Senior SEND Officer United Kingdom
Job description
Team: SND - Statutory Service Job Family: Supporting - CBG11 Salary: £36,554 - £39,707 per annum Hours: 37 hours per week - x 2 posts availble (1x /1x 12-month fixed-term in the first instance) Base Location: Working from home and any CBC offices, including Priory House, Shefford. You will be expected to attend a CBC office location on a monthly basis, and as needed to carry out your role Type: Hybrid - Closing Date: 31st July 2023 Interview Date: TBC early August 2023 About Us Central Bedfordshire is an ambitious authority, determined to be an exemplary one. Our strategic location and high quality of life mean we are one of the fastest growing areas in the country. As a council we face the same challenges every business does - investing in the right places and delivering great results. Except for us, it's all about our 289,000 residents. We're totally focussed on helping to improve their lives and making Central Bedfordshire a great place to live and work. We have set values and principles to represent the way we work and how we operate as an organisation. You can view a list of these in detail . This is a great time to join us on our journey. More about the role: Central Bedfordshire Council is looking to recruit a two full-time Senior SEND Officers with the EHC Team within Children's Services. The successful applicants will have proven experience of working within the parameters of the SEND Code of Practice, a working knowledge of SEND Legislation and procedures and a history of working directly with children and young people with SEND. The successful candidates will demonstrate knowledge and experience of writing and/or contributing to high quality Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and an ability to review and amend EHCPs in accordance with statutory guidance. Prior experience of working within a Local Authority SEND Team is essential for the Senior SEND Officer role and therefore only candidates with proven experience in this area will be invited to interview. Please also note that whilst our Senior SEND Officers cover the enirety of the 0-25 age-range, one of these roles will most likely be allocated within the Post-16 SEND Team initially, therefore proven experience working within the Preparation for Adulthood agenda is desirable. About the EHC Team The EHC Team is responsible for carrying out statutory duties and processes linked to Education, Health and Care Plans for children and young people with SEND aged 0-25. The team works with children, young people, parents and professionals to co-produce education, health and care plans and agreeing provision and educational placement. Other duties of the team include: receipt and decision-making regarding requests for EHC Needs Assessments gathering information during the EHC Needs Assessment co-ordination and writing of EHCPs monitoring of annual reviews (please note: the team's attendance is not a statutory requirement) processing of annual review documentation consulting with schools and supporting school admissions for pupils with an EHCP preparation of cases for our and providing feedback to parents and settings * case management and work regarding SEN Tribunals (SENDIST) providing advice to schools, parents and professionals regarding statutory processes facilitation of training regarding statutory processes for professionals and parents About the Senior SEND Officer Role Our Senior SEND Officers are responsible for the effective oversight and management of a caseload of Education, Health and Care Plans according to a geographic locality of Central Bedfordshire. Senior Officers work with their allocated SEND Officer to ensure effective co-ordination of processes regarding EHC Needs Assessments, monitoring and review of EHCPs and appeals to the SEND Tribunal. Main duties of the role include; working to ensure effective management of a caseload of EHCPs within a geographic locality of Central Bedfordshire attendance at way-forward and mediation meetings with parents and professionals to explain Local Authority decisions management and oversight of appeals to the SEND Tribunal preparing cases for Local Authority SEND Panels, ensuring decisions are made within statutory timescales and that decisions are shared with parents, carers and professionals management of the monitoring and review of existing EHCPS; including amending and issuing EHCPs following a review and attending review meetings in complex cases providing advice to schools, parents and professionals regarding statutory processes planning and providing training regarding statutory processes for professionals and parents consulting with schools and supporting school admissions for pupils with an EHCP- particularly in cases of exclusion attending meetings and Local Authority Panels as required directing the SEND Officer as required to ensure effective case management representing the SEND team as part of the wider Children's Services Team What we can offer you As well as joining a friendly, dedicated, and hardworking team you will have access to numerous benefits, including: A hybrid working arrangement giving you the option to work from home and access any CBC office location. We recognise and value the importance of supporting our employees to balance their home and work life and to be able to work in the most efficient way. A £250 one-off hybrid worker payment to help you adapt your home for safe and suitable working conditions A comprehensive IT package to support you to work safely and effectively The ability to work abroad for up to a month a year Generous family friendly policies and practices A welcoming and inclusive environment that empowers differences Friendly and supportive staff networks Annual leave allowance 24 days + statutory holidays rising to 31 days with length of service. Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). This is a valuable part of our rewards package for employees and includes Life Assurance. You can find out more on the . * An exceptional Employee Assistance Programme which helps support employees with workplace changes as well as other work, family and personal issues A huge variety of courses and role-specific training and learning to help you succeed and develop Access to discounts on top UK retailers and local retailers Central Bedfordshire Council has its own vision and values that are integral to everything we do. Our area vision is to make Central Bedfordshire 'A great place to live and work'. Sustainability matters to us. We aim to lead by example in tackling climate change. Read more about the action we're taking on our website: Our aspiration is to be a truly flexible employer. We welcome discussion on location, hours and working pattern as part of the application process. You will be expected to demonstrate how you meet the key accountabilities and competencies detailed within this Recruitment Pack; For any enquiries about these positions, please contact Joe Watts at , For queries related to the recruitment of this vacancy, please contact: The Recruitment Team at . Please note that we reserve the right to close this advert early. If you would like to apply for this position then please keep this information in mind when preparing your submission * Safeguarding: Central Bedfordshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all employees, volunteers and ors to share this commitment. This post is subject to the disclosure of criminal records. Central Bedfordshire Council is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to improving the diversity of our workforce to better reflect the communities we serve. Therefore we welcome applications from everyone. In addition we are a employer, we are working to become a Disability Confident leader in our community. To maintain a fair and consistent approach for applicants, it is Central Bedfordshire Council's policy to only consider applications made via our online application system and we therefore thank you for not submitting your application offline. If you require assistance to apply for our roles, help with writing your CV, interview techniques or careers advice please contact our team of careers advisors at Our service is confidential, impartial and free for all. Central Bedfordshire Council
