Role Summary & Benefits

Full Time 37 hours per week

Championing Equity. Influencing Change. Improving Outcomes for Children and Young People.

Are you passionate about ensuring that every child and young person has access to high-quality education, regardless of the challenges they face? Do you have the confidence to influence practice, challenge barriers, and work collaboratively to create meaningful change?

We are seeking an experienced and motivated Inclusion Advocate to join our team and play a pivotal role in improving educational experiences and outcomes for some of our most vulnerable children and young people.  This post will cover North and Mid Devon.

About the Role
As an Inclusion Advocate, you will work in partnership with early years settings, schools, multi-agency professionals, and families to promote inclusive practice and remove barriers to learning. You will use evidence, data, professional expertise, and statutory frameworks to influence decision-making and support positive outcomes for children and young people.

You will provide professional challenge, advice, guidance, and advocacy, ensuring that vulnerable learners have fair, consistent, and equitable access to education. Through strong relationship-building and collaborative working, you will help improve attendance, engagement, achievement, and wellbeing.

This is a highly autonomous role requiring sound professional judgement, resilience, and the ability to influence change across organisational boundaries without direct line management responsibility.

Areas of Focus
The successful candidate will specialise in Previously Looked After Children, those in Kinship Care and under Special Guardianship Orders.

About You
We are looking for someone who:

• Has a strong understanding of inclusion, safeguarding, and educational equality.
• Is passionate about improving outcomes for vulnerable children and young people.
• Can confidently challenge and influence practice using evidence, data, and professional expertise.
• Has experience of working collaboratively with schools, families, and multi-agency partners.
• Demonstrates excellent communication, relationship-building, and problem-solving skills.
• Can work independently while managing a complex and varied workload.
• Has a thorough understanding of relevant statutory frameworks and educational legislation.

What You’ll Do

• Advocate for vulnerable children and young people to ensure equitable access to education.
• Support schools and partners to develop and sustain inclusive practice.
• Use attendance, attainment, and engagement data to identify needs and drive improvement.
• Provide advice, guidance, and professional challenge to education settings and partner agencies.
• Work collaboratively across services to remove systemic and individual barriers to learning.
• Contribute to improved educational outcomes for children facing disadvantage and vulnerability.

Additional Information
The postholder may work directly with children and families within the North and Mid Devon locality and will be expected to work across the county as service needs require.

Interview Date: w/c 10 August 2026

If you are committed to championing inclusion, influencing positive change, and ensuring every child has the opportunity to thrive, we would love to hear from you.

For an informal chat please contact emma.phillips@devon.gov.uk

How to apply 
Please ensure when completing your application form that you provide a supporting statement which demonstrates how you meet the essential and desirable criteria as described in the person specification of the job description. Applications may not be taken forwards if the supporting statement is not adequately completed.

Internal Applicants, please note: If you are an existing DCC employee, please use your iTrent Employee Self Service (ESS) details to log in and apply.

Please click Apply Now to see further information. 

• DCC embraces the positive benefits of a diverse workforce and is committed to providing an environment that is inclusive and safe. We welcome applications from people who share our commitment to stop discrimination, challenge inequality and promote diversity across Devon. More information can be found on our Equality and Diversity webpages.
• For details on the use of AI in applications and Devon County Council’s use of AI in Recruitment please see Use of AI in Our Recruitment Processes – Working for Devon | Devon County Council
• Happy to Talk Flexible Working - The Council offers flexible working arrangements in terms of when and where people work e.g. hybrid working, part-time, condensed hours etc.
• We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
• This role requires the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.
• Personal data we collect from you will be processed in accordance with the Applicant privacy notice.
• For more information about Working for Devon please visit our Working for Devon page.
• We cannot consider visa sponsorship at this time. UK Right to Work is required. For further guidance on right to work in the UK, please visit: Work in the UK – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
• This role requires a DBS disclosure.

Key Responsibilities

Please click here to see the Job Description which includes the key responsibilities.