Send Operations Coordinator

About the role

**SEND Operations Coordinator - South**

Permanent, Full Time

Up to £31,226 per annum

Location: Basildon

Working Style: Anywhere worker

Essex County Council has embarked upon a programme of change for provision and services with the ambition to profoundly improve the outcomes and life experience of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Our vision is for a SEND system which identifies and assesses need at an earlier stage and which provides appropriate and impactful support without such high dependence on Essex County Council’s statutory services.

The SEND Operations Co-ordinator administers the Education Health and Care (EHC) Assessment process for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities and coordinates school placement requests for children moving into Essex with an EHCP.

**Accountabilities**
- Coordinate EHC assessments and EHCP review processes, efficiently and effectively, in line with the Children and Families Act 2014, the SEND Code of Practice 2015 and Essex local authority (LA) procedures. Ensuring all legal documents produced are of a sufficiently high quality to reduce the risk of legal challenge within Tribunal and High Court arenas.
- Act as the LA representative at formal and informal dispute resolution meetings relating to requests for EHC assessments.
- Maintain existing EHCPs to ensure compliance with statutory processes and continued delivery of special educational provision in accordance with Children and Young People’s (CYP) EHCPs. Taking account of Annual Review timescales to appropriately prioritise work and attend priority Annual Reviews were necessary.
- Act as a single point of contact for families and partners during the EHC assessment process providing advice and information throughout the assessment. Ensure children, young people and their families are fully involved in the assessment and/or review process.
- Responsible for requesting and collating required statutory advice, advising on statutory process and timelines.
- Receive and interpret reports and advice, to draft and amend EHCPs which are accessible, and outcome focused and of sufficiently high quality to reduce the risk of legal challenge and comply with the requirements of the legislation and SEND Code of Practice. Identify indicative budgets for the Operations Lead.
- Responsible for organising, chairing, and preparing paperwork for Statutory Annual Review Meetings for home educated children, ensuring that the young person and their family and relevant professionals are fully included.

**The Experience You Will Bring**
- Educated to RQF level 3 (A level) as a minimum, or equivalent by experience.
- Evidence of continuing professional development and expert knowledge in relevant professional area.
- Knowledge or experience of working with young people with special educational needs and disabilities and with their families including families that services find hard to reach.
- Thorough working knowledge of SEND Code of Practice 2015 and the Children and Families Act 2014.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to communicate with a varied audience including professionals and parents/carers who may have additional needs.
- Effective time management and prioritisation skills with the ability to manage own workload and adapt quickly and effectively to changing circumstances/situations.
- Ability to chair meetings and liaise with other professionals within Education, Health, and Social Care.

**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 here.

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 proud to offer an excellent benefits package to all its employees. More information can be found here pay and reward

To view our Organisational Behaviours information please follow this link.

**What you should do next**

**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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