School Social Worker - Pastoral Support
Posted date [2026-06-13]
(ID: 46594)
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Aldar Education is a leading education provider in the UAE, delivering inclusive, sustainable, and innovative learning experiences that inspire students and support community development. The organization offers a diverse portfolio of educational brands, covering all stages from early years to adult learning, with a wide range of curricula across multiple locations in Abu Dhabi and beyond. With a mix of owned and managed schools, Aldar Education ensures high standards in teaching, modern facilities, and a supportive environment for students, educators, and staff, maintaining a strong commitment to quality education and continuous improvement.... |
Job Description and Requirements
School Social Worker - Pastoral SupportJob Snapshot
Role: School Social Worker - Pastoral Support
Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Industry: Education Management
Function: Social Service
Experience: Minimum 2 years in youth-related social work
Job Type: Full-time
Position Overview
School Social Worker - Pastoral Support in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates is an Education Management opportunity for a qualified social work professional who can support student wellbeing, attendance, safeguarding, behaviour, family engagement, and pastoral care at Al Danah Charter School. This role is ideal for a compassionate and resilient candidate with strong knowledge of student support services, UAE education expectations, ADEK regulations, and youth-focused social care within a school environment.
Job Details
Country: United Arab Emirates
City: Abu Dhabi
Industry: Education Management
Function: Social Service
Salary: 9000-14000
Estimated salary range based on similar jobs in the job city; please confirm the final offer with the
employer.
Gender: Any
Candidate Nationality: Any
Job Type: Full-time
Role Context
The School Social Worker - Pastoral Support role strengthens the school’s ability to support students’ personal, social, emotional, mental, and academic development. Working as part of the wider pastoral team at Al Danah Charter School, the role involves assessing student needs, supporting attendance improvement, helping resolve behavioural and emotional challenges, communicating with families, and working with teachers, counsellors, senior leaders, and external agencies. The position contributes directly to a safe, caring, inclusive, and achievement-focused school culture where students are supported to thrive.
Key Responsibilities
* Work collaboratively with the wider pastoral team to support student wellbeing, behaviour, attendance, and personal development.
* Build positive relationships with students, parents, teachers, school staff, and community partners.
* Conduct assessments of student needs, challenges, causes of concern, and the impact of difficulties on learning and wellbeing.
* Support students with personal, social, mental, emotional, behavioural, and family-related concerns.
* Collaborate with parents, teachers, counsellors, and school leaders to create practical support plans for students.
* Help students improve emotional regulation, social skills, behaviour, confidence, and readiness for classroom success.
* Provide school-based support services that respond to student needs in a respectful and professional manner.
* Maintain confidentiality and follow legal requirements related to data protection, student records, and safeguarding support.
* Support anti-bullying prevention measures and provide assistance to students affected by bullying.
* Maintain accurate and updated attendance records for all students using school systems such as iSAMS.
* Track daily absences and lateness, follow up on unexplained absences, and prepare regular attendance reports for senior leaders and pastoral teams.
* Communicate promptly and sensitively with families regarding attendance concerns and student welfare matters.
* Support attendance interventions and work with pastoral staff, social workers, and relevant agencies to address persistent absenteeism.
* Contribute to school initiatives that promote good attendance, punctuality, and student responsibility.
* Assist in the development of attendance policies, reward systems, and strategies that encourage regular attendance.
* Work closely with the School Counsellor to support students’ personal, social, emotional, and academic growth.
* Provide support in areas such as conflict resolution, emotional wellbeing, family challenges, and student adjustment.
* Identify and escalate concerns related to domestic abuse, family difficulties, safeguarding, or child protection where appropriate.
* Support the Lower School Assistant Principal and Middle and Senior School Assistant Principal in child protection and safeguarding-related cases.
* Follow the school’s Behaviour Policy and apply appropriate strategies to support positive student conduct.
* Maintain strong relationships with pupils while exercising appropriate authority and acting decisively when needed.
* Model positive attitudes, values, behaviour, respect, and professional conduct expected from students.
* Promote self-control, independence, responsibility, and positive choices among learners.
* Communicate effectively with parents and carers regarding student behaviour, wellbeing, attendance, and achievements.
* Use school systems and processes such as iSAMS and CPOMS where appropriate for communication, tracking, and safeguarding records.
