At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and improve SEND services, ensuring compliance and high-quality support for children and youth.
- Company: Local Authority in Barking with a commitment to community and inclusivity.
- Benefits: Competitive pay, hybrid working, and the chance to make a real difference.
- Other info: Initial 6-month contract with opportunities for growth and development.
- Why this job: Shape the future of SEND services and positively impact young lives.
- Qualifications: Experience in public sector SEND services and strong leadership skills.
The predicted salary is between 59576 - 68231 £ per year.
Client Local Authority in Barking
Pay Rate: £650 UMBRELLA
Hours: 36 Hours a week (Mon-Fri)
Duration: Initial 6 Month Contract
Location: HYBRID WORKING - 3 DAYS A WEEK OFFICE BASED - Barking
Job Purpose: To provide operational leadership across the EHC statutory service, ensuring the Local Authority fulfils its duties under the Children and Families Act 2014, the SEND Regulations 2014 and the SEND Code of Practice 2015. The postholder will lead service performance, quality assurance and continuous improvement to ensure the delivery of high-quality, timely and legally compliant Education, Health and Care Plans for children and youths aged 0-25.
Specific Accountabilities of the Role:
- Lead and drive service-wide performance management, ensuring statutory compliance with assessment and review timescales, ownership of key performance indicators, identification of risks and implementation of recovery actions where required.
- Provide high-quality performance reporting and analysis to senior leaders, elected Members and external stakeholders, and lead delivery of inspection readiness, including preparation for Ofsted/CQC Local Area SEND inspection and internal audit activity.
- Provide operational oversight of EHC assessment, review and casework functions, ensuring consistency, quality and timeliness.
- Ensure robust decision-making and governance arrangements, including oversight of SEN Panels, complex decision pathways and lawful placement decision-making.
- Develop and embed standardised processes, policies and procedures; lead a comprehensive quality assurance framework for EHC plans and statutory processes; identify systemic issues.
Knowledge, Skills and Experience:
- Must have public sector and SEND experience.
- Extensive knowledge of the Children and Families Act 2014, SEND Regulations 2014 and SEND Code of Practice 2015, with the ability to apply statutory duties to complex operational decision-making.
- Demonstrable experience of leading statutory SEND services at a senior operational level, including EHC assessment, annual review, quality assurance, performance and dispute resolution functions.
- Proven track record of improving performance, quality, compliance and timeliness within EHC services, including use of data to identify risk and drive service improvement.
- Strong understanding of SEND inspection frameworks, local area SEND improvement expectations and preparation for Ofsted/CQC Local Area SEND inspection.
