Job Information
Achieving for Children is a Community Interest Company that has a public sector ethos, combined with the freedom to innovate enabling us to do things differently. As a not-for-profit social enterprise owned by three local authorities (Windsor & Maidenhead, Kingston and Richmond), we offer the freedoms of a social enterprise with the employment benefits of local government. To find out more about us .
SEND Parental Engagement Lead
Are you passionate about making a tangible difference in the lives of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families? Achieving for Children is seeking a dedicated SEND Parental Engagement Lead to champion co-production and ensure the voices of parents and carers are at the heart of strategic service development across Kingston & Richmond. This is a unique opportunity to build vital partnerships, drive service improvement, and lead engaging initiatives that truly empower families. If you're a skilled relationship-builder with a commitment to inclusive practices and a drive for excellence, we invite you to help us achieve our vision of supporting safe, happy, healthy, and successful lives for all children.
Please note the salary advertised is full-time equivalent and will be pro rata.
Operational area Kingston and Richmond Primary place of work Guildhall 2, Kingston upon Thames KT1 Appointment type Permanent Business area Education Full time/Part time Part-time Salary from £38,934 (SCP26) Salary to £41,442 (SCP29) Hours 25 Estimated Interview date/s TBC Closing Date 28/08/2025 Ref No 2085 Documents
1.
(PDF, 389.62kb)
About the role
The SEND Parental Engagement Lead will focus on fostering strong relationships to ensure parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are deeply involved in the strategic development of SEND services in Kingston & Richmond. This new and permanent role is critical for co-producing service design and improvement, ensuring that decision-making and services are responsive and relevant to the needs of children, young people, and their families.
Here are some key aspects of the role:
2. Collect and maximise access to resources for parents and carers to actively engage in service improvement
3. Facilitate engagement opportunities with agencies on service design and delivery.
4. Serve as a crucial link between statutory agencies and the strategic Parent Carer Forum.
5. Lead the SEND Parent Champions scheme, coordinating recruitment and training of parent volunteers.
If you wish to have an informal discussion about this role please contact hiring manager on
About you
We are looking for a highly motivated and skilled individual who is passionate about supporting children and young people with SEND. The ideal candidate will:
6. Possess a strong understanding of legislation and policies related to children's services and SEND.
7. Have deep knowledge of the needs and challenges faced by children, young people, and their families.
8. Be adept at building and maintaining effective partnerships across a diverse range of stakeholders.
9. Act as a passionate advocate for the voices of parents and carers.
10. Demonstrate excellent organisational and problem-solving skills.
11. Be able to work flexibly and independently to meet the needs of the service.
12. Share our passion for the vision and values of Achieving for Children.
About our benefits
We are focused on creating a positive supportive environment, where you will have access to a really wide range of resources, as well as a competitive salary and all the perks to enable hybrid working. In AfC you will also have access to:
13. 29 days annual leave, increasing to 33 days after 2 years and 35 days after 4 years with an additional day off in your birthday month (Or for term-time workers, your leave entitlement consists of the non-working periods in your contract)
14. Tailored induction sessions commencing on the date you start working for AfC
15. Local Government salary and pension scheme (LGPS or Teachers Pension)
16. Flexible working options - helping to keep a good work life balance
17. A comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme
18. A range of staff benefits and discounts
19. An excellent learning and development offer to support your career pathway
To find out about all of the breadth of benefits of working for Achieving for Children. For our social work offer. For our Recruitment Journey,
Important Information
Start dates: Achieving for Children have meaning successful candidates join on a set date in each month. Candidates are advised to prepare for this should a job offer be accepted to ensure eligible continuous service is not affected.
Right to work: The UK has introduced a new points-based immigration system affecting EU and Non-EU workers and sponsorship requirements. We advise checking the for right to work guidance.
Equality: We particularly welcome applications from sections of the community who are currently underrepresented within our teams. Achieving for Children are committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds bring important and positive contributions and can improve the way we deliver services. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer.
Safeguarding: We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
For more information about AfC: Drop in and meet Regina on the first Wednesday of every month at Civic Centre, Twickenham.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. Therefore, it is strongly advised that you complete and return your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.