SEND Casework Officer

SEND Casework Officer
Location: South East      
Pay rate:  £400 per day

Our client is looking for a SEND Casework Officer for the operational delivery for the Statutory Assessment and associated SEND processes ensuring that the Local Authority meets its statutory responsibilities. You will support the Local Authority, in the South East in meeting the requirements of the Children and Families Act 2014 and the SEND code of Practice 2015.


Perfect candidate will be:

• Recognised and relevant professional qualifications e.g. teaching qualifications, social work, other level 6 qualifications, management qualifications.
• Evidence of skills, knowledge and experience to be able to assess and manage risk for the most vulnerable children.
• Work in a Social Services Directorate or other Statutory or Voluntary Agency.
• Constantly striving for continuous improvement to provide the best outcomes for individuals and their families
• Highly skilled at building meaningful relationships with children and families to engage them in assessments and plans
• Committed to providing our service users with a high-quality service
• Experienced in working in a multi-disciplinary, interagency basis
• Knowledge of legislation relating to general social work practice
• 4 Years plus Qualified

In this role you will:

1. Responsible for the operational delivery for the Statutory Assessment and associated SEND processes ensuring that the LA meets its statutory responsibilities. Support the LA in meeting the requirements of the Children and Families Act 2014 and the SEND code of Practice 2015.
2. Promote professional standards in the service by delivering outcome focussed assessments and contribution to the service and the wider success of the Council and Local Area for Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
3. Act as the Lead for Education, Health & Care assessments (EHCPs) ensuring that plans are of a high quality and are reflective of the young person’s needs.
4. Lead on an area of specialism, taking responsibility for the portfolio. A range of specialisms will be required across the team of Senior Assessment and Review Officers, which will include Management, CLA, Independent Commissioning, CYP in Specific Circumstances (e.g. EHE/YOT/Young Carers & SME), SENCo. Support and Development, School Funding and Training.
5. Directly manage a small team of Assessment and Review Officers. Ensure effective management of all staffing matters within their service area, including supervision, appraisal, sickness absence, capability. Ensure service key performance indicators are achieved and highlight any concerns to the SEND Operational Manager.
6. Act as a key point of contact for children, young people, and their families with complex special educational needs to include ensuring appropriate arrangements of services, advice, support, and guidance.
7. Co-ordinate practitioners and services around the needs of child, young person, and their family, identifying when specialist (Social Workers; Educational Psychologists; Occupational Therapists; Speech & Language Therapists and other JOB DESCRIPTION professionals) involvement is required, make the appropriate contacts, and ensure effective liaison with these practitioners, including person centred planning meetings.
8. Promote the early identification of children and young people with special educational needs and/or a disability in line with early support principles by working in a multi-agency approach.
9. Take a lead for advising colleagues on how to increase inclusion support within universal settings and work in close partnership with settings/services securing the best outcome for children & young people.
10. Take a specific lead for a vulnerable group as outlined by The Special Educational Needs & Disability Code of Practice 2015. Oversee this cohort, research, data collection and partnership working.
11. Take a lead on the quality and effectiveness of inclusive practice, e.g. by developing training in response to government initiatives and identified needs in line with early support principles.
12. Oversee and manage caseload co-ordination including relevant decisions and authorisations in line with the SEND Scheme of Delegation.
13. Manage own caseload which will comprise of some of the most complex individual cases, using initiative to solve problems and/or inform Managers when you are aware of potential issues.

This is an agency post and Pertemps can offer you:-
Dedicated consultant who has access to all roles across the UK and is available for you to speak to, easy registration process, referral schemes and incentives, ongoing compliance managed for you, prompt and reliable payroll and lots more.

We recruit across all areas of Qualified Social Work. If you are a Social Worker and this is not the role for you, contact us about other roles including IRO (Independence Reviewing Officer), SEND, BIA (Best Interest Assessor), MASH, Children in Need, Duty and Assessment, Child Protection, Children Looked After, Children’s Social Work, Adult Social Work, Neighbourhood, Hospital Discharge, Service Manager, Head of Service, Team Manager and Assistant Team Manager.
 
This role is ideally located for those travelling from Northampton, Cambridge, Bedford, Milton Keyes, Luton, London, Oxfordshire, Reading, Bath, Swindon, Bristol, Gloucestershire, Cheltenham, Worchester, Royal Leamington Spa.