Job Introduction
The Milton Keynes SENDIAS Service is looking to recruit a motivated Senior Caseworker to join our supportive and friendly team. Our service provides impartial information, advice and support to children and young people with SEND and their parents/carers, including assistance with paperwork and support with meetings.
Are you interested in making a difference to children and young people’s lives and have experience in working with and empathy towards the issues families face where children and young people have a Special Educational Need and/or Disability (SEND)? As the SENDIAS Senior Caseworker you will offer information and advice to the parents/carers, children, and young people to navigate the SEND process and achieve positive outcomes.
This is a part-time role, 25 hours per week. SENDIAS Team is predominantly home based.
We offer extensive training opportunities. You will be involved in varied outreach projects e.g. parent workshops and annual SEND Information Day. There will be opportunities to expand skillset via project work.
Main Responsibility
- Manage people and able to provide appropriate supervision and support in stressful circumstances through effective line management
- Manage the advice line, allocation of cases and other aspects of the operational day to day service delivery
- Deputise for Team Manager in all areas as and when required.
- Plan and organise own workload
- Undertake direct casework with families contacting the service.
- Maintain confidentiality whilst dealing with sensitive/confidential information.
- Provision of information, advice and support within the SEND legal framework
- Support in preparing for/attending SEN Support and EHCP meetings, Informal Dispute Resolution, mediation and preparing for SEND Tribunals
- Exploring/explaining statutory decisions
- Exclusion and complaints advice
- Maintain up to date knowledge of current and new legislation, and national and local policies
- Plan and deliver presentations and training to a variety of audiences
The Ideal Candidate
We are seeking applicants who are flexible, self-motivated and are able to work as part of a proactive team. Knowledge of the Children and Families Act 2014 and SEND processes is essential. Experience of supervising team members or having similar transferable skills is essential.
You will have a positive ‘can do’ attitude, a passion for working with children and young people with additional needs and their families and proven direct experience of providing them with advice, support and information. Your support will be outcome focussed and help develop service users’ skills and confidence in representing their own needs in the SEND process. If you have completed the IPSEA or Independent Supporter training this will be an advantage. You will need to be prepared to undertaken mandatory external legal training provided by IPSEA and other related training.
We are looking for candidates with the following skills, expertise, and qualifications:
- Educated to degree level or with equivalent experience.
- In depth knowledge of current special educational needs procedures and the current educational procedures related to exclusions, admissions, and SEND-related procedures including the statutory assessment processes leading to an education, health and care plan
- Excellent ICT skills including the use of Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Database management and online meeting platforms
- Highly developed organisational skills, ability to plan ahead, prioritise workload and pay attention to detail
- Effective written and verbal communication skills, ability to deal with difficult situations and have difficult/sensitive discussions
- Ability to work well within a team with a flexible approach is important in this role.
- Ability to work effectively as both part of a team whilst being able to work on own initiative and take responsibility for own workload
- The post holder will be enthusiastic, highly motivated and empathic with a strong commitment to provide an impartial mediatory resource to families at difficult times and in complex situations and in line with Chapter 2 of the SEN Code of Practice.
- Access to transport to attend meetings at the schools and settings.
Package Description
We are really proud of the benefits we are able to offer our staff here at Milton Keynes Council, including:-
- Local Government Pension Scheme, considered to be one of the best employer contribution rates of 19.7%
- 27 days annual leave per year in addition to statutory and public holidays, rising to 31 days after 5 years
- Holiday Purchase Scheme
- Our Professional Development Centre provides access to courses such as in-house management development programmes endorsed by the Institute of Leadership, Apprenticeship Programmes (junior and senior), coaching and mentoring and access to our Smarter Learning portal
- Cycle to Work Scheme
- Health Cashplan
- MK Advantage benefits package – a range of savings on a wide range of retail, leisure and entertainment products and services such as Pizza Express, M&S, B&Q, John Lewis and Arriva Travel.
- SmartGo – Aimed at encouraging low-carbon transport and healthy lifestyle with discounted travel e.g. Halfords, Arriva, Europcar, National Railcards and Stagecoach.
- Homebuy Scheme (for eligible roles)
- Smarter working which provides the opportunity to work from various locations including from home for a proportion of your role (subject to business needs)
- A full range of family friendly policies including enhanced Maternity, Adoption and Paternity entitlements
- Childcare Subsidy
About The Organisation
Milton Keynes is a diverse, multi cultural, adrenaline packed expanding city with so much to offer on its door step. From beautiful open spaces, a busy theatre district, large shopping centre to a number of cultural and leisure facilities.
Milton Keynes Council has an array of responsibilities, such as: education, housing, highways and social services. Altogether, the council provides over 240 services to the citizens of Milton Keynes, and to meet such an extensive and diverse range of challenges we must be innovative and dynamic to provide services successfully to meet the increasing demands that will accompany the growth of Milton Keynes. How better to contribute to that continued success than through a unique and rewarding career with us. Here at Milton Keynes Council, we pride ourselves on modelling our values, that were co-created with colleague. We are dedicated, respectful and collaborative as we strive every day to make a difference to local people and the community we serve. If you share our values and want to experience a fulfilling job measured on outcomes and results with great work-life balance, make a move to Milton Keynes Council.
