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Paralegal (SEND Specialist)
Location: Hybrid (Some in-person meetings required)
Hours: Full-time, 37.5 hours per week
Salary: £30,000
Join SOS!SEN and make a real difference for children and young people with SEND.
At SOS!SEN, we believe every child and young person with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) deserves the education and support they are legally entitled to. SOS!SEN is a trusted, independent charity and we have been supporting families for more than 20 years to help them secure the right special educational provision for children and young people with SEND. Every day, we help families navigate the SEND system with expert advice, advocacy and legal support through our helpline, our advice centres, and a wide range of personalised advice services.
We're looking for an experienced Paralegal (SEND Specialist) to join our growing team. This is an exciting opportunity for someone with a strong understanding of SEND law who is passionate about delivering high-quality legal work while supporting families through some of the most challenging periods of their lives.
Working remotely as part of our advisory team, you'll play a pivotal role in ensuring our legal work is accurate, robust and consistently delivered to the highest standard.
About the role
You'll lead on the preparation, review and quality assurance of Pre-Action Protocol (PAP) letters, helping ensure that cases are legally sound before progressing. Alongside this, you'll provide direct support to families through one-to-one advisory sessions, contribute to tribunal appeal documentation, and help develop resources that strengthen the quality of our services.
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This is a varied role that combines legal expertise, client support and continuous service improvement.
Key responsibilities
Legal casework
- Assess the viability of potential PAP cases.
- Draft and review high-quality Pre-Action Protocol (PAP) letters.
- Quality assure PAP letters before they are issued.
- Support the preparation of SEND Tribunal appeal documentation, including grounds of appeal and EHCP working documents.
- Ensure all legal documentation is accurate, consistent and compliant.
Supporting families
- Deliver one-to-one SEND advice sessions to families.
- Provide practical, legally informed guidance within the scope of the role.
- Maintain accurate case records and identify matters requiring escalation.
- Ensure families receive appropriate follow-on support where needed.
Quality and service improvement
- Review and improve legal templates and working documents.
- Contribute to developing efficient processes and maintaining high service standards.
- Support continuous improvement across the legal and advisory service.
Supporting colleagues
- Provide guidance and mentoring to volunteers and student teams.
- Share knowledge and contribute to developing the capability of colleagues.
- Work collaboratively across the organisation to achieve shared objectives.
Learning and development
- As operational capacity allows, you'll also:
- Develop training materials and practical guidance.
- Contribute to webinars and online learning content.
- Help create resources for families and professionals.
About you
We're looking for someone who combines excellent legal knowledge and experience with empathy, strong organisational skills and a commitment to improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND.
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Essential experience
- Significant experience working within SEND law and practice.
- Experience drafting and/or reviewing Pre-Action Protocol (PAP) letters.
- Strong understanding of education law, SEND Tribunal processes and appeals.
- Excellent organisational and case management skills.
- Exceptional attention to detail.
- Ability to manage competing priorities and work independently in a remote environment.
- Degree-level qualification or equivalent professional experience.
You'll also bring
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- A strong eye for quality and legal accuracy.
- Confidence supporting families with complex SEND issues.
- The ability to mentor and support colleagues and volunteers.
- A collaborative approach and willingness to contribute to service improvement.
- A practical, solutions-focused mindset.
- A genuine passion for helping families secure the support their children need.
Why join SOS!SEN?
You'll become part of a committed and supportive team, working to improve the lives of children and young people with SEND across England.
This is an opportunity to use your legal expertise where it has genuine social impact while helping shape and develop an ambitious, growing organisation. You'll have the flexibility of remote working, the support of experienced colleagues, and the chance to influence how our services evolve as demand continues to grow.
If you're looking for a role where your expertise can change lives every day, we'd love to hear from you.
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