Main purpose of the job:
To be responsible for assessing and reviewing the special educational needs of Lewisham children and young people.
To monitor the efficient use of resources in relation to pupils with Education Health and Care Plans.
To ensure that all pupils with special educational needs are appropriately placed in accordance with panel decisions.
To ensure that every effort is made to reach agreement with parents and carers through the use of mediation and disagreement resolution.
To carry out all duties under the direction of the team manager as informed by the assessment and placement panels.
Summary of responsibilities and personal duties:
Personal duties
1. To be responsible for assessing and monitoring the special educational needs of Lewisham children and young people.
2. To meet with parents, advocates and professional agencies at a range of locations to represent the LA and to negotiate appropriate provision to meet children’s needs.
3. To work with parents in assessing and monitoring Education, Health and Care Plans, encouraging, participation and engagement in processes.
4. Shared responsibility for peer support and development of staff to understand and implement SEN processes within the service.
5. To present and provide detail of cases to the SEN Manager, panel chair and panel members on proposed pupil placements, costs and travel assistance implications.
6. To issue drafts, amended drafts, final or amended final Education, Health and Care Plans following the decisions of the SEN panel.
7. To represent the LA at annual reviews as necessary, and to contribute to the formal process by providing schools, parents and professionals with advice related to this process.
8. To ensure that all reviews of Education Health and Care Plans are carried out by schools annually and that the procedures adopted by schools are in line with Lewisham policy on SEN and meet statutory obligations.
9. To liaise with the admissions team to ensure that the SEN Team has access to up to date information about vacancies in schools and resource bases
10. To liaise closely with the Attendance and Welfare Service to ensure that it is aware of pupils with SEN who are out of school.
11. To work together with services within the Children with Complex Needs service to ensure that a holistic assessment is carried out to understand and meet the needs of the children and family.
12. To secure appropriate placements for children with an Education, Health and Care plan far as possible in line with parental preference.
13. To work closely with parents/carers, social workers and other professionals in securing appropriate placements.
14. ln conjunction with SEN support services Social Care and Health, to ensure that all pupils are kept safe and receive their full education entitlement.
15. To contribute to the establishment of joint protocols and effective relationships with key statutory and voluntary partners.
16. To cease Education, Health and Care Plans as appropriate in line with statutory guidance.
17. To inform the SEN manager via established pathways of any proposed changes to provision following an annual review and update the Education, Health and Care plan accordingly.
18. To be part of a team of Senior SEN case officers and have responsibility for a specific allocation of pupils, manage a caseload and contribute to the development and implementation of efficient systems and processes to effectively meet requirements.
19. To represent the SEN manager at meetings with partner agencies, settings, schools, colleges and voluntary groups.
20. To assist in the identification of training and development needs of the SEN team, education setting and parents.
21. To undertake other duties consistent with the scope of the post and within the competence of the post-holder as required.
22. To work closely with parents/carers, social workers and other professionals in securing appropriate placements.
23. To manage the phase transitions of pupils with SEN, including, primary, secondary and preparing for adulthood including the onward transfer to other specialist services where necessary.
24. To prepare and present details of cases to the SEN placement panel and for the SEN assessment panel and to implement the panels’ decisions.
25. To contribute to the LA’s responses to mediations, tribunal appeals and complaints, including those from Councillors, MPs and the Local Government Ombudsman, as well as parents and schools.
26. To work in line with the service strategy and contribute to the progression of identified objectives.
27. To maintain a working knowledge of relevant legislation, local and national policies and service priorities as they relate to children and young people with special educational needs.
28. To maintain accurate case files and information systems including maintenance of the SEN database and ensure information is updated and monitored.
29. To participate in the Performance Evaluation System (PES) and to undertake appropriate training and development.
30. To carry these duties with due regard to the Council’s environmental policies.
31. To carry out these duties with due regard to the Council’s Equal Opportunities Policy and priorities.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
REQUIREMENTS
Knowledge:
Knowledge of Education and SEN law and processes. 3S
Understanding of areas of SEN and ability to relate this to Lewisham’s Equal Opportunities policies. 4S
Knowledge and understanding of IT Systems using databases —e.g Excel,Word, information management systems and databases
Aptitude:
Ability to complete complex processes efficiently and to a high standard within defined deadlines.
Ability to update and retrieve information held on a database. Able to use the Internet/Intranet.
Able to work in time-pressured environments using complex systems. Organisational skills — ability to work to tight deadlines and in complex situations
Experience:
Proven experience of working with children and families within an Education context 5S
Experience of effectively relating to children with special educational needs and disabilities and to further their development 6S
Experience of undertaking assessments, maintaining records and producing detailed reports. 7S
Experience of working with other professionals, including schools to meet the needs of children with special educational needs 8S
Experience of working independently in managing a caseload and to take individual responsibility for work done 9S
Skills:
Communication and interpersonal skills to work effectively with parents, young people, schools and other professionals to negotiate difficult issues and complex decisions.
Drafting skills to prepare complex documents on the basis of professional reports and interpretation of law and local policy.
Advocacy skills to present complex cases and arguments to parents, schools or third parties.
IT skills — word processing, use of databases etc.
If you are interested in this role please do reach out to me via email or telephone!
amberrayment@carringtonblakerecruitment.com
020 753 766 07
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