ROLE PROFILE Job family Care Role profile number CA09-2050 Grade I Job purpose: Manage allocated work and cases to maintain or improve the wellbeing of clients. To determine care packages/support plans. Grade I posts are higher in ‘Creativity & Innovation’ and ‘Decisions’ with the requirement for decisions on less well established situations where only general guidelines are available to support the decision making process. This level of post will require postholders to be working towards a professional qualification in a relevant field. Factor Relevant Job Information Supervision and/or Management of People No full management of a team but will be required to monitor the quality and quantity of the work of others. Will provide advice, guidance and support to colleagues to ensure whole team achievements are met. Indicative qualifications HNC or equivalent experience/skills. ITQ 2 or equivalent skill and ability. Working towards relevant professional qualification. Licence / certificate / qualification required for the role. Knowledge and Skills High level of relevant and practical experience acquired on the job. An advanced understanding of relevant procedures and working practices. Advanced knowledge of specialist function relevant to service area. Excellent ICT skills including use of Microsoft applications and specialist systems. Significant experience of working with clients and client groups with complex needs. Proven ability to carry out client risk assessments to identify eligibility for service provision and/or risk of harm. Proven ability to advise and guide clients to encourage development and to access services to which they are entitled. Ability to build trust and confidence with clients, client groups and colleagues. Proven ability to interpret situations, analyse behaviours to make judgements and deliver interventions to achieve outcomes. Proven ability to deliver training. Creativity and Innovation Work on own initiative to manage own activities and contribute to longer term activities / plans. Creativity and innovation is a feature of the job along with ability to interpret general guidelines to resolve issues. Identify areas where improvements could be made within own role. Use independent analysis and judgement to apply knowledge of systems, procedures and best practice and in assessing risk to clients or others. Subject to practices and procedures which have clear precedents or operational guidance. Subject to managerial control and review of results May research and resolve problems as part of a support team. Provide advice and guidance on processes and procedures, escalating complex cases/issues appropriately and in line with agreed procedures. Identify eligible client needs and organise services to meet those needs by direct and / or third party provision of advice and support. Develop appropriate support packages and care plans through the accurate identification of client’s needs, monitoring and reviewing the needs and services as required. Assist in more complex cases under supervision, or where appropriate shadowing experienced colleagues. Contacts and Relationships Providing more specialist / professional advice and guidance where the situation and outcome are not straightforward or well established. Liaise with professional colleagues, providers and external agencies to gather and exchange information and to co-ordinate actions and interventions where required. Involves supporting or guiding colleagues / customers / stakeholders on issues relevant to the service area. Deal with people at all levels confidently, sensitively and diplomatically. Be first point of contact on a range of queries from internal / external customers, will be dealing with challenging situations where influence could be required. Support parents or carers regarding development issues including complex problems. Contacts will include: Colleagues, senior managers, partners, customers, members of the public, and stakeholders. Decisions – Discretion & Consequences Using general guidelines and utilising a wide range of relevant information, make decisions where advice is not readily available. Assess the options and take appropriate action, where only general guidelines exist. Decisions to ensure outcomes are achieved which serve the best needs of the customer and as a consequence can result in improved services. The consequences of the decisions will have a material effect on the service. Conduct assessments of clients’ circumstances and issues to determine intervention / referral to the appropriate service. Appropriate support/care plans are developed; considerations are made to the cost effectiveness. Resources Little or no responsibility for physical or financial resources. Work Demands Work subject to interruptions and at times may be competing demands of work priorities. Work Environment Work may require some physical effort. Work potentially involving some risks due to nature of activities being provided and / or environment or public / customers. Our Identity Our Identity sets out who we are and provides a shared understanding of how we are all expected to lead, work and act with each other, our partners and our residents to deliver our services and build stronger communities. They enable us to continually evolve and adapt to meet the changing needs of our residents and ensure that we continue to deliver great services and make a difference to the people of Wiltshire. All of us are expected to demonstrate the elements of Our Identity in how we work to shape and create the organisation we want to be part of. It should influence our decisions, activities, projects and ways of working Health & Safety All employees are required to carry out all duties and responsibilities with reasonable care for the health and safety of self and others and report any potential hazards or unsafe practices to their line manager. Equalities Wiltshire council is committed to ensuring employees do not discriminate against colleagues, suppliers or third parties at work or harass or victimise others. Incidents of discrimination at work are taken seriously and employees are encouraged to report incidents via their manager or anonymously via the whistleblowing policy. Authority to work in the UK All employees must have the legal authority to work in the UK. Non-EU nationals must have the relevant approval to work in the UK from the UK Border Agency. Copies of all documents provided as proof of identity are retained for our records, by providing these proofs the council will treat this as consent. The above profile is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employees in this role and does not detail a list of all duties and responsibilities. The Council reserves the right to amend this role profile as necessary. ROLE DESCRIPTION Role description: SEND Lead Worker Role profile family: Care Role profile number and grade: CA09-2050 Grade I Number of posts: Service/Team: Special Educational Needs & Disability (SEND) Reports to: SEND