Sensory Support Specialist

**Sensory Support Specialist - West Essex**

Permanent, Full Time

Up to £26,253 per annum

Location: Harlow

Working Style: Community-based worker

**Based out of our Harlow office, this role will cover the West Quadrant, including Harlow, Epping, and Uttlesford. The role involves supporting deaf and vision impaired children, their families and education settings.**

**Normal working hours for our team are 9am to 5pm/5.30pm Monday to Friday, however there can be some flexibility around this.**

Sensory Impairment Support Specialists work with teachers within the Physical & Sensory Impairment Specialist Teaching Service supporting a caseload of sensory impaired children/young people (CYP) with a particular focus on the early years. They work in homes and education settings, including pre-schools and schools, providing advice, support and coaching in relation to the development of deaf and vision impaired children and young people.

**Accountabilities**
- Maintain, support and work directly with a caseload of children with sensory impairment (including deafness, vision impairment and deaf blindness).
- Develop the knowledge and skills required to meet the specialist educational, health, communication, social and emotional needs of CYP with sensory impairment.
- Take a leading role in established local pre-school groups for families of children with hearing impairment, contributing to the further development of additional groups for pre-school children with vision impairment.
- Work with parents/carers, teachers and other key professionals to plan, resource and implement individual programmes to support the successful development of children with sensory impairment.
- Model specific support strategies related to a child’s individual needs, communicating effectively with parents/carers and all educational setting staff including in situations that are perceived as challenging.
- Participate in delivering joint training activities with other team members for families and setting staff.
Support, in collaboration with the Specialist Teacher, the educational setting staff so that they can promote and develop the independent specialist skills of children with sensory impairment.
- Deliver targeted interventions that improve outcomes for CYP with sensory impairment and support at all points of change, including transition into and inclusion within all educational settings.
- Contribute to children’s multi-agency planning and reviews, to play a key role in facilitating effective, co-produced, One Planning, including for Education, Health & Care Plan Needs Assessments and Outcome meetings.
- Develop and maintain an area of responsibility for creating specialist resources and disseminate these to other team members.

**The Experience You Will Bring**

**Essential**:

- Educated to RQF Level 3 (A Level) or higher, or equivalent by experience.
- Evidence of continuing professional development with good knowledge within a relevant professional area.
- SEND training is desirable (particularly in relation to deafness or vision impairment).
- Experience of working with CYP with SEND.

**Desirable**:

- Excellent interpersonal skills with experience of delivering training to individuals or small groups.
- Experience of working effectively in partnership with families and other professionals in a multi-agency environment.
- Ability to plan and implement individual learning programmes.
- Experience of working with Early Years CYP with SEND.

**Please note that the job role requires you to be mobile throughout an operational area. Therefore, the post holder will need to have a driving licence and access to a vehicle, or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means.**

To read more about us please visit: Education

**Why Essex?**

Essex County Council has a location to be proud of. Our 1,300 square miles stretch from Constable Country to the Thames Estuary, from the dynamic M11 corridor to the traditional seaside resorts of Clacton and Walton. England’s oldest town, Colchester, and two of its newest - Basildon and Harlow - are right here. Along with the City of Chelmsford, the county town, they form our major population centres. It means real choice and makes Essex the ideal place for your career. Read more about us.

We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

**Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.**

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