Job title: SEN Resolution Officer
Salary: PO1 £38,220 - £40,777
Hours: 37
Contract: Permanent
Location: Merrion House/Hybrid
Are you compassionate and driven; passionate about making a real difference to the lives of children and young people?
We’re looking for someone with a positive, solution-focused growth mindset, exceptional people skills, and the ability to build and restore relationships with empathy and care.
As a SEN Resolution Officer, you will play a vital role in ensuring that children with special educational needs and their families feel heard, supported, and included when responding to enquiries. This isn’t about conflict - it’s about collaboration, creativity, and fairness. You’ll work restoratively to resolve disputes, build trust, and champion the needs of some of the city’s most vulnerable children.
If you’re passionate about making a meaningful impact and committed to working collaboratively with families and key partners to drive positive change, we want to hear from you!
You’ll be a key team member within our Special Educational Needs Statutory Assessment and Provision (SENSAP) service. Our overarching goal in SENSAP is to enable children and young people with complex special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to access education with all the support they need to fulfil their potential and carry out the local authority’s duties under the Children and Families Act 2014, SEND Regulations 2014, and related legislation.
Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our and ambitions.
About you
As a SEN Resolution Officer you will bring to the role:
1. In depth knowledge and understanding of current SEN legislation and reform, statutory procedures and processes governing the provision of services for children with special educational needs.
2. Previous SEND case management experience, including significant experience of managing a high case load of complex cases.
3. Experience of complaint handling and resolution, and successfully managing conflict and disputes in difficult situations.
4. Extensive knowledge and understanding of the impact of SEND on children and young people’s educational, health and social care outcomes.
About the role
In SENSAP we take a forward-thinking, innovative approach to our statutory duty, which is to delegate high needs funding, support inclusive SEND practice in education settings and manage education, health and care assessments and plans. We fully engage children, young people and families in key decision making to help them understand their options and we work together to find the educational placement that best meets an individual’s needs.
As a SEN Resolution Officer, you will represent the service and develop practice across the Special Educational Needs Statutory Assessment and Provision (SENSAP) Team to reduce the Local Authority’s exposure to risk of appeals to tribunals, complaints, litigation and judicial review/complaints to the Local Government Ombudsman. You will investigate and respond to Complaints across SENSAP, including liaison with the Directorate’s Central Customer Relations Team, to ensure speedy resolution of all complaints. You will also contribute to embedding a culture of customer services, including the delivery of training and development sessions, across SENSAP.
What we offer you
We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:
5. a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
6. membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
7. flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
8. a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
9. a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further
How to apply
Please complete the online application form.
Read our guidance for further advice. Please check your information carefully and ensure you complete all sections before submitting your application.
A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be carried out on preferred candidates. Read our recruitment of ex-offenders policy.
We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.
This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.
If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.
Job description
Job purpose:
10. To represent the service and develop practice across the Special Educational Needs Statutory Assessment and Provision (SENSAP) Team to reduce the Local Authority’s exposure to risk of appeals to Tribunals, complaints, litigation and judicial review/complaints to the Local Government Ombudsman.
11. To prepare and co-ordinate complaint responses across SENSAP, including liaison with the Directorate’s Central Customer Relations Team, to ensure speedy resolution of all complaints.
12. To support the embedding a culture of customer services, including the delivery of training and development sessions, across SENSAP.
Responsibilities
13. Prepare responses to Stage 1 and 2 complaints, Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) investigations and other complex queries, as well as corresponding and meeting with the LGSCO where required
14. Prepare responses to Members of Parliament, elected members and legal counsel where required
15. Provide reports and case statements in the use of formal and informal disagreement resolution processes
16. Support colleagues in the preparation of responses to First-Tier Tribunal such as coproducing working documents with families and key stakeholders, formal complaints, leadership or member enquiries and other situations where parents/carers may be taking legal action against the authority
17. Attend mediation meetings prior to appeals going to SENDIST
18. Organise and chair restorative conciliation meetings in order to de-escalate complaints and appeals i.e. mediation and tribunal
19. Work restoratively with key stakeholders including direct engagement with school and systems leaders
20. Make appropriate, independent judgements about complex cases in relation to children and young people with SEND, and look for and discuss solutions with staff, families and young people
21. Attend key strategic meetings across the city that may impact on children and young people in relation to complaints and the LGSCO
22. Provide training and present information for individuals and groups of stakeholders, such as SENCos, parents/carers and other services, where required
23. Provide advice and reports for Children and Families Service leadership team where required
24. Maintain highest personal standards through participating in continuing professional development
25. Undertake reviews of your performance against set outcomes
26. Maintain effective relationships with staff at all levels within Childrens Services, other Council Directorates, Elected Members, external agencies and the general public.
27. To manage relevant staff members within the team and to respond flexibly to the changing shape of the service
28. Apply Council Values and abide by all relevant policies and procedures in particular those relating to Safeguarding, Equality and Diversity, and Health & Safety
29. The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.
30. Support overall improvement of the quality of EHC plans through complaints feedback, ensuring compliance with locally agreed quality assurance protocols
31. Work flexibly within the service to provide support where it is needed in line with key priorities and pressures such as preparing and amending EHC plans.
Qualifications
Relevant degree or equivalent professional qualification such as social work, youth work, education welfare or teaching/careers or equivalent skills knowledge in a similar post.
Essential requirements Candidates will only be shortlisted if they can demonstrate that they meet all the following essential requirements.
32. Able to analyse and interpret multi-agency professional reports, and summarise and consolidate these in a logical clear and concise way.
33. Able to make judgements about children and young people’s SEND and the provision required to meet those needs.
34. Able to manage self and resources, to work independently and manage time effectively.
35. Able to manage incremental and fundamental change effectively. To respond flexibly to new ideas and promote change as a natural process within the LA and the wider social context.
36. Able to work restoratively and to use reflective learning as a means to continually improve practice and knowledge.
37. Able to deliver sensitive messages in a constructive way. Present feedback with sensitivity, honesty and clarity.
38. Able to deal effectively with conflict.
39. Able to maintain the highest levels of mediation, negotiation, communication and interpersonal skills ensuring professional standards in managing and responding to complex issues are maintained.
40. Able to use ICT and technology effectively.
41. Able to travel across the city to different schools and homes on a daily basis.
42. Basic understanding of SEND Code of Practice 2015 and associated legislation.
43. Up to date knowledge of Preparing For Adulthood agenda.
Essential Behavioural & other Characteristics
44. Resilience, self-confidence and the ability to reflect on practice
45. Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct
46. Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon
47. Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
48. Carry out duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health, Safety and Wellbeing
49. Participate in appraisal, training and development activities to ensure up, to date knowledge and skills.
50. Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding equality & diversity of Leeds City Council.
51. Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person
52. Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
53. The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.
Desirable requirements Candidates are not required to meet all the following desirable requirements, however, these may be used to distinguish between candidates
54. Able to deliver high quality, engaging training/development sessions for a range of audiences.
55. Knowledge of the legislation applying to SEND. In particular, the Children and Families Act 2014 and associated legislation.
56. Working knowledge of other wider legislation relating to education of children and young people with SEND e.g. exclusions, attendance and admissions.
57. Knowledge and understanding of statutory SEND systems, processes and protocols.
58. Relevant experience in similar post.
59. Relevant experience in an educational establishment (school, alternative provision, training provider, etc.)
60. Relevant experience in non-educational settings or through qualifications e.g. counselling, conflict resolution, project management
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