Sen Casework Officer - Req24925

Job title: SEN Casework Officer

Salary: £35,745 to £38,223

Hours: 37

Contract:  Permanent

As a SEN Casework Officer you’ll thrive on unlocking the talent and potential of children and young people by enabling their full participation in education, whatever challenges they face.

It’s not all about plans and processes, you bring creativity and passion to your work with young people and their families. You involve them in conversations and decisions and work productively with partners who share your ambition for all young people to live and learn to their full ability.

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.

We are also recruiting for the following roles in SENSAP:

• SEN Post 16 Casework Officer (2 full-time roles and 2 part-time roles, closing 10 July)
• SEN Casework Support Officer (2 full-time roles and 1 part-time role, closing 5 July)

Leeds children’s services are rated outstanding by Ofsted. We are committed to the ambition of Child Friendly Leeds and want Leeds to be a city where all children are safe, happy and healthy, do well at school, fulfil their potential and grow up to be active citizens with voice and influence.

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 council values and ambitions.

About you

As a SEN Casework Officer, you will bring to the role:

• a relevant degree or equivalent professional qualification, such as social work, youth work or teaching, or a proven track record in a similar role
• ability to analyse, interpret and clearly summarise professional reports from various sources
• reflective and restorative approach to continually improve practice and build positive relationships
• skills in mediation, negotiation and communication with the ability to handle conflict and deliver sensitive messages constructively
• good judgement about SEND and the appropriate provision for children and young people, with awareness of the SEND Code of Practice 2015

You will regularly have to travel around the city on school and home visits.

About the role 

The role is integral to our Education, Health and Care (EHC) casework team. We work closely with the wider SENSAP service to ensure young people with SEND can achieve their life aspirations.

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 Casework Officer you will work closely with children and families, other practitioners and agencies to gather the insight you need to conduct an EHC assessment and, if appropriate, write an EHC plan. You will identify clear objectives and hold annual reviews to support the child or young person to make progress and become equipped for adulthood in time.

The EHC team oversee provision and admissions for children and young people who have an EHC plan, at all levels from nursery to school and post-16, in both mainstream and specialist settings.

What we offer you

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

• a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
• membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
• flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
• a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
• 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. 

If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role please contact Rhena Khan, Deputy SENSAP Lead. Call 0113 376 0062 or email rhena.khan@leeds.gov.uk.

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be carried out on preferred candidates. Read our recruitment of ex-offenders policy.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

We promote diversity and want a workforce that reflects the population of Leeds. Leeds City Council is ranked 70 on the Stonewall Equality Index 2023. We are also an Age friendly employer, a Mindful employer and a Disability Confident leader.

All new Leeds City Council appointments are made subject to the satisfactory completion of a six-month probationary period.
 
This role is based in the UK. Employment is conditional on confirmation of the right to work in the UK - 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 and the role does not meet eligibility for sponsorship, please consider carefully whether you meet the eligibility to apply.

Job Description

Job Purpose 

The fulfilment of the Local Authority’s responsibilities in relation to Education, Health and Care (EHC) assessments, plans and reviews. 

Responsibilities:

