Job info |
Job info details |
Job title |
Head of Service Inclusion and SEND |
Strategic team/Directorate |
Children’s Services |
Service |
Children’s Services |
Business unit |
Children’s Education |
Responsible to (day to day issues) |
Divisional Director Education, Learning and Skills |
Accountable to (line manager) |
Divisional Director Education, Learning and Skills |
Salary grade |
52 - 55 |
JE ref |
HAY29 |
1. Key purpose of job
- To lead on the implementation of Inclusion and SEND covering all children and young people from 0 – 25, ensuring that we continue to drive practice forward, to deliver outstanding service for children, young people and their families.
- To act as strategic lead for ensuring that statutory responsibilities are fulfilled effectively in relation to children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.
- To provide expert services and advice to discharge the local authority responsibilities that are required under the SEN code of practice and legislation.
- To play a key role in working with our partners, within the organisation and externally, to ensure we are at the forefront of best practice.
- To act as a role model, embedding our culture and value base across the service, ensuring that children and young people are at the heart of all we do.
- To take a lead role in securing best value for SEND funding by supporting rigorous quality assurance of commissioned ‘high needs’ services.
2. Anticipated outcomes of post
- To ensure that the strategic service objectives and policies for the Council and Torbay SEND Strategic Partnership as agreed with the Divisional Director of Children’s Education are planned and delivered effectively through:
- Integration with the overall objectives of both the Council and Central Government, including as measured by key national and local performance indicators.
- Planning to succeed through analysis of all relevant information concerning costs, benefits, impact, and risks to business unit.
- Translating into successful operational reality by having the right resources in the right place at the right time.
- To plan, monitor and control revenue budgets, in compliance with financial regulations, to meet the targets set by the Divisional Director Children’s Education, Learning and Skills.
- To commission, develop and establish services so that the Service Delivery Plan objectives are fully achieved.
- To provide leadership for Inclusion and SEND across the SEND Local Area including delivery of services and prevention at SEN support.
3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post
- Develop and drive system improvement across the SEND service and work, focusing on a change in culture that places children, young people and their families at the centre of planning and values them as experts in their children’s needs.
- Develop positive and enduring partnerships with key agencies and departments within the Council and across health and education, fostering collaboration and integration across all workstreams.
- Ensure parents, carers and young people are true strategic partners in the improvement journey and are fully co-producing all aspects of delivery.
- Ensure robust leadership and management of the SEND service, focusing on improving outcomes for children and young people and demonstrating impact of work on children, young people and families.
- Oversee work with partner agencies to ensure accessibility of services relevant to children and young people with SEND.
- Contribute to the development of professional practice for SEND inclusion, working closely with early years, schools, colleges and providers to ensure that the curriculum and policies are designed to meet the individual needs of pupil with SEND appropriately.
- Represent and lead SEND decision panels, either chairing, facilitating or preparing key information to inform quality decision making.
- Work with the commissioning team to provide appropriate services and ensure expert knowledge into the oversight of the delivery and the impact on children and young people.
- Ensure that we have an effective educational psychology service which focuses on early intervention, supporting the most vulnerable children and ensuring high quality statutory overview.
- Ensure an effective and equitable allocation of ‘high needs’ resources to pupils that can be governed through IPOP.
- To work with Schools Forum to deliver and challenge the agreed areas of work for the higher needs budget, managing resources within the allocated budget.
- To lead on aspects of the development of the SEND Improvement plan (WSoA) and OFSTED framework for SEND.
- Ensure the continuous improvement in the service using creative and informative inventions as well as effective performance and quality management.
- Ensure services meet statutory and identified organisational standards and regulations, in collaboration with Heads of Service and Senior Managers for the benefit of children and young people with SEND.
- To ensure effective early help and safeguarding practices are adhered to in respect of all services managed and commissioned to provide provider provision for children and young people with SEND.
- To lead on the development of inclusive practice, playing a pivotal role in the development and delivery of the local inclusion plan and associated performance information.
- To continue to review the needs profile of children in Torbay, effectively commissioning high-cost placements and creating business change cases where required to alter commissioned numbers.
- To oversee the performance of schools in relation to inclusive practice, leading on the development of support, challenge, and training, through networks and individual school/trust conversations.
- To represent the Local Authority at Tribunals, preparing expert information in partnership with legal services.
- To lead and oversee formal and informal mediations to ensure that solutions are being co-produced at the earliest opportunity.
- To act as a key link with SENDIASS, ensuring information and intelligence is being used within the improvement and transformation work.
