SEND Information Advice Guidance Officer

Job Title: SEND Information Advice Guidance Officer
Location: Hertfordshire
Starting Salary: £50,848 with the opportunity to progress to £56,246 pa (pro rata for part-time)
Hours: 37 per week
Contract: Permanent

Diversity: We are an inclusive employer and value a diverse workforce

SEND Information, Advice and Guidance Officers will play a vital role in shaping how Hertfordshire supports education settings to improve outcomes for children and young people.

ASK Sali is professional early advice line, targeted primarily at SENCOs, to help them meet the needs of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) as early as possible, in the most appropriate way. This will support professionals to:

• Understand and meet children’s needs as early and as holistically as possible
• Reduce the escalation of needs
• Enhance confidence amongst professionals in support provided
• Promote inclusion within all schools and settings

The team will give SENCos the opportunity to talk through a young person’s situation to explore outcomes and options for providing support at the earliest opportunity. The aim is to use a strengths-based approach to offer early advice, guidance and support that builds confidence in individuals working with children and young people with SEND.

This role will suit someone who:

• Is looking to be part of our frontline response, advising education settings on how they can use resources to work with their pupils;
• Wants to work with colleagues across Hertfordshire, to shape how we can have the most impact for children and young people.

You will be the first point of contact for schools that have concerns about children they are working with around educational needs. Providing a space to talk and reflect, navigating options, locating the right resources, community assets, identifying appropriate next steps or linking with a network of other services for support. You will be based in local areas and be part of a partnership.

We will provide lots of support to help you be successful; from training and workshops on strengths-based practice and safeguarding, help in building a network of support across the relevant services, tools and weekly reflective practice sessions.

You will be able to demonstrate the following essential criteria:

• Knowledge of inclusive strategies, reasonable adjustment, and child development to help make a difference for our children and young people with SEND
• Commitment to working with a strengths-based approach and being solution-focused
• Strong communication skills, demonstrating empathy, curiosity and relationship-based practice
• Ability to build positive networks within schools, the Council, partner agencies and local communities
• Take a proactive approach and support the team’s learning and insights. Sharing learning with SENCOs and colleagues
• Confident in the use of data and wider intelligence, using these to help shape the development of the service and drive improvement
• Good administrative skills, to record contacts, develop resources, creating documents to share learning

Are you passionate about supporting and encouraging our young people with SEND to reach their full potential, including living independently where possible then this could be the role for you.

It is a fantastic opportunity for someone looking for a new, developing role where they can be part of changing how we can make an impact early on in a child or young person’s journey through education.

Closing Date: 12th May 2024
Interview Date: 23rd May 2024