3 months contract with local authority
1 Day per week onsite.
Responsibilities:
* Provide leadership for tribunal and formal disagreements, including preparing cases, liaising with Legal Services, and representing the Local Authority in a legal environment.
* Ensure mediation and problem resolution is an active feature at an early stage in caseworkers’ engagement with families to reduce tribunal numbers.
* Provide advice on and attend resolution meetings with parents and other practitioners to settle disputed issues without the need for formal legal redress.
* Engage with schools and other agencies to develop an awareness and understanding of best practice in assessment, planning, and person-centered approaches.
* Lead the workforce development strategy by working with team managers to identify and resolve practice concerns.
* Respond to concerns raised via the SENDT process, and through formal and informal mediation and disagreement resolution meetings.
* Act as the main point of contact for parents, carers, or young people who lodge an appeal with SEND Tribunal or make a request for mediation/disagreement resolution.
* Coordinate matters, keep clear records, and provide quantitative and qualitative reports and briefings to inform good working practice and service improvements.
* Use management information and data to contribute to policies and support effective record keeping in the SEND Team.
Requirements
* Proven experience in dispute resolution and tribunal representation
* Strong communication and negotiation skills
* Knowledge of SEND services and legal processes
* Highly organized with the ability to keep clear records
* Proficiency in data analysis and reporting
* Understanding of EHC assessments and plans