- To attend Head of Service Meetings, to ensure effective join up of objectives across One Children’s Service.
- To produce reports, briefings, and other programmes business cases for the Divisional Director of Education.
- To lead on the development of the SEND capital delivery plan, working with the TDA to deliver the plan in line with the agreement of School Forum and the SEND Board.
- Ensure staff are appropriately developed for their role and that performance is assessed on an on-going basis.
- Act as strategic lead for ensuring that statutory responsibilities are fulfilled effectively in relation to children in need/child protection, children in care, children with disabilities.
- Operate within legal, ethical and practice boundaries when working with families.
- To ensure appropriate security and confidentiality of all information in relation to children and any other business of the service.
- Provide expert services and advice supporting operational delivery and strategic planning.
- Represent the Council at regional sector lead events and associated national events, taking an active role in influencing the direction of travel to complement the needs of the service.
- Act as a role model, embedding our culture and value base across the service, ensuring that children and young people are at the heart of all we do.
- Lead and contribute to strategies and actions which support us to embed a professional and accountable culture which ensures children and young people are at the heart of all we do.
- Support and inform the delivery of the strategic priorities set out in the Children’s Vision and the improvement plan in line with wider Council priorities.
- The above outlines the duties required for the time being, but this is not a comprehensive or exclusive list and duties may be varied from time to time which does not change the general character of the job or the level of responsibility entailed.
4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post
- Effective budgetary management of a budget of £500,000 per year, which is complex in nature due to the delegations that are required within the higher needs block and partner agencies.
5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post
- To lead practice development within the SEND service.
- To have management responsibility for 34 staff, including direct management responsibility for:
- Senior Education Psychologist X 1
- Advisory Teacher X 4
- Portage TM Grade G X 1
- Post 16 Lead J Grade X 1
- Senior SEND Officer L Grade X 1
- SEND Monitoring Officer Team Lead X 1
- Pupil and Parent Liaison Officer F Grade X 1
- Indirect management responsibility for:
- Education Psychologists X 7
- Education Psychologist Trainee X 2
- HLTA F Grade X 1
- Portage Worker F Grade X 3
- SEN Case Worker Grade I X 8
- EHCP Co-ordinator G Grade X 3
- Monitoring Officer K Grade X 2
- Amendments Officer E Grade X 2
- To work with Senior Leaders/Elected Members/Head of Services/Principal Social Worker/Service Managers, Team Managers, leading on the development of improvement of SEND practices which utilise the services to best effect.
- To adapt a high degree of collaborative working to harness good ideas and develop practices and performance measures that can be applied across services to good effect.
6. Working environment and conditions of the post
- The work carried out can at times be demanding and will often involve situations which may be upsetting. The post holder will need the personal resources to deal with these demands within a supportive management environment and to have the capacity to support others.
- The post holder will be leading on the delivery of the SEND Code of practice, which involves significant changes to the way we deliver our services and high on the political and organisational agenda due to the potential outcome of future inspections.
7. Physical demands of the post
8. Specific resources used by the post
9. Key contacts and relationships
- External:
- The post holder will be working with senior leaders from partner agencies including, NHS, Education Providers, Community Services and the Voluntary Sector in managing the impact and complexity of the SEND agenda.
- Internal:
- Colleagues at all levels across the council including senior leaders. This will include reporting into strategic boards including the SEND Partnership Board and Children’s Continuous Improvement Board.
10. Other duties
- To undertake additional duties as required, commensurate with the level of the job.
Other Information
- All staff must commit to Equal Opportunities and Anti-Discriminatory Practice.
- The Council operates a Smoke-Free Policy and the post-holder is prohibited from smoking in any of the Council's buildings (including Council owned and Council leased buildings, but excluding designated areas in residential schemes), enclosed spaces within the curtilage of buildings, and Council vehicles. The Council does not permit smoking breaks within work time, however, in services where the flexi-scheme is in operation, employees may take reasonable break times outside of core hours, in accordance with flexi-time arrangements. Employees should follow the flexi-scheme procedure for agreeing time away from their duties in the normal manner with their immediate colleagues and line manager, with break start and finish times being recorded, as with any other break-time arrangement.
- The post-holder is expected to familiarise themselves with and adhere to all relevant Council Policies and Procedures.
- The post-holder must comply with the Council’s Health and Safety requirements as outlined in the H&S policy appropriate to the role.
- This post includes hybrid working between home and office. The office is based in Electric House.
