This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job Description

Job Purpose

Leeds SENDIASS is a dedicated and identifiable service that offers free impartial and confidential information, advice and support (IAS), children and young people between 0 and 25 years who have, or may have, Special Educational Needs and/or a disability (SEND), their parents/carers and professionals that work in the field of SEND.

The provision of this IAS aims to promote independence and self-advocacy and ensure that children, young people, their parents/carers and those supporting them feel informed and empowered to play an active role in decision making, thus supporting best possible educational and other outcomes for all.

The service functions at arm’s length to Leeds City Council, ensuring that the Local Authority fulfils the requirements of Section 332a of the Education Act 1996, Children and Families Act 2014 c.6 part 3 section 32, SEND Code of Practice 2015 and National Minimum Standards for Information Advice and Support Services 2018.

To contribute to the front line delivery of a high quality, effective statutory service as detailed in SEND legislation. Working flexibly across the service to deliver a broad range of consistent, effective and personalised information advice and support (intervention levels 3 & 4 IAS) that empowers service users to understand and exercise their rights, express their views, wishes and feelings and to feel informed and able to navigate processes related to SEND. Including advocacy and representation, when required based on need.

Responsibilities

• Complete and keep up to date with relevant legally based training on all matters relating to special educational needs and disability, health and social care to act a specialist in the area of SEND.
• Provide factual, legally based and tailored advice and support to those identified via the service triage and allocations process, including 1:1 contact, modelling, representation and advocacy where appropriate.
• Ensure that service interactions are conducted in a confidential and impartial manner, in line with the service minimum standards and functions as an arm’s length service.
• Hold a caseload working with children, young people, parents and carers, educational providers, the LA and partner agencies whilst working in line with SEND Law and statue including SEND Code of Practice 2014, SEND Regs, Children and Families Act 2014, Tribunal Regs, HESC Rules and the Education Act.
• Undertake individual casework, that empowers service users by providing clear impartial information and explanation of the range of SEND practices, procedures, roles, responsibilities and support available, tailored to the specific needs of an individual child/young person to enable appropriate, informed decision making and confidence to take an active role concerning the child/young person’s education, health and care needs.
• Ensure parents, carers, children and young people are fully aware of their rights and support them to navigate SEND processes in line with their needs, this may include modelling, advocacy and representation at SEND meetings.
• Provide tailored advice and support around disagreement resolution and the mediation process, this may include attending to support or represent parents to achieve successful agreement where possible with schools, parents and LA teams and wider services.
• Provide tailored advice and support before, during and following a SEND Tribunal appeal, including support to follow process, with paperwork and evidence gathering. Dependent on the needs of the parent or young person, this may include support and advocacy during a hearing to ensure that the parent or young person’s views are represented.
• Provide specialist SEND advice and consultancy to professionals and other agencies about SEND approaches, statutory requirements and advise on appropriate referrals to services to assist them in the delivery of appropriate support where a child or young person has special educational needs or disabilities (SEND).
• Use a restorative approach of high support and appropriate high challenge to work with schools, governing bodies, direct services and the local authority in line with the SEND Code of Practice and other relevant legislation and guidance. Interpreting and applying them consistently.
• Provide and model strategies to support service user communications with schools, Local Authority and other agencies and efficient signposting to relevant teams, services, support agencies and other sources of information and advice, relevant to the nature of the enquiry.
• Produce and deliver training to local education, health and social care professionals, parents, carers and young people to increase knowledge of SEND law, guidance, policy, issues and participation.
• Work collaboratively with stakeholders, groups and relevant organisations to improve the range and quality of the information and advice offered to children and young people with SEN and/or disabilities (SEND) and their parents and carers.
• Ensure safeguarding matters are considered in all aspects of work, recognising and acting where concerns of risk are identified, including attendance at child protection conferences, reviews and core group meetings for case work when appropriate.
• Obtain and accurately record key information and service interactions, related to case support, onto the service database, in line with agreed processes, protocols and GDPR requirements, allowing for effective and continuous service support and accurate data reporting. Ensuring that the information recorded is accurate for reporting of data in line with local and national reporting requirements
• Support with consultation of children and families with a SEND need, to influence, shape and inform service delivery. Working collaboratively with stakeholders, groups and relevant organisations to improve the range and quality of the service offer for children and young people with SEN and/or disabilities (SEND) and their parents and carers.
• Be responsible for, develop and lead on a specific area of expertise, as appropriate to service requirement, e.g. education, health, care, exclusion, dispute resolution and appeals or the designated young person offer.
• Identify gaps in and contribute to the ongoing development of a comprehensive and up to date SEND information resource base