• Work restoratively with children, young people and families securing positive holistic outcomes, and direct engagement with school and systems leaders. 
• Manage the EHC needs assessment and review processes for children and young people across the city. You will be expected to provide reports and case statements in the use of formal and informal disagreement resolution processes.
• Be the named officer for a caseload of children and young people in the city, fulfilling the council’s statutory responsibilities relating to Education, Health & Care (EHC) assessment, plans and reviews 
• Work flexibly within the service to provide support where it is needed in line with key priorities and pressures
• Work collaboratively with other services to ensure that CYP have a holistic assessment and so that families experience a coordinated and robust assessment process
• Make appropriate, independent judgements about complex cases in relation to children and young people with SEND, and look for and discuss solutions with families and young people
• Work to ensure that children and young people with SEND have a voice and are enabled to positively influence their assessments, provision and learning outcomes
• Ensure that parents/carers and children and young people with SEND fully understand their rights, and are empowered to express their views regarding the education of their children
• Oversee and implement the administration of the statutory EHC assessment procedures outlined in the Children and Families Act 2014
• Prepare and amend EHC plans in line with the SEND Regulations 2014 and SEND Code of Practice 2015, and in keeping with local and national standards.
• Support with the overall improvement of the quality of EHC plans, ensuring compliance with locally agree quality assurance protocols.
• Represent Leeds City Council in the EHC plan review process as and when required.
• Support the completion of key national deadlines such as transfers of children and young people between phases of their education.
• Provide advice and information to families in relation to transport for children and young people with SEND in line with local policy.
• Organise and chair restorative conciliation meetings in order to prevent complaints and appeals
• Organise, chair and attend meetings with parents/carers and schools/settings including multi agency professionals to discuss specific issues for individual children and young people with SEND.
• Provide information and advice to parents/carers and young people in relation to the First-Tier Tribunal as indicated in the Act.
• Correspond and meet with the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) where required.
• Attend key strategic meetings across the city that may impact on children and young people with SEND on your caseload.
• Provide training and present information for individuals and groups of stakeholders, such as SENCos, parents/carers and other services, where required. 
• Prepare responses to Members of Parliament, elected members and legal counsel where required.
• Provide advice and reports for Children and Families Service leadership team where required.
• Collaborate with officers and other services in relation to the Funding For Inclusion (FFI) framework, securing additional funding for eligible children and young people where this is needed.
• Support colleagues in the preparation of responses to First-Tier Tribunal, formal complaints, leadership or member enquiries and other situations where parents/carers may be taking legal action against the authority.
• Assist in the upkeep of individual children and young people’s records and data systems, and to provide data and information to support core work of the service as required. 
• Maintain the highest personal standards through participating in continuing professional development.
• Undertake reviews of your performance against set outcomes.

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.

Qualifications 

Relevant degree and/or equivalent professional qualification such as social work, youth work, education welfare or teaching/careers or equivalent knowledge and skills in a similar post is essential

Essential requirements It is essential that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria. Candidates will only be shortlisted if they can demonstrate that they meet all the essential requirements.

• Able to analyse and interpret multi-agency professional reports and summarise and consolidate these in a logical clear and concise way.
• Able to make judgements about children and young people’s SEND and the provision required to meet those needs.
• Able to manage self and resources, to work independently and manage time effectively.
• 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
• Able to work restoratively and to use reflective learning as a means to continually improve practice and knowledge.
• Able to deliver sensitive messages in a constructive way. Present feedback with sensitivity, honesty and clarity. Deal effectively with conflict.
• Maintain the highest levels of mediation, negotiation, communication and interpersonal skills, ensuring professional standards in managing and responding to complex issues are maintained.
• Able to use ICT and technology effectively.
• Able to travel across the city to different schools and homes on a daily basis.
• A basic understanding of the SEND Code of Practice 2015 and associated legislation
• Up to date knowledge of Preparing For Adulthood agenda and careers education
• Relevant skills gained from additional experience e.g., in non-educational settings or through qualifications e.g., counselling, conflict resolution.
• Resilience, self-confidence and the ability to reflect on practice.

Essential Behavioural and other Characteristics 

• Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct
• Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon
• Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council equality and diversity policies.
• Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.
• Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities 
• Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade. 
• Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities.
• Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
• Be aware of and support difference ensuring equality for all, working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & diversity. 
• Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person
• The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.

Desirable requirements It is desirable that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria.  Candidates are not required to meet all the desirable requirements however these may be used to distinguish between candidates. 

• Skills in delivering high quality, engaging training/development sessions for a range of audiences.
• Good knowledge of the legislation applying to SEND. In particular, the Children and Families Act 2014 and associated legislation.
• Working knowledge of other wider legislation relating to education of children and young people with SEND e.g. exclusions, attendance and admissions.
• Knowledge and understanding of the Leeds SEND systems, processes and protocols.
• Relevant experience in a similar post.
• Relevant experience in an educational establishment (school, alternative provision, training provider, etc.)
• Relevant experience in non-educational settings or through qualifications e.g. counselling, conflict resolution, project management.

 

 

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