SEND Specialist Support Assistant (VI)

Overview

Internal at risk or redeployee applicants will be seen in the first instance.

The Specialist Inclusion Team work alongside schools and settings across Calderdale to promote and sustain the inclusion of children and young people (CYP) with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in their local, mainstream schools and educational settings.

We are looking for an individual who is an exceptional support assistant, with an in-depth knowledge and understanding of this specialist role, to join our Specialist Inclusion Team: Sensory – Vision Impairment (VI), within the SEND and Inclusion Service in Calderdale.

You will have considerable experience of working with children and young people and ideally sensory impairments with a track record of high-quality inclusive practice.

The Sensory Team (VI) Team is responsible for the specialist assessment, planning and curriculum access for children and young people with sensor y impairments (VI). We are looking for an enthusiastic and skilled specialist support assistant to work alongside colleagues in the Sensory team, who work with the full range of educational provisions for children and young people (0-25yrs) across the borough. The advertised position is to support a young person with a significant VI need. This young person is registered blind and a brailist.

Working as part of the Sensory Team, you will work closely with the rest of the VI Teaching, Outreach and Habilitation Team to ensure that young peoples VI needs are accurately assessed and appropriately supported across all phases of education and in preparation for adulthood.

You will provide specialist knowledge and advice to children and young people, educational providers, and families to enable them to fully support their VI needs and to enable equitable access to education, learning, life skills and prepare for adulthood.

The successful candidate will work collaboratively to deliver this personalised approach to education in line with the SEND Code of Practice, NATSIP and statutory duties for those with vision impairments.

We are looking to recruit someone who is already a competent braillist or will be willing to work towards.

This post requires recent and relevant teaching experience along with a secure knowledge of inclusive practice and a commitment to ongoing professional development.

Responsibilities

• Support a young person with a significant VI need (registered blind and a braillist) across education; collaborate with VI Teaching, Outreach and Habilitation Team.
• Participate in specialist assessment, planning and curriculum access for children and young people with VI.
• Provide specialist knowledge and advice to children, young people, families and educational providers to enable equitable access to education and life skills, preparing for adulthood.
• Deliver a personalised approach to education in line with the SEND Code of Practice, NATSIP and statutory duties for vision impairments.
• Demonstrate inclusive practice and engage in ongoing professional development; seek to become a competent braillist if not already.

Qualifications

• Considerable experience of working with children and young people; ideally in sensory impairments with a track record of high-quality inclusive practice.
• Willingness to work towards becoming a competent braillist if not already.
• Recent and relevant teaching experience with a secure knowledge of inclusive practice and a commitment to ongoing professional development.

Disability Confident

About Disability Confident

A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to .

As part of our Vision we aim to be a talented, resilient and inclusive community. We welcome applications from all and offer a variety of flexible working / job share opportunities.

On 30 January 2019, the Council declared a climate emergency in a bold move to step up its action to tackle climate change.

Calderdale Council embraces the positive benefits of a diverse workforce and we are committed to providing an environment that is inclusive. We encourage applications from people who share our commitment to challenge inequality and promote diversity across Calderdale. We particularly welcome applications from communities that are currently under-represented in our organisation. All applications are anonymised before being seen by the selection panel.