Team Manager Job Family overview Care job family overview: Support and assist the well-being of individuals and groups to assure their protection, security and development • Safeguarding, protection and care • Community, residential, day or field settings • Ongoing risk/needs assessment of and advice for individuals/groups • Specification of any non-council provision • Individual or small group emphasis • Likely to involve immediate response to client Service / Function Context The overall responsibilities of the service/function are: The birth to stability (0-25) Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities Service exists to improve outcomes and make a positive difference to the lives of children and young people with SEND, and their families, who require support to be included in their community. The Service will provide high quality, coordinated child, young person and family-centred services which respond to needs and adopt a preventative and early help approach. Whenever and wherever possible services will be provided at a mainstream universal level (within communities) and barriers to this will be removed. The Service will adhere to agreed key operating principles designed by customers and staff, and which ultimately place the child, young person and their family at the heart of service provision and empower them to live the life they choose. This will be achieved by enabling the provision of timely, coordinated services, planned in partnership with each child, young person and their family. Job Purpose To act as the key point of contact for the young person and family, and to coordinate any activities that are required to assess needs, meet any outcomes specified, and ensure the provision of holistic care and support. There will be a requirement to coordinate the Education, Health and Care Needs assessment process, working with the child, young person and their families to identify outcomes and how these can be met. The SEND lead worker will be the person who liaises with other professionals to ensure that the child/young person and their family has an organised and coordinated approach in order to meet their outcomes. Specific duties and responsibilities include: • Act as a single point of regular and consistent contact for children, young people with SEND and their families, when being supported with a ‘My Plan’. • The SEND lead worker will work with colleagues to support inclusion in mainstream and universal settings. • The SEND lead worker will ensure the appropriate arrangement of services and advice, support and guidance. • To provide advice and support for settings/services and families on SEND related matters including when applying for statutory assessment for individual children. • To work in close partnership with settings/services securing best outcomes for children and young people with SEND. • To promote the early identification of children and young people with SEND additional needs. • Co-ordinate practitioners and services around the child, young person and their family. A key role of the SEND lead worker will be to identify when specialist (Social workers, Educational Psychologists, Occupational Therapists, other professionals etc.) involvement is required, make the appropriate contacts and ensure effective liaison with the specialists. Arrange person centred Team Around the Child meetings (Multidisciplinary and/or multiagency) as required. • Be proactive in promoting multi agency partnership working as best practice. To be instrumental in developing pathways for joint working- including Every Child matters and the National Service Framework. • Co-ordinate and facilitate a joint Education, Health and Care Needs assessment process and single holistic person centred plan that focuses on the child or young person’s educational, health and social care needs in line with the Education Act 2011 and when appropriate the NHS and Community Care Act 1990 and other legislation and organisational policy and reviews. • Ensure that each need identified in the assessment is matched to an outcome in the plan. The plan will be agreed with young people and their families. • Responsible for drafting and finalising single plans, including those with statutory protections. Ensure that the plan is reviewed as agreed. • Enable young people and their families to identify and agree outcomes and how they can be achieved, including discussing the option of a personal budget. It will be necessary at all times to work to the key operating principles of the service to ensure that the young person and their family have choice and control and that the services provided are cost effective and that any risks are clearly identified. The SEND lead worker will apply criteria and when appropriate, the Fair Access to Care Criteria in relation to the provision of services. The SEND lead worker will operate within and across the legislative frameworks for children’s services and adult social care. • Support children and young people to move between non statutory and statutory support as required. When moving into statutory support they will be responsible for monitoring work progress to ensure that national indicators and legislative deadlines are met. • Raise the quality and effectiveness of inclusive practice - to develop and deliver training in response to government initiatives and identified needs, for example in keyworking, working in partnership and person centred thinking. • Understand, and deliver on, departmental priorities for high quality services, aiming for good results in Key Performance Indicators. • Be responsible for collecting and recording relevant data that will inform strategic planning and commissioning, as requested. • Management of own caseload - prioritising work and tasks appropriately and using effective time management skills. Working within guidelines and using own discretion • To carry out all tasks and responsibilities in accordance with legal requirements across education, health and social care, including identifying if a vulnerable child/young person may be at risk • To contribute to the development of the SEND service, to respond to operational needs by initiating, developing and implementing innovate solutions. • May deputise for a Senior SEND lead worker, as and when required Specific requirements for this post: ? Travel to settings and family homes required on very regular basis Person Specification Specific qualifications, knowledge, and skills required for this role: Essential Knowledge • Knowledge of current & developing national policy in relation to children’s services e.g. Children & Families Bill, Working Together 2013. • Evidence of continuous professional development and/or training. • Recognised qualification in early years, social care, health or education to a minimum of level 4 or prepared to work towards one in the near future. Skills • Experience of supporting children/young people/families with SEND • Experience of co-ordinating multi professional meetings. • Extensive