Job Details

Directorate:	DIRECTORATE OF CHILDREN, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES
Portfolio/Service Area:	Special Educational Needs and Disability – Education and Skills
Pay:	£50 PAYE P/h
Reporting To:	Group Manager SEND – Education and Skills
Responsible For:	Senior SEND Casework Officers; SEND Casework Officers

 

 

Main Purpose of Job: 

 

• To lead the co-ordination and delivery of SEND statutory processes for a defined geographical area, and/or a defined group of children and young people, ensuring compliance with regulations; tactical and strategic application of the regulations in order to secure outcomes compatible with the legal guidance and the LA’s performance targets; robust decision making; rigorous analysis and synthesis of written information; controlled allocation of finance through demand led budgetary systems.
• To promote local and national policies on inclusion, taking specific account of local initiatives

e.g.: reduction in out of authority placements;

• To work with and co-ordinate and/or lead managers and professionals in other services to ensure effective collaborative planning and the organisation of structured sets of arrangements, especially at times of transition between stages of education, for example for pre-school children and those moving from school to post 16 and/or post 19 provision.
• Through the provision of leadership and direction to the service, support and develop the delivery of assessment, preventative interventions, and statutory processes related to LA provision for children and young people aged 0-25 with high level SEND, promoting local and national policies on inclusion.
• Maintaining an up to date knowledge and understanding of changing caselaw, and legal change in SEND; overseeing production and updating of written guidance and procedures relating to statutory assessment and decision making, and putting in place approaches to ensure schools, specialist education services, officers and health and social care services are aware of the implications of change for policies and performance targets of the Children’s Service, and for the operational practice of other education and non-education teams.
• Deputise as required for the Group Manager

 

 

Responsibilities, Duties and Tasks:

 

• Working under the direction of the Group Manager and working collaboratively with other SEND managers, ensure that statutory assessment processes, and decisions on Education, Health and Care Plans and placement of children with Education, Health and Care Plans support and complement policy and support and promote inclusive education in Worcestershire.
• In the oversight and leadership of the EHC assessment process, apply rigorous decision making so that unnecessary EHC assessments are avoided. Through methodical planning and monitoring of casework, identify predictable risks to the potential to complete statutory processes on time or within budget.

• Oversee processes to ensure that the decisions for SEND transport are consistent with the LA policy and represent value for money.
• Oversee the management of processes that ensure timely and accurate responses to SEND related Complaints, FOI Requests and SEND appeals.
• Ensure that the statutory Annual Review process is effectively co-ordinated and monitored, within statutory timelines and in partnership with provider schools, settings and organisations.
• Ensure efficient, accessible and secure systems for record keeping and the sharing of information, in a manner that is compatible with Council policies and the regulations underpinning the statutory SEND EHC assessment, planning and review processes.
• Contribute to service development as a member of the SEN Service Management Team, leading on cross Service and cross County priorities and /or tasks as determined by the Group
• Contribute to service development / improvement plan, taking responsibility for leading / monitoring specific areas, including action arising from Council priorities such as the SEND Inspection Written Statement of Action.
• Represent LA at SEN and Disability Tribunals, ensuring high quality preparation, presentation and follow up.
• Lead, oversee, co-ordinate and direct the work of other officers within the SEN Service ensuring high quality work and compliance with approaches designed to achieve performance outcomes, including relationships with parents, schools and other agencies.
• With other SEN Managers, ensure a coherent approach to staff support, training and development, working across individual areas of responsibility as required.
• Ensure co-ordinated approaches to updating staff guidance, procedures and processes so that efficiency in administration and casework management is maximised.
• Ensure clear, coherent and sensitive communication with schools and other educational settings, and parents and others on matters relating to the responsibility of the post.
• Ensure systems are established so that officers within the teams make appropriate database entries to record activities as required, and that data provided to performance and finance teams is accurate.
• Ensure financial transactions are conducted appropriately, with accuracy and according to the Council’s financial processes.
• As a team of SEN Managers and under the direction of the Group Manager, assume individual responsibility for specific areas of work including:
• mediation and dispute resolution
• the provision of information to parents and the Local Offer
• the contribution of Health and Social Care to the statutory EHC assessment and plan process
• represent the LA at regional or national partnership meetings as directed o monitor cross team performance in statutory and other performance indicators, preparing reports for the SEN Service management team and the Group

