Job Description: Summary of job:

To provide accurate and impartial information, advice and support to families on matters relating to SEND with particular regard to the SEND Code of Practice 2014.

Key tasks and responsibilities:

1.To provide information and advice to families about:

• the law on Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND);
• Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans and procedures;
• Personalisation and Personal Budgets;
• the Local Offer;
• managing mediation, appeals to the first-tier tribunal (SEND), exclusions and complaints;
• SEND support in early years provision, mainstream schools and post-16 institutions;
• local provision in mainstream, resourced mainstream and special schools;
• applying information to the service user’s own situation;
• where to go for additional support locally or nationally;
• what to do when things go wrong.

2. To provide confidential and impartial information, advice and support to young people directly, if requested.
3. To signpost to additional/alternative local or national sources of advice, information and support.
4. To be the first point of contact for initial enquires to the service, responding to telephone calls and emails within 2 days, giving initial information and advice, signposting and converting to cases appropriately.
5. To provide tailored casework for families through phone, email and face-to-face contact in a range of settings across the Borough, including in the family home, by:

• Preparing for and, where essential, attending meetings;
• supporting contribution to assessments and reviews;
• supporting participation in decisions about outcomes;
• supporting and empowering families with relevant correspondence.
• providing information about additional support services where needed.

6. To provide support for families during the EHC assessment and planning process:

• acting as a named contact person;
• liaising across a range of agencies;
• providing information to help with understanding of Personal Budgets

7. To provide support when things go wrong, including by:

• arranging and/or attending early disagreement resolution meetings;
• helping parents to manage mediation, appeals to First-tier Tribunal, exclusions & complaints, including attending meetings;

• making children, young people and their parents aware of the Local Authority’s and the Clinical Commissioning Group’s services for resolving disagreements and for mediation, and the routes of appeal and complaint.

8. To work in a conciliatory way to facilitate communication between all  stakeholders.
9. To develop positive working relationships with all agencies involved
10. To work in line with Information, Advice & Support Service (IASS) Network Quality Standards.
11. To keep accurate records and case notes using Family Action’s case management system, and help provide detailed monitoring information for commissioners.

12.To Actively take part in Family Action’s formal appraisal and supervision processes and be responsive to critical challenge, advice, feedback and direction as part of a process of continuous improvement. Take responsibility for your own professional development, identifying and attending training which will support growth in the role.

Apply here –https://www.family-action.org.uk/job-vacancy/initial-enquiries-lead-caseworker-sendias-service-based-in-solihull/