experience of working in partnership with children, young people and their families, particularly those with SEND. • Ability to establish a successful and trusting relationship with the child or young person and family • Ability to empower the child or young person and family to make decisions • Extensive experience of supporting and advising settings/other practitioners Enabling characteristics • Good team player who can also work on own initiative with ability to prioritise tasks. • Good negotiator • Excellent written and verbal communication skills • Knowledge of all relevant current legislation and frameworks • Good IT skills, Word, databases, internet, email etc • Full UK driving Licence holder • Previous experience working in health, social care or education environment Desirable ? - Career graded posts This post does not form part of a career grade. OR This post forms part of a career grade progression structure, designed so that postholders can progress once academic qualifications and experience thresholds have been met. This is subject to a vacancy or funding (with work required at the skill level) being available and a successful selection exercise. The posts that form part of this career structure are: • • Supporting information Driving classification Occasional driver A valid UK driving licence is not required. Occasionally may need to travel to different locations in order to undertake the duties of the role. Regular Driver Must hold a valid UK driving licence (with no more than 6 penalty points) and have access to either their own car or a pool car in order to undertake the duties of the role unless other forms of transport are available and viable to perform the role, including public transport. Or a reasonable adjustment has been agreed. Required Driver Must hold a valid UK driving licence (with no more than 3 penalty points) and will drive a vehicle supplied by the Council in order to undertake the duties of the role. Employees should refer to the Corporate Driving at Work policy for further information. Political restriction This role is politically restricted. The job holder is not permitted to undertake political activity involving standing for election as a member of parliament, as a member of the Scottish or Welsh Parliaments, or a local councillor. The job holder is furthermore not permitted to canvass on behalf of a political party or a person who is already, or who seeks to be, a candidate. In addition, they may not speak to the public or publish any written or artistic work that could give the impression they are advocating support for a political party This role is not politically restricted Professional fees and related occupational costs As part of this role, or to support professional development, the job holder is required to be a member of a professional body or association. The job holder is responsible for payment of all professional fees, memberships, registrations or subscriptions and no reimbursement or contribution towards these will be provided by the council This role does not have any professional or occupational membership requirements Clearances – Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) This role will be engaged in ‘regulated activity’ providing specific services relating to children or vulnerable adults and is subject to a Disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service. This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and will require an Enhanced DBS check before appointment can be confirmed. This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and will require a Standard DBS check The role requires a Basic DBS check to check for convictions and cautions that are considered to be unspent under the terms of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. This role is not subject to a Disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service in order to undertake the duties of the role. Clearances – Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) This role requires access to the UK government Public Services Network (PSN) and is subject to a BPSS check This role is not subject to a BPSS check Clearances – Non-Police Personnel Vetting (NPPV) This role requires working in partnership with the police, and/or having access to Police related systems and is subject to a NPPV check at level 2. (regular access to police premises and police information, intelligence and financial or operational assets. Occasional access to those deemed ‘secret’). This role requires working in partnership with the police, and/or having access to Police related systems and is subject to a NPPV check at level 3(regular unsupervised access to police premises and/or access to police information and/or information systems and/or hard copy material either on police premises or by remote access up to “secret” level. A level 3 includes a check on you, your spouse/partner, co-residents, and all family members). This role is not subject to a NPPV check Safeguarding For all roles within Children’s Services. Wiltshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and all staff are expected to share this commitment. You will be expected to report any concerns relating to the safeguarding of children, young people or vulnerable adults in accordance with agreed procedures. If your own conduct in relation to the safeguarding of children, young people or vulnerable adults gives cause for concern, the council’s agreed child protection/vulnerable adults protection procedures will be followed. For all roles within Adult Social Services. Wiltshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable adults and all staff working for the council are expected to share a commitment to this. You will be expected to report any concerns relating to the possible abuse of a vulnerable adult in accordance with the agreed interagency safeguarding adults’ procedures. If your own conduct in relation to the safeguarding of vulnerable adults gives cause for concern, the council’s agreed interagency safeguarding adults’ procedures will be followed, alongside implementation of the council’s disciplinary procedure. The job holder is accountable for their safeguarding of vulnerable adult responsibilities to their line manager. For all other roles within the council. Wiltshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and all staff are expected to share this commitment. You will be expected to report any concerns relating to the safeguarding of children, young people or vulnerable adults in accordance with agreed procedures. If your own conduct in relation to the safeguarding of children, young people or vulnerable adults gives cause for concern, the council’s agreed child protection/vulnerable adults protection procedures will be followed. CA09-2050 SEND Lead Worker June 2021 Page 9 of 9 Preparation for Adulthood SEND Lead Workers required to cover whilst undergoing recruitment 1x PfA SEND lead worker to manage Caseload 1x PfA SEND Lead Worker to support amending plans.