About The Role
CME EHE Investigator (Children Missing Education, Elective Home Education)
Permanent, Full Time
£36,375 to £42,794 per annum
Location: Chelmsford*
Working Style: Anywhere worker
Closing Date: 1st January 2026
- This is a hybrid-working role contractually based in Chelmsford. You will work from the Chelmsford office at least one day per month and across our operational area on other days, depending on business need.
This is a rare opportunity to join the well-established Education Compliance team at Essex County Council following a member of the team reaching their retirement.
This role is responsible for ensuring that children and young people have access to suitable education, either via a school place or otherwise (e.g. elective home education).
This role focuses on safeguarding children and young people’s right to an education and to make use of formal processes, where it appears that a child may not have access to a suitable education. Investigating circumstances surrounding children who are reported as missing from education to determine whether legal proceedings need to commence to protect children or young people. To ensure that families understand the responsibilities involved when they elect to home educate and are committed to providing a suitable home education which is suitable to their child/ren’s age, abilities and aptitude. A key requirement of this role is for Officers to work with families, schools and other professionals to resolve a child’s CME status.
An experienced and effective investigator within the educational environment, acting as a CME/EHE Officer for ECC, you will be influential and bold in seeking solutions to ensure a framework of activity to protect children and young people.
Accountabilities
Utilises specialist knowledge and experience to ensure the effectiveness of the Education Compliance team in meeting its statutory responsibilities, delivering actions within specific deadlines.
Provide expert advice and guidance to key stakeholders to ensure that the educational needs of vulnerable groups are met.
Working collaboratively with colleagues across the functional teams to ensure efficient working practice to achieve desired outcomes.
Provide rigorous case investigation ensuring quality, solution focused work and any necessary appropriate legal intervention is undertaken within expected time frames.
Provide appropriate challenge where pupils are prevented from accessing an education and delivers expert advice and guidance to schools, families and utilising other agencies to locate and return children to education.
Conducts investigations to safeguard children’s right to an education.
Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.
The Experience You Will Bring
Educated to degree level or equivalent by experience in relevant subject area.
Evidence of continuing professional development and expert knowledge in relevant professional area which includes relevant legislation and regulations.
Significant experience within education safeguarding or statutory intervention, developing expertise and understanding of working with vulnerable groups in Essex.
Experience of delivering public services in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment.
Good communication skills, assertive and confident in working with key stakeholders, prepared to challenge, as appropriate.
Excellent record keeping and evidence gathering skills, detailed enough to stand up to legal scrutiny where cases follow statutory processes and evidence is to be presented in a Magistrates Court.
Experience of delivering public services in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment.
Please note that the job role requires you to be mobile throughout an operational area. Therefore, the post holder will need to have a driving licence and access to a vehicle, or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means.
To read more about us please visit: Education
Why Essex?
As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we’re committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in Everyone's Essex. With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you.
In February 2025
, Greater Essex was accepted onto the Government’s devolution priority programme, which will see local authorities in Essex work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority by May 2026. You can read more about devolution and local government reorganisation (LGR) on our careers site.
Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process. We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.
Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.
At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.
As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service.
Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.
If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community
If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email resourcing.team@essex.gov.uk
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