Our SEND Officers build effective and enabling relationships with families and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. If you have experience of writing, reviewing or administering Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) for learners, age 13 and over, this is your opportunity to make a lasting impact. Ideally, you will already have experience of post-16 education or Preparing for Adulthood (PfA). However, if you have related knowledge, experience, and skills as a SENCO, teacher, social worker, SEND casework assistant or therapist/assistant we will provide you with training and support so that you can develop into the role. About the team… We are a small and committed team who work closely together. Sometimes the work is challenging, but our creative, solution-focused approach means the work is highly rewarding. Many team members have worked in the SEND Service for several years while others are new to the service. This is a diverse post which involves comprehensive knowledge of the SEND statutory framework. Whether working in the office, side by side with colleagues, or some days from home, you will be fully inducted and supported. If you can prioritise independently and complete high-quality work within tight timescales, to meet statutory deadlines, we would really like to hear from you. Key responsibilities On a day-to-day basis you will be working closely with families of young people with special educational needs and disabilities to ensure bespoke, holistic delivery plans are in place that best assist the young person and their family to meet their needs. Experience of SEND services for children, young people and families will be key in this role. Your reflective nature and passionate approach will see you driving forward improvements which will be delivered through high quality work. You will be a clear and comprehensive communicator and through effective organisational skills, you will ensure that we meet and look to push beyond our obligations. Skills in mediating and a solution focussed approach are essential. Some of your role and responsibilities will be to: Manage and oversee the EHC Needs Assessment and placement process for children and young people. Ensure that each assessment is managed efficiently and within statutory deadlines. Ensure that a young person's assessed needs are accurately described in their EHCPs. Negotiate and secure educational provision and placements for children and young people across Berkshire. Ensure that all learners with EHCPs have their needs reviewed annually and that any agreed amendments to the EHCP and/ or change in provision and placement are made in consultation with parents and all other parties. We are committed to work with our partners to develop processes around co-production and ensure this is embedded in everything that we do. You will promote listening to young people at every opportunity, ensuring their views are heard, recorded and acted upon in an appropriate and timely manner. When applying, please explain your knowledge and experience of PfA and post-16 education and evidence by way of examples in your current or most recent role. Our benefits… 28 days increasing to 33 days after 3 years’ continuous service. The opportunity to buy up to 10 additional days annual leave per year and sell 5 days. Hybrid working opportunities to support your wellbeing and work-life balance. An inclusive and social working environment with a variety of staff networks. Local government pension scheme. Life insurance cover (linked to the pension scheme) Sports & social club. Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and fostering leave. Career development through internal and external training opportunities. A great office location next to travel links and Bracknell Forest’s thriving town centre. Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support your health and wellbeing. Staff dental and health plans. Discounted leisure centre and gym membership. Supermarket discount. (pro rata for part time). Our Values At Bracknell Forest Council our values define who we are and what is important to us. Our core values are inclusive, ambitious, and always learning. These values influence the way we work with each other and the way we serve our residents and engage with our communities. We make our values real by demonstrating them in how we behave every day. If you’re excited about joining a diverse team that celebrates learning and strives for excellence, we’d love to hear from you. We are committed to ensuring an inclusive recruitment process for all applicants. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support your application or interview, please let us know by contacting recruitmentbracknell-forest.gov.uk. We will work with you to support you throughout the process. Interview date Interviews will be held on Tuesday 7th January 2025. Interviews will be conducted in person, providing candidates with the chance to personally meet the team and experience our work environment. Closing date is Sunday 29th December 2024 but we will be reviewing applications regularly and reserve the right to close the advert early if suitable candidates are identified. To avoid disappointment, you are advised to submit your application as soon as possible. Please note AI is prohibited during the interview stage, any candidate using AI will be withdrawn from consideration. Want to ask us a question? For an informal discussion or to ask any questions about this role, please contact: Christina Skipper - Senior SEND Officer Tel: 01344 355068 Email: Christina.Skipperbracknell-forest.gov.uk Suzi Austin-Brookes - SEND Service Lead Tel: 01344 351758 Email: Suzi.Austin-Brookesbracknell-forest.gov.uk At Bracknell Forest we champion equality, diversity and inclusion. At Bracknell Forest Council, we are always learning, ambition and inclusive. Bracknell Forest Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults. We expect everyone employed with us to share this commitment. All successful candidates for this role will be subject to a DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) check as part of our pre-employment checks process. We can only accept applications from candidates currently residing in the UK. Candidates currently residing in the UK who require sponsorship to work are encouraged to assess their eligibility for a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) based on the relevant criteria. Please be aware that sponsorship availability varies and is subject to eligibility requirements and budget limitations. As a result, we cannot guarantee sponsorship for all roles and will evaluate sponsorship requests on a case-by-case basis. No agencies please.