Staffordshire Youth Justice Service (SYJS) is looking to recruit to the post of Education, Training and Employment Practitioner based in the South Hub (Lichfield office). The South Hub covers the areas of Stafford, Cannock, South Staffs, Lichfield, Tamworth and Burton.

Our service works with children (10-18) that have been referred by Police/other agencies due to concern about potential involvement in criminal behaviour (Prevention), by the Police to be considered for Out of Court resolutions, been through the Court system and given a community order and those children that have been received custodial sentences.

We are an established team that is experienced in supporting children in various stages of the justice system. We welcome the opportunity to learn from new members of staff and the different experiences and knowledge they bring.

This is a full time (37 hours) permanent role.

You will:

• work closely with SYJS keyworkers and identify and assess the educational needs of children supported.
• work directly with children to support them achieving identified goals in relation to ETE.
• be expected to form positive working relationships with complex and often neurodiverse children.
• liaise with education/training providers and attend relevant meetings to support children accessing appropriate ETE in line with their assessment.
• attend district/county meetings to represent SYJS, supporting and advocating for the children in our service. This will include SEND Hubs and exclusion discussions.
• complete, maintain and review appropriate records on SYJS recording system and contribute to returns required quarterly by the Youth Justice Board.
• provide advice and guidance to SYJS colleagues on education, training and employment matters.
• engage in regular supervision/discussion with the Operation Manager (South Hub) and develop and discuss ETE initiatives and opportunities.
• liaise and work in partnership with SYJS ETE Practitioner (North Hub).

You will:

• have a relevant, recognised professional qualification in the field of education ,training or employment at Level 3 or above.
• posses key skills equivalent to Level 2 in English, Maths , Communication and IT.
• have experience of working with or on behalf of children and experience of face-to-face work with children, young people and families in relation to Education, Training & Employment
• be able to evidence of using assessment, planning and review process in meeting the needs of children, young people and families
• demonstrate some experience of working with children who may not be in Education, Employment or Training (NEET)
• have the ability to develop positive working relationships with children, families and relevant partner agencies.
• have the effective ability to write and present high quality verbal and written report (in court and other formal settings)
• be able to work between 8 am and 8pm with some weekend and Bank Holiday working

You will have a:

• a flexible approach, seeing children when they are available, in a variety of settings including home visits. There is an expectation of evening and occasionally weekend working.
• a opportunity to plan your diary to be as effective as possible, with a mix of working at the Lichfield office base, locations within the South Hub and home if appropriate.
• be supporting children working with our service who often have had difficult experiences with the education system and require understanding and motivation to achieve their capabilities.

The role requires patience, understanding and resilience. It can be frustrating on occasions but rewarding. You will be an integral part of our team trying to improve the opportunities of children who often feel left behind and not listened to.

Interview date provisionally Friday 10th April 2026

Don’t feel you meet all the requirements? We value transferable skills, experiences, and qualifications so consider applying anyway or for an informal chat about the role please contact

Simon Woollett, SYJS Operations Manager (South Hub): simon.woollett@staffordshire.gov.uk or Vicky Ward SYJS Senior Practitioner (South Hub) vicky.ward@staffordshire.gov.uk

Our Recruitment Process: We anonymise applications during shortlisting to ensure only relevant information is considered. Please complete your application fully, especially the supporting statement, to highlight what you’ll bring to the role.

We are no ordinary county council:

Our Values:

The core of who we are as an organisation. Just like we all have personal values that shape our thoughts and behaviour, organisational values drive how we think and act collectively.

Our values were created and shaped by colleague feedback and national best practice and they sit at the heart of People Strategy:

We have a real sense of community spirit that brings our people together. This feeling of belonging means we are all connected to what we do and take pride in the difference we make every day for Staffordshire people. We are ambitious and our sights are set firmly on a better future.

We look forward and race ahead - that goes for your career too.

Our benefits:

We recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive working environment where employees can achieve their full potential and achieve a healthy work-life balance.

In addition to your salary, as a member of staff, you will have access to Our rewards and benefits - Careers at Staffordshire

Our recruitment process:

As an Authority we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Staffordshire County Council is an equal opportunities organisation and Disability Confident employer. We encourage applications from all background and communities

As part of our commitment as a Disability Confident employer, a Gold Award Armed Forces employer and our commitment to supporting care leavers - we offer a guaranteed interview as long as your application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

As you’ll know safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our children and young people/vulnerable adults is important to us and that’s why this position is subject to a criminal record check from the Disclosure and Barring Service. If applicable you should disclose details of unspent and unfiltered spent reprimands, formal warnings, cautions and convictions in your application form.