Job Details

SEND Tribunal & Mediation Officer

Job Title

SEND Tribunal & Mediation Officer

Department

Children’s Services / Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

Location

Fully Remote

Role Purpose

The SEND Tribunal & Mediation Officer is responsible for managing and coordinating disputes between families, schools and the Local Authority in relation to Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision. The postholder will manage SEND Tribunal appeals, coordinate mediation and ensure that the Local Authority responds appropriately, lawfully and within statutory and tribunal deadlines.

The role requires close liaison with parents and carers, legal representatives, schools, education professionals and internal Local Authority teams. The postholder will provide advice and guidance on SEND tribunal and mediation procedures and support the effective resolution of disputes wherever possible.

Key Responsibilities

SEND Tribunal Case Management

• Manage a caseload of SEND Tribunal appeals from registration through to resolution or hearing.

• Coordinate the preparation and submission of tribunal responses and legal documentation.

• Gather, review and organise evidence from schools, educational professionals, social care, health services and internal teams.

• Monitor tribunal directions, deadlines and hearing dates to ensure timely compliance.

• Prepare case summaries, chronologies, statements and supporting documentation.

• Liaise with legal representatives and relevant professionals in preparation for tribunal hearings.

• Represent or support the Local Authority at SEND Tribunal hearings, where required.

• Track case outcomes and ensure that tribunal decisions are appropriately implemented.

Mediation and Dispute Resolution

• Coordinate mediation arrangements between parents/carers and the Local Authority.

• Liaise with mediation providers and relevant professionals to arrange meetings and exchange information.

• Support constructive communication between families and the Local Authority.

• Identify opportunities to resolve disagreements without formal tribunal proceedings.

• Maintain accurate records of mediation outcomes, agreements and follow-up actions.

• Escalate unresolved or complex matters appropriately.

Legal and Regulatory Compliance

• Ensure casework complies with the SEND Code of Practice, relevant SEND legislation and tribunal procedures.

• Maintain awareness of statutory duties, procedural requirements and relevant changes in legislation or guidance.

• Monitor statutory and tribunal deadlines and take appropriate action where risks are identified.

• Ensure decisions, correspondence and case documentation are accurate, evidence-based and procedurally compliant.

• Provide guidance to colleagues regarding tribunal and mediation requirements.

Stakeholder Management

• Develop professional relationships with parents, carers, schools, advocates, solicitors and other representatives.

• Work collaboratively with SEND teams, education professionals, social care, legal services and senior officers.

• Communicate complex and potentially contentious information clearly and sensitively.

• Handle confidential and sensitive information appropriately.

• Manage difficult conversations and disagreements in a professional and solution-focused manner.

Advice and Guidance

• Provide advice to colleagues on SEND tribunal procedures, mediation and dispute resolution.

• Support officers and managers in understanding procedural and legal requirements.

• Contribute to consistent decision-making and effective case management across the SEND service.

• Identify recurring issues and provide feedback to improve processes and service delivery.

Record Keeping and Reporting

• Maintain comprehensive and accurate case records.

• Record tribunal appeals, mediation activity, deadlines, decisions and outcomes.

• Prepare case reports, management information and performance updates.

• Monitor trends and identify learning points from tribunal and mediation cases.

• Contribute to service improvement, quality assurance and accountability.

Key Skills and Experience

• Experience of working within SEND, education, legal, complaints, appeals, tribunal or dispute-resolution environments.

• Strong understanding of SEND legislation and the SEND Code of Practice.

• Knowledge of SEND Tribunal procedures and mediation processes.

• Excellent written communication skills, including the ability to prepare formal case documentation.

• Strong verbal communication and stakeholder-management skills.

• Experience managing complex and sensitive cases.

• Strong negotiation, mediation and conflict-resolution skills.

• Excellent organisation and time-management skills.

• Ability to manage competing deadlines and a substantial caseload.

• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.

• Ability to analyse evidence and identify relevant information.

• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with multidisciplinary teams.

• Professional approach to confidential and sensitive information.

Qualifications / Knowledge

Essential or desirable qualifications may include:

• Knowledge or qualification in SEND, education, law, social care, public administration or a related discipline.

• Practical knowledge of the Children and Families Act 2014.

• Understanding of the SEND Code of Practice.

• Knowledge of First-tier Tribunal (SEND) procedures.

• Understanding of mediation and alternative dispute resolution.

• Evidence of continuing professional development in SEND, education, legal or dispute-resolution matters.

Systems and IT

The postholder should be confident using:

• SEND case-management systems.

• Electronic case-recording systems.

• Tribunal/case-tracking systems.

• Microsoft Outlook.

• Microsoft Word.

• Microsoft Excel.

• Microsoft Teams.

• Electronic document-management systems.

• Online meeting and document-sharing platforms.

Working Relationships

The postholder will work closely with:

• Parents and carers.

• Children and young people where appropriate.

• Schools and colleges.

• SEND Officers and Caseworkers.

• Educational Psychologists.

• Social Care teams.

• Education and Inclusion teams.

• Local Authority Legal Services.

• Senior SEND managers.

• Independent mediation providers.

• Solicitors and legal representatives.

• Tribunal representatives and relevant external agencies.

Personal Attributes

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Professionalism and integrity.

• A calm and sensitive approach to contentious cases.

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.

• Confidence dealing with challenging situations.

• Excellent attention to detail.

• A proactive approach to managing deadlines.

• Sound judgement and ability to maintain confidentiality.

• Commitment to fair, lawful and consistent decision-making.

• Ability to work effectively in a fully remote environment.

Typical Measures of Success

Success in the role will include:

• Tribunal responses and documentation submitted accurately and within required deadlines.

• Effective management and progression of SEND appeals.

• Mediation meetings arranged efficiently and appropriately.

• Accurate and comprehensive case records maintained.

• Effective communication with families and professional stakeholders.

• Compliance with SEND legislation, statutory requirements and tribunal procedures.

• Appropriate implementation and monitoring of tribunal outcomes.

• Identification of learning points and contribution to improvements in SEND dispute-resolution processes.