* Support school events, outings, activities, and pastoral initiatives, including occasional evening or weekend activities when required.
* Make a positive contribution to the wider life, values, culture, and ethos of Al Danah Charter School.
Ideal Profile
* Bachelor in Social Work or Social Services.
* Alternatively, Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Counselling, Youth Development, Sociology, or a related field with four years of relevant experience.
* Social Worker License from the Department of Community Development is required.
* Minimum 2 years of experience in youth-related social work.
* Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build trust with students, parents, teachers, and school leaders.
* Demonstrable organizational skills with the ability to manage records, reports, interventions, and follow-up actions.
* Strong desire to help others while inspiring respect, trust, and confidence.
* High emotional and physical energy to manage a wide range of student and family support matters.
* Knowledge of UAE Ministry of Education and ADEK regulations.
* Experience leading or facilitating CPD is an advantage.
* Ability to work under pressure, solve problems, manage challenging situations, and remain resilient.
* Commitment to continuing professional development and reflective practice.
* Strong understanding of safeguarding, child protection, student wellbeing, attendance support, and behaviour intervention.
* Ability to work cooperatively with pastoral teams, counsellors, curriculum support staff, families, and external agencies.
* Genuine appreciation of the values, culture, and expectations of the region.
* Commitment to Al Danah Charter School’s mission, vision, values, and student-centered approach.
Skills Set
* School social work
* Pastoral care
* Student wellbeing
* Youth social work
* Attendance monitoring
* iSAMS
* CPOMS
* Safeguarding support
* Child protection
* Behaviour support
* Emotional wellbeing
* Mental health support
* Family engagement
* Parent communication
* Student assessment
* Conflict resolution
* Anti-bullying support
* Attendance intervention
* Persistent absenteeism support
* Data protection
* Confidential records
* ADEK regulations
* UAE Ministry of Education awareness
* DCD Social Worker License
* Student counselling coordination
* Community agency liaison
* CPD facilitation
* American Curriculum school support
Why Join Us
This opportunity allows a School Social Worker to join Al Danah Charter School and contribute to a caring, progressive, and student-focused American Curriculum learning community in Abu Dhabi. The role offers meaningful responsibility across attendance, safeguarding, wellbeing, behaviour support, and family engagement. As part of the Aldar Education network, the successful candidate can develop professionally while helping students overcome challenges, build resilience, improve attendance, and succeed socially, emotionally, and academically.
About the Company
Aldar Education is one of Abu Dhabi’s leading education providers, operating and managing a respected network of schools across the UAE. Al Danah Charter School is part of the Aldar Education family and follows an American Curriculum guided by the mission to Excite, Challenge, and Empower. Through inclusive education, safeguarding, strong pastoral care, professional development, and community partnership, Aldar Education continues to support the future of learning and student wellbeing in Abu Dhabi.
Gender: Any
Candidate Nationality: Any
Job Type: Full-time
Role Context
The School Social Worker - Pastoral Support role strengthens the school’s ability to support students’ personal, social, emotional, mental, and academic development. Working as part of the wider pastoral team at Al Danah Charter School, the role involves assessing student needs, supporting attendance improvement, helping resolve behavioural and emotional challenges, communicating with families, and working with teachers, counsellors, senior leaders, and external agencies. The position contributes directly to a safe, caring, inclusive, and achievement-focused school culture where students are supported to thrive.
Key Responsibilities
* Work collaboratively with the wider pastoral team to support student wellbeing, behaviour, attendance, and personal development.
* Build positive relationships with students, parents, teachers, school staff, and community partners.
* Conduct assessments of student needs, challenges, causes of concern, and the impact of difficulties on learning and wellbeing.
* Support students with personal, social, mental, emotional, behavioural, and family-related concerns.
* Collaborate with parents, teachers, counsellors, and school leaders to create practical support plans for students.
* Help students improve emotional regulation, social skills, behaviour, confidence, and readiness for classroom success.
* Provide school-based support services that respond to student needs in a respectful and professional manner.
* Maintain confidentiality and follow legal requirements related to data protection, student records, and safeguarding support.
* Support anti-bullying prevention measures and provide assistance to students affected by bullying.
* Maintain accurate and updated attendance records for all students using school systems such as iSAMS.