Manager o lead areas of policy review and/or development to inform, future commissioning and provision planning requirements

• ensuring and leading processes so that pupils placed outside Worcestershire or in non-state funded education, receive vigilant review of their placements
• For the post holder’s designated geographical area, or group of pupils/students, ensure the effective administration of processes and procedures relating to the; Children and Families Act 2014 and the 2015 SEN Code of Practice including compliance with statutory time-lines for assessment and Education Health and Care Plans and with Annual Review processes.
• In overseeing the effective management and oversight of pupil casework in his/her Area or defined area of responsibility, the post holder should ensure that it:-
• Satisfies the requirements of the 2011 Standards and Framework Act; the 2014 Children and Families Act and the 2015 SEN Code of Practice
• Complies with DfE guidance, including any new or changing legislation or guidance
• Reflects and supports the implementation across Worcestershire County Council of other Education and Children’s Services legislation, signposting services to changes in legislation or new guidance from Government that may be relevant.
• Supports and promotes Worcestershire County Council policies
• Promotes locality based and inclusive education
• Encourages and develops positive relationships with EY and all education providers
• Minimises dispute with parents through high quality case work management and effective communication
• Builds on, develops and improves relationships with other agencies, including health and social care
• Enables local and national performance targets to be achieved
• Ensures that priority is given to the discharge of the LA’s statutory responsibilities to work collaboratively with parents, carers and young people
• Ensures decisions are made within the statutory guidance and regulations and take account of the available budget.
• Act as designated officer with delegated responsibility for decision making on assessment, Education, Health and Care Plans and related matters, as set out in the Council’s delegated powers schedule.
• Lead and / or contribute to agreed structures for moderated decision making.
• In line with agreed decision making processes, ensure appropriate and well prepared high quality contributions and follow up.
• Ensure effective and proactive communication with schools, settings, parents and others on matters relating to SEN case management where these relate to concerns, questions and complaints.
• Maintain, develop and improve relations with schools, colleges and post 16 providers, and early years’ settings on matters of SEN policy, procedure and process especially in relation to SEN case management and SEN funding.
• Maintain, develop and improve relations with professionals from other LA teams and external agencies that support SEN in schools, to ensure effective collaboration and collegiate approaches to promote locality based for children with SEN within the context of national and WCC policies and procedures.
• Ensure casework management quality standards are developed, maintained and systematically improved, so that clear and effective working with other teams and services is well planned, recorded and can inform decision making.
• Ensure integration of policy and practices with other policies and procedures in related areas, for example admissions, attendance, exclusions and transport.
• Attend and / or convene Area based meetings as appropriate.
• Assume responsibility for the management of designated cases, generally those where a higher level skill and experience is required.
• Maintain an active engagement with data reporting where this relates to the performance of the Team’s work and use this data to contribute to ongoing team improvement.
• Ensure the Council’s performance management processes are applied to all team members, including the implementation of individual training and development plans.

 

 

General Duties:

 

• To maintain personal and professional development to meet the changing demands of the job, participate in appropriate training activities and encourage and support staff in their development and training.
• To undertake such other duties, training and/or hours of work as may be reasonably required, and which are consistent with the general level of responsibility of this job.
• To undertake health and safety duties commensurate with the post and/or as detailed in the Directorate’s Health and Safety Policy.
• Ensure that WCC safeguarding guidelines are observed and that safeguarding remains at the core of all activities.

 

Contacts:

 

In all contacts the postholder will be required to present a good image of the Directorate and the County Council as well as maintaining constructive relationships.

 

Internal:          Officers within Children’s Services and WCC.

External:          Officers in partner agencies such as Early Help providers, Health Trusts, District Councils, other Local Authorities, Police, Probation, YOS, Magistrates and local judiciary, Connexions, voluntary and community organisations, service user groups, parents.

