Statutory SEND Officer

Northumberland County Council’s (NCC) vision is ‘Land of Great Opportunities’, for current and future generations. We believe there is no better place to live and work.

The Statutory Assessment and Review Team within Northumberland County Council coordinates statutory Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessments and maintains Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The team works with families, schools and multi-agency partners to gather professional advice, ensure statutory timescales are met and oversee the review and amendment of EHCPs.

Information About This Role

As a Statutory SEND Officer, you will be responsible for managing a caseload of learners with special educational needs who attend a variety of schools, settings and colleges throughout Northumberland. You will coordinate Education, Health and Care (EHC) Annual Reviews and plan amendments, working closely with families, education settings and partner agencies. You will be responsible for producing high-quality, legally compliant EHC Plans, ensuring statutory requirements are met and supporting children and young people to access the right provision at the right time. The role offers a blend of office-based working, home working and attendance at meetings across a range of educational settings and community locations. As such, you will need to be confident working autonomously to manage administrative tasks and caseload responsibilities, while also embracing the collaborative nature of working with colleagues, families and multi-agency partners to secure the best outcomes for children and young people.

What you’ll be doing: 

• Managing a caseload of children and young people with Education, Health and Care Plans, ensuring statutory processes and timescales are met.
• Coordinating EHC reviews, gathering and evaluating advice from education, health, social care and other professionals to inform decision-making.
• Drafting, reviewing and amending high-quality, legally compliant EHC Plans that accurately reflect needs, provision and intended outcomes.
• Working collaboratively with children, young people, families, schools, colleges and multi-agency partners to support effective assessment, planning and review processes.
• Attending and contributing to reviews, professional meetings and decision-making panels, providing advice and recommendations where required.
• Maintaining accurate case records, supporting quality assurance and service improvement activity, and assisting with mediation and SEND Tribunal processes when required.

What you’ll bring: 

• A relevant degree or equivalent professional experience, together with experience supporting children and young people with SEND within education, health or social care services.
• Knowledge of SEND legislation and guidance, including the Children and Families Act 2014 and SEND Code of Practice, and the ability to apply this within statutory casework.
• Strong analytical, communication and relationship-building skills, enabling you to work effectively with families, education providers and partner agencies while managing a demanding caseload.

For further information about this vacancy, please contact Sarah Jeremiah (Statutory Assessment and Review Team Manager via email; sarah.jeremiah@northumberland.gov.uk

Why choose us? 

We have some outstanding benefits and perks to offer you, including: 

• 26 days annual leave plus public/bank holidays, rising to 31 days after 5 years of service (pro rata for part-time employees) 
• Automatic enrolment into the Local Government Pension Scheme 
• Flexi scheme (if applicable) – up to 2 days flexible leave available per month (pro rata for part-time employees) 

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What you need to know

For guidance on completing your application and for information about our Equality and Diversity principles, please see the attached guidance notes here. 

We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer. We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria. If you have a disability and would prefer to apply in a different format, please see the alternative methods below. This information will be treated as confidential and will only be used to check that you meet the essential requirements of the post.

For further information about working for NCC, please visit our website here.

Although we advertise on North East Jobs, and other websites, your application process will be directed to our Tribepad system. Please note that all communication regarding your application for this post will be sent to the email address that you have registered on Tribepad, including your invite to interview if you are shortlisted. Please check your emails regularly, including Spam/Junk, after the closing dates for notifications.

Additionally, we reserve the right to close this vacancy early or adjust the shortlisting criteria, including the pass mark for interview selection, to ensure a fair and manageable recruitment process. We encourage early applications.

Alternative application format: 

British Sign Language: northumberlandcc-cs.signvideo.net 

For those with speech difficulties or hearing loss: Text relay service dial 018001 01670 623930