* Track daily absences and lateness, follow up on unexplained absences, and prepare regular attendance reports for senior leaders and pastoral teams.
* Communicate promptly and sensitively with families regarding attendance concerns and student welfare matters.
* Support attendance interventions and work with pastoral staff, social workers, and relevant agencies to address persistent absenteeism.
* Contribute to school initiatives that promote good attendance, punctuality, and student responsibility.
* Assist in the development of attendance policies, reward systems, and strategies that encourage regular attendance.
* Work closely with the School Counsellor to support students’ personal, social, emotional, and academic growth.
* Provide support in areas such as conflict resolution, emotional wellbeing, family challenges, and student adjustment.
* Identify and escalate concerns related to domestic abuse, family difficulties, safeguarding, or child protection where appropriate.
* Support the Lower School Assistant Principal and Middle and Senior School Assistant Principal in child protection and safeguarding-related cases.
* Follow the school’s Behaviour Policy and apply appropriate strategies to support positive student conduct.
* Maintain strong relationships with pupils while exercising appropriate authority and acting decisively when needed.
* Model positive attitudes, values, behaviour, respect, and professional conduct expected from students.
* Promote self-control, independence, responsibility, and positive choices among learners.
* Communicate effectively with parents and carers regarding student behaviour, wellbeing, attendance, and achievements.
* Use school systems and processes such as iSAMS and CPOMS where appropriate for communication, tracking, and safeguarding records.
* Support school events, outings, activities, and pastoral initiatives, including occasional evening or weekend activities when required.
* Make a positive contribution to the wider life, values, culture, and ethos of Al Danah Charter School.
Ideal Profile
* Bachelor in Social Work or Social Services.
* Alternatively, Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Counselling, Youth Development, Sociology, or a related field with four years of relevant experience.
* Social Worker License from the Department of Community Development is required.
* Minimum 2 years of experience in youth-related social work.
* Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build trust with students, parents, teachers, and school leaders.
* Demonstrable organizational skills with the ability to manage records, reports, interventions, and follow-up actions.
* Strong desire to help others while inspiring respect, trust, and confidence.
* High emotional and physical energy to manage a wide range of student and family support matters.
* Knowledge of UAE Ministry of Education and ADEK regulations.
* Experience leading or facilitating CPD is an advantage.
* Ability to work under pressure, solve problems, manage challenging situations, and remain resilient.
* Commitment to continuing professional development and reflective practice.
* Strong understanding of safeguarding, child protection, student wellbeing, attendance support, and behaviour intervention.
* Ability to work cooperatively with pastoral teams, counsellors, curriculum support staff, families, and external agencies.
* Genuine appreciation of the values, culture, and expectations of the region.
* Commitment to Al Danah Charter School’s mission, vision, values, and student-centered approach.
Skills Set
* School social work
* Pastoral care
* Student wellbeing
* Youth social work
* Attendance monitoring
* iSAMS
* CPOMS
* Safeguarding support
* Child protection
* Behaviour support
* Emotional wellbeing
* Mental health support
* Family engagement
* Parent communication
* Student assessment
* Conflict resolution
* Anti-bullying support
* Attendance intervention
* Persistent absenteeism support
* Data protection
* Confidential records
* ADEK regulations
* UAE Ministry of Education awareness
* DCD Social Worker License
* Student counselling coordination
* Community agency liaison
* CPD facilitation
* American Curriculum school support
Why Join Us
This opportunity allows a School Social Worker to join Al Danah Charter School and contribute to a caring, progressive, and student-focused American Curriculum learning community in Abu Dhabi. The role offers meaningful responsibility across attendance, safeguarding, wellbeing, behaviour support, and family engagement. As part of the Aldar Education network, the successful candidate can develop professionally while helping students overcome challenges, build resilience, improve attendance, and succeed socially, emotionally, and academically.
About the Company
Aldar Education is one of Abu Dhabi’s leading education providers, operating and managing a respected network of schools across the UAE. Al Danah Charter School is part of the Aldar Education family and follows an American Curriculum guided by the mission to Excite, Challenge, and Empower. Through inclusive education, safeguarding, strong pastoral care, professional development, and community partnership, Aldar Education continues to support the future of learning and student wellbeing in Abu Dhabi.
