Engagement and Participation Worker

• We promote a healthy work-life balance and offer flexible working arrangements wherever possible, including working from home.

• 28 days’ annual leave (plus bank holidays)

• Fixed term until 31/03/2026

We’re working to improve the lives of children in Somerset – and you’ll be a key part of that. You will be:

• Working with children and young people in each of the region’s 15 local areas to develop co-production locally.
• Supporting the development of local self-advocacy groups in the region through small grants funding.
• Facilitating a virtual regional forum to support co-production within the regional SEND team with the aim of improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND.
• Continuing to develop the regional forum to support the voice of children and young people in national representation with the aim of improving health outcomes.
• Understanding, upholding and promoting the aims of Somerset Council’s equality, diversity and inclusion policies; health, safety and wellbeing of self and others; and Organisational values in everything you do. Equality and Diversity practice covers both interaction with staff, service users and communities and includes challenging discrimination and promoting equality of opportunity for all.

We offer ongoing support, training and guidance to help you be the best you can be.

We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated person who is passionate about participation and committed to the engagement of vulnerable children, young people and their parents/carers in decisions about the services we provide for them.

Working in the Children’s Social Care Quality Assurance Team as part of the Partnership and Participation function, you will have an understanding of the importance of engagement and co-production and a creative and innovative approach to working regionally with groups of young people who have SEND (Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities) to help them to develop their voices to be heard at local, regional and national level .

This role supports a 12-month project (with possible extension) funded by NHS England to facilitate a children and young person self-advocacy group for those with SEND across the region. The overall outcome of this group is to support improved health outcomes for children and young people along with parent carers across the southwest.

We welcome applications from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences to enrich our team. You can always contact the hiring manager for a chat if there’s anything you want to talk about before you apply.

We are proud to offer an environment that is supportive and rewarding, working as part of a team who are passionate about the work they do to improve the lives of people in Somerset. We offer great training and development opportunities, with supportive management. As well as this, we have some fantastic employee benefits available:

• We promote a healthy work-life balance and offer flexible working arrangements wherever possible, including working from home.
• Generous annual leave allowance, with the opportunity to purchase additional leave.
• Employee Assistance for the times you may need some support and a variety of employee wellbeing services.
• Auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme and optional pension enhancement through our Additional Voluntary Contribution scheme.
• A Flexible Benefits Scheme via salary sacrifice to obtain a car or bicycle for work
• Staff benefit scheme offering discounts in shops, online shopping, restaurants, cinema tickets, insurance benefits, holidays, gym membership and more.

For an informal chat about this position please contact Sian Smiley at Sian.smiley@somerset.gov.uk

You will be based at The Hollies Children Centre, South Street, Taunton, TA1 3AG

The salary for this fixed term role is £22,168 to £24,853 per annum for 29.6 hours per week.

This fixed term contract will end on 31/03/2026.

If you have everything you need, just hit the apply button. We can’t wait to hear from you.

This role requires a criminal background check (DBS) via the disclosure procedure.