- The post-holder must be committed to the Council’s Core Values for employees – “Torbay Council employees are committed to being forward thinking, people orientated and adaptable - always with integrity”. Evidence will be sought during the probation and appraisal processes.
- As this post meets the requirements in respect of exempted questions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, all applicants who are offered employment will be subject to a criminal record check (Disclosure) from the Disclosure & Barring Service before the appointment is confirmed. This will include details of ALL cautions, reprimands or final warnings as well as convictions, whether “spent” or “unspent”. Criminal convictions will only be taken into account when they are relevant to the post.
- Torbay Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo the checks appropriate to the post applied for.
- The post holder is expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures.
- As this post meets the requirements of the Immigration Act 2017 (part 7) the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.
Person Specification
Note for Candidate
All Candidates
The supporting statement on your application form will be used to assess ability to meet the essential requirements of the role, so you should explain how you meet each of the numbered essential requirements within your supporting statement.
In a competitive situation, the desirable criteria may be taken into consideration, so you are encouraged to show how you also meet each of the desirable criteria.
Candidates who consider that they have a disability
Reasonable adjustments will be made to the job, job requirements or recruitment process for candidates with a disability.
If you consider yourself to have a disability you should indicate this on your application form, providing any information you would like us to take into account with regard to your disability in order to offer a fair selection interview.
Where ever possible and reasonable we will make adjustments and offer alternatives to help you through the application and selection process.
If you have indicated that you have a disability on your application form you will be guaranteed an interview if you clearly demonstrate in your supporting evidence how you broadly meet the essential requirements of the role.
Job info |
Job info details |
Job Title |
Head of Service Inclusion and SEND |
Strategic team/Directorate |
Children’s Services |
Service |
Children’s Services |
Business unit |
Children’s Education |
Skills and effectiveness
Essential skills and effectiveness
- ICT Skills, including experience of using Microsoft office packages and databases.
- Evidence of applying innovative and analytical approaches to solving complex and challenging problems.
- Evidence of effective written, oral and inter-personal skills, including presentation, advocacy, negotiation and consultation skills.
- As this post meets the requirements of the Immigration Act 2016 (part 7), the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.
- Evidence of management skills, including managing staff and budgets.
- Demonstrate strong planning and organising skills and ability to multi-task.
Desirable skills and effectiveness
Knowledge
Essential knowledge
- Knowledge of statutory requirements and national guidance in relation to SEND.
- A clear and thorough understanding of the operational context within which Local Government services are intended to operate and how to apply the dynamics of working within a political environment with elected members.
- Significant knowledge and understanding of the SEND agenda and Green Paper, current social policy, good practice and legislation, including Working Together to Safeguard Children and the relevant Ofsted Inspection Frameworks.
- Significant understanding of effective inclusive practice within education provisions.
- Understanding of the funding mechanisms and conditions of the Higher Needs Block of the DSG.
Desirable knowledge
Experience and achievements
Essential experience and achievements
- A proven track record and significant experience of working at a senior leadership and management level within the field of Inclusion and SEND.
- Substantial experience as a senior leader in a school or a statutory agency delivering responsibilities for SEND.
- Demonstrable evidence of resolving conflicts between stakeholders, including parents and carers.
- The planning, controlling and monitoring of complex budgets.
- The resourcing, motivating and developing of a team.
- The management of change and performance improvement.
Desirable experience and achievements
- Previous experience of working in at least one of the following types of organisations:
- Highly diverse.
- Service oriented.
- Multi-Agency.
- Partnership.
- Proven competence in the use of at least one of the following management tools:
- Performance (e.g., EFQM).
- Quality Assurance (e.g., ISO).
- Business Planning.
- Risk Assessment, including Health & Safety.
- Projects (e.g., PRINCE2).
- Previous experience in representing an employer in a legal and/or public setting.
- An authoritative grasp of Services as detailed within the Job Roles & Responsibilities.
Qualifications/professional memberships
Essential qualifications/professional memberships
- Relevant degree such as Social Care, Health, Education, Children and Youth Work, Probation or Criminal Justice or significant equivalent experience.
- Evidence of continuing professional development in the field of SEND.
Desirable qualifications/professional memberships
- Management qualification to certificate level or equivalent or, a willingness to acquire such, in a timely fashion.
Other requirements
Other requirements of the job role
- Demonstrates a commitment to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people.
- Ability to travel efficiently around the Bay/Southwest/UK in order to carry out duties.
- Ability to accommodate unsociable hours.
- Ability to accommodate hybrid homeworking.
- Have demonstrable evidence of working to complete objectives/targets through independent working and problem-solving skills.