Sias Send Support Coordinator

Your next role

We are looking for a motivated and enthusiastic individual with recent, direct, employed experience of working with families of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities to join the SEND information, advice and support service (SIAS) in a new and exciting role.

SIAS enables the independence and self-advocacy of children, young people and their families by providing free, impartial, confidential and accurate information, advice and support about education, health and social care on matters relating to special educational needs and disability, including:

1. SEND support and the graduated approach;
2. Statutory processes including EHCPs, suspensions and exclusions;
3. Mediations, appeals and tribunals.

The SIAS SEND Support Coordinator will work directly with families at a SEND support, and statutory processes level to help ensure that family’s views are heard and acted on so that they are an equal part of decision-making.  You will provide legally based information, advice and support that empowers children, young people and their families to express their views and wishes, understand what they can expect from education settings and exercise their rights as set out in the SEND Code of Practice and to improve outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and disability.

Your responsibilities

• To listen to children, young people and their families to develop a good understanding of their current experiences and support them to express their views and wishes.
• To work together in collaboration with families, schools and other partners from health and social care to meet need and put reasonable adjustments in place.
• To support children, young people and their families to communicate effectively with professionals or move forward when things have gone wrong.
• To provide impartial information, advice and support (IAS) on the full range of education, health and social care as defined in the SEND Code of Practice.
• To develop, deliver and assist with talks or courses for groups of parents, carers, young people and professionals about the work of SIAS and about SEND processes & procedures.
• To contribute to the production of SIAS information and leaflets and to the updating of information held on the website and social media.

About you

• You will have a relevant experience in special educational needs and disability from a health, care and/or education background.  A qualification in special educational needs will be an advantage.
• You will be experienced and confident to work in partnership with a range of different agencies and particularly with those with lived experience of SEND services.
• Possessing excellent communication skills and organisational skills, you will enjoy being part of a high achieving team and will be able to work effectively and efficiently under pressure.
• You will be competent in working with an electronic case management system and have a good level of computer skills.
• You will be committed to being a learning practitioner and to building and supporting the professional development and understanding of special educational needs in others. You will have a focused work ethic and set high standards for the service you provide.

You must be fluent in the English language (as a requirement of Part 7 of the Immigration Act “for the effective performance of a customer-facing role”).

Your next package

Please see our Rewards and Benefits offer for more details.

As an employee, you will receive a diverse and exciting environment in which to work, encouraging creativity and innovation whilst recognising the need to support ongoing personal development and a flexible work life balance.

For Swindon to thrive in the future, we need to lay the foundations now. It’s why our regeneration and transformation programmes are already underway. So, you’ll be joining us at an exciting time on our journey. We’ll look to you to share your knowledge, influence decisions and drive real, positive change. With your contributions, we’ll achieve our vision of a prosperous, re-vitalised Swindon together. And you’ll be proud to say it was made better with you.

Please see our Vision and Values page for more details.

Your next steps

Read the role profile and select the Apply button where you will be redirected to the Swindon Borough Council website to complete our online application process. Clicking the ‘Apply’ button on this job website is not an application, you must register on the Swindon Borough Council website in order to be considered for the role.

Potential applicants are sometimes put off if they don’t meet 100% of the requirements. We think individual experience, skills and passion make all the difference, so if you meet the majority of the criteria, we’d love to hear from you.

For further information about the role please contact Freyr Bendleton, Head of Service at FBendleton@swindon.gov.uk

If you are experiencing technical issues submitting your application please email resourcing@swindon.gov.uk