 

Notes:

 

• Work in Regulated Activity and in accordance with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) as amended and the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, to be registered with the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) and to have a relevant enhanced level Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Disclosure certificate.
• Undertake work which is concerned with the establishment or operation of a database or work that may require access to a database under Section 12 of the Children’s Act 2004 and which is of such a kind as to enable the postholder to have access to information included in the database.
• The Council reserves the right to alter the content of this Job Description, after consultation, to reflect changes to the job or services provided, without altering the general character or level of responsibility.
• Reasonable adjustments will be considered as required by the Disability Discrimination Act.
• The duties described in this Job Description must be carried out in a manner which promotes equality of opportunity, dignity and due respect for all employees and service users and is consistent with the Council’s Equal Opportunities Policy.

 

PERSON SPECIFICATION

 

Post Title:      SEND Manager 

 

Directorate:	DIRECTORATE OF CHILDREN, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES
Portfolio/Service Area:	Special Educational Needs and Disability – Education and Skills
Scale/Grade:	PO4
Reporting to:	Group Manager SEND – Education and Skills
Responsible for:	Senior Casework Officers; SEND Casework Officers

 

QUALIFICATIONS / TRAINING:

 

It is essential that the postholder has/is:

• Appropriate professional qualification (law / public administration / education / social care / health)
• Relevant management qualification or evidence of former and ongoing management development.
• A qualification in SEND or evidence of significant and extensive experience.

 

It is desirable that the postholder has:

• Degree level or equivalent qualification.

 

EXPERIENCE / KNOWLEDGE:

 

It is essential that the postholder has/is:

• Substantial experience of service development at a management level including experience of implementing key strategies to promote achievement of children with SEND.
• Substantial experience of effective continuous improvement in service delivery.
• Considerable experience of effective management of staff groups and building effective teams.
• Decision making within statutory frameworks, with financial implications and where decisions are subject to legal challenge.
• Detailed knowledge and understanding of relevant legislative and regulatory framework for SEND and Government initiatives relating to SEND, and working knowledge of related regulations (e.g. exclusions and admissions)
• Working with statutory complaint and appeal processes and of successfully defending and representing the LA where decisions are appealed
• Detailed knowledge and understanding of mechanisms to support schools and other settings to meet the educational needs of children and young people with SEND.
• Experience of applying thresholds and criteria equitably and transparently
• Experience of working across organisational and managerial boundaries to achieve improved outcomes for children.
• Understanding of and ability to use information and communication technology and information management systems.
• Understanding of and ability to use performance frameworks.
• Recent experience of managing change.
• Experience of working with multi-disciplinary teams
• Experience in SEND service delivery.

 

It is desirable that the postholder has/is:

• Teaching experience.
• Management experience in a children’s service setting

 

SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

 

It is essential that the postholder has/is:

• Negotiating and influencing skills.
• Excellent listening skills.
• Strong and well developed leadership skills
• Good communication skills with the ability to present complex issues clearly and concisely to a range of audiences, including parents, head teachers, mediation settings, Tribunals and Judges, verbally and in writing
• High level analytical and synthesis skills with the ability to apply detailed legal judgements or statutory guidance to complex and challenging scenarios
• Robust in difficult situations, able to maintain a focus on key issues and to be able to avoid distractions.
• Experience in the use of Microsoft Office applications (particularly Excel and Word) the use of data bases
• Experience of applying legal frameworks to complex scenarios
• Ability to work flexibly in a changing environment and with changing deadlines, pressures and client groups
• Demonstrable ability to convert strategy to operational delivery.
• Ability to provide effective leadership to the service and other partners.
• Demonstrable commitment to engagement of parents and providers.
• Ability in financial planning and budgetary management.
• Ability to build effective relationships with colleagues from a range of services and backgrounds.
• Ability to work in a pressured work environment with little predictability where external factors determine timelines and priorities
• Able to deal calmly with difficult people, including those in more senior positions in other services, and to develop tactical approaches to secure resolution of disagreement

 

ADDITIONAL FACTORS:

 

It is essential that the postholder has/is:

• Demonstrably child/young person centric, outward looking and outcome focused.
• Strong corporate ethos and ability to achieve productive relationships between Directorates internally and with partners externally.
• Able to focus on core issues and not to be distracted by emotive and emotional issues
• Commitment to equality of opportunity and the ability to demonstrate that commitment through employment practice and in the delivery of services.
• The ability to travel throughout the County.
• The ability to work outside of normal office hours

 

If you feel you would be suited to this role, or know someone who would be a great fit, please drop an email to  rebeccabentum@carringtonblakerecruitment.com