Description
We are committed to the development of our workforce. This position is only available to applicants who already work for Surrey County Council. We thank you for your interest in our roles and would encourage you to review our vacancies which are open to all.
The starting salary for this position is £36,873 per annum based on a 36 hour working week.
This is a 12-month fixed term contract or secondment opportunity. For internal candidates, please discuss with your current Line Manager before submitting your application.
We are excited to be hiring a new Participation Lead to work alongside 'Youth Voice Surrey', our participation team. This is a brand new role focussed on improving relationships and trust with parents, carers and families of children/young people with additional needs and disabilities.
The work base for this role is Woking, however we are a hybrid working service and from time to time, you will be required to travel across the county to fulfil the requirements of the role. This may include occasionally working outside of usual office hours.
Rewards and Benefits
1. 26 days' holiday (prorated for part time staff), rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years' service
2. Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
3. An extensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
4. Up to 5 days of carer's leave per year
5. Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
6. A generous local government salary related pension
7. Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping and many more
8. 2 paid volunteering days per year
9. Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
About the Team
This role sits within our Customer Engagement and Systems Development service, which is part of the Quality Relationships area of the Children, Families and Lifelong Learning Directorate of Surrey County Council. The service leads on developing and nurturing partnerships across agencies and organisations working with children and young people in the county, driving user involvement, embedding our renewed focus on strategic and operational planning, and supporting our workforce's learning and improvement.
About the Role
We are looking for someone who is passionate about inclusive practices and would love to work with us towards our ambition of ensuring that children and young people with additional needs and disabilities in Surrey receive an outstanding service.
To achieve this, we know that we need to build stronger relationships with the people around them; their parents, carers and the individuals and organisations that support them. We are doing this in a way that puts an emphasis on relational and restorative working with families and other stakeholders.
The Participation Lead will use their relational and interpersonal skills to build professional and productive relationships, working in a collaborative way to implement and enhance participation with families, you will be pivotal in our journey towards achieving our ambition.
The role focuses on supporting engagement activities across the education, care, and health sectors. You will ensure that families have access to meaningful participation opportunities. You will also influence professional practice and service development, ultimately enhancing service experiences and outcomes for children, young people, and their families; working towards a culture of co-production where families are visible partners in achieving change and improvement. A crucial aspect of this work is widening participation from underrepresented communities.
You will bring knowledge of Surrey and the SEND system, working within the Surrey Additional Needs and Disabilities (AND) Partnership to deliver our priorities for engagement and co-production. You will also have experience in analysing data, to provide insights to relevant boards and reports within the partnership.
Shortlisting Criteria
To be considered for shortlisting for this position, please ensure you demonstrate the following in your application:
10. Good knowledge of the SEND / Specialist system and law
11. Ability to manage a range of projects through to completion
12. Ability to analyse data, identify feedback themes and create meaningful reports
13. Ability to work with a wide range of people, using your relational working skills
14. Understanding of engagement and participatory practices
15. Understanding of accessibility and equity
Contact Us
The job advert closes at 23:59 on 31st August 2025 with interviews to follow.
We look forward to receiving your application,