SEND Inclusion Partner, Basildon

Essex County Council has embarked upon a programme of change for provision and services with the ambition to profoundly improve the outcomes and life experience of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Our vision is for a SEND system which identifies and assesses need at an earlier stage and which provides appropriate and impactful support without such high dependence on Essex County Council's statutory services. We have a responsibility to deliver effective services and support in the most cost effective and impactful way.

As part of the South Essex and countywide Inclusion and Psychology Teams, the SEND Inclusion Partner will work in partnership with schools, settings, college leaders and partnerships to drive practice both in individual and clusters of schools and settings supporting them to be inclusive and deliver improved outcomes for CYP, 0-25, with SEND. Building capacity for educational settings to assess, plan, deliver and review provision for children with SEND inline with the SEND Code of Practice 2015 is core to the Inclusion Partner role.

Candidates will need a proven track record of influencing change in educational settings that promotes inclusion and positive outcomes for children and young people with SEND. The ability to build strong working relationships and influence senior leaders both internally and externally is key to success.

• Accountable as the link Inclusion Partner for specific schools, settings, colleges or partnerships, to review, assess and improve practice and consult on the development of One-Planning, Education, Health and Care Needs Assessments (EHCNA) and Annual Review processes, with the intention to improve outcomes for CYP with SEND.
• Responsible for providing high quality professional education advice and support to individual/clusters of schools, settings and colleges, to deliver an inclusive education for children and young people with SEND, i.e. Autism, Language and Communication, Social Emotional and Mental Health and Cognition and Learning difficulties.
• Responsible for supporting the delivery of school/setting led SEND, including peer to peer development, within clusters of schools and settings and dissemination of up-to-date specialist knowledge in an area/s of SEND. Evaluating the impact of initiatives to learn from both success and understand setbacks.
• Work strategically with schools, settings and colleges, influencing leaders to evaluate the existing offer and build capacity through coaching, training and development to assess, plan, deliver and review suitable provision for children with SEND.
• Responsible for identifying and deploying targeted support within schools, settings, colleges and with families, to improve the inclusion and/or successful transition for children and young people with severe and complex SEND. Ensure maximum impact of interventions and the efficient and impactful use of resources through effective monitoring and evaluation.
• Working in collaboration with internal and external partners, manage complex casework to maintain sustainability of placement, resolve breakdown and prevent exclusion, including responding to and resolving complaints.
• Responsible for undertaking Annual Reviews of children and young people placed in out-of-authority independent special schools, to ensure placements are fit for purpose for Essex children, with a view to achieving positive outcomes and, wherever possible, supporting transition back to Essex settings.
• Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.

• Educated to RQF level 6 (Bachelor's degree), with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) or equivalent.
• Evidence of continuing professional development and expert knowledge in relevant area of SEND; a Masters degree in a specialist area is highly desirable along with a commitment to further training and development.
• Substantial, relevant teaching or Early Years' experience, with strong evidence of working with children with SEND.
• In depth working knowledge of the SEND Code of Practice and other relevant national legislation.
• Experience of working in partnership with other services such as schools and settings, Health and Social Care, enhanced provisions and the voluntary sector, with demonstrable ability to build strong collaborative, working relationships, which engender delivery and influence leadership.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to deliver training and development to a range of professionals.
• Ability to drive cultural, strategic, and operational change, in a collaborative way.

Please note that the job role requires you to be mobile throughout an operational area. Therefore, the post holder will need to have a driving licence and access to a vehicle, or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means.

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.