2 - 3 Month Contract With A Local Authority

To ensure that the Local Authority (LA) fulfils its statutory duties under the Children and Families Act 2014 by leading on the assessment and review of Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans. The postholder will work directly with schools, professionals, and families to assess the needs of children and young people with SEND, ensuring legal compliance, high-quality provision planning, and a child-centred approach.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Statutory Compliance and Support

• Work directly with senior leaders in a designated group of schools to ensure compliance with statutory responsibilities under the Children and Families Act 2014 and the SEN Code of Practice (2015).
  

• Provide professional challenge and support to schools, families, and partner agencies to ensure effective implementation of the Code of Practice.
  

• Support the LA in reducing/preventing legal challenge through robust, compliant decision-making and early intervention strategies.
  

2. Assessment and Review Coordination

• Lead and coordinate the EHC needs assessment process for children and young people with complex SEND.
  

• Oversee and quality assure all aspects of the statutory assessment process including evidence gathering, panel submissions, and decision letters.
  

• Manage and coordinate the annual review process of EHC Plans, ensuring timely updates and clear, measurable outcomes.
  

3. Case Management

• Manage a complex caseload of children and young people aged 0–25 with varying levels of need.
  

• Ensure all statutory timescales are met and casework is effectively recorded, monitored, and progressed.
  

• Collaborate with families, education providers, health and social care professionals to gather robust, multi-agency information for assessments and reviews.
  

4. EHC Plan Development

• Draft and finalise high-quality, holistic EHC Plans that reflect the child/young person’s strengths, needs, aspirations, and outcomes.
  

• Ensure all plans are legally compliant and aligned with good practice standards and the LA’s quality assurance framework.
  

• Support continuous improvement in EHC Plan quality across the service.
  

5. Line Management and Supervision

• Directly line manage and supervise assigned Case Coordinators.
  

• Allocate, monitor and oversee their day-to-day work, providing regular supervision, guidance and support to ensure effective performance.
  

• Contribute to the professional development and quality assurance of the team.
  

• Strong knowledge of the Children and Families Act 2014 and the SEND Code of Practice (2015).
  
• Experience in coordinating statutory SEND processes, including EHC needs assessments and annual reviews.
  
• Ability to manage a complex caseload and meet statutory deadlines.
  
• Excellent multi-agency working skills, with experience of working collaboratively with education, health, and social care professionals.
  
• Proven ability to write high-quality, legally compliant Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) that are aspirational and outcome-focused.
  
• Strong communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills when working with families, schools, and other professionals.
  
• Experience in supervising or line managing staff, including task allocation and performance oversight.
  
• Competence in using IT systems and maintaining accurate, timely records.
  
• A relevant qualification in education, special educational needs, health, or social care.
  
• Experience working within a school or local authority SEND setting (desirable but not essential)
  
• Commitment to improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND
  
• Enhanced DBS Is Required For This Role