Senior SEN Case Officer

• JD_Senior_SEN_Case_Officer

Please apply online via the link provided.

Please note, we do not accept CVs submitted without a fully completed online application form.

Senior SEN Case Officer

Brighter Futures for Children

About us

Brighter Futures for Children is a not-for-profit company, owned by, but independent of, Reading Borough Council. Although we are independent, we are very much part of the Reading Family. Our people enjoy all of benefits as other Council employees including membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme and continuous service.

We work closely with partners in the local community and key organisations including Reading Borough Council, policy, public health and voluntary groups. We are responsible for the delivery of children’s social care, early help & prevention, education services (including SEND). This also includes fostering and adoption, the Youth Offending Service and traded services with schools.

Our main aim is to protect and enhance the lives of the children of Reading. We help families find long-term solutions to ensure children lead happy, healthy and successful lives.

About Team/role
The position of Senior SEN Case Officer is to ensure a small team of case officers meet our statutory duties by providing line management, case management and support and guidance on the statutory requirements of the role. The Senior SEN Case Officer also has a small case load of complex cases and is the allocated Case Officer for our local Alternative Provider and our local SEMH Special School.

The job holder will lead and support a small team of case officers to ensure that the EHC needs assessments are carried out in line with the requirements of the Children and Families Act 2014 and the 0-25 SEND Code of Practice 2015, the phase transfers are completed by the statutory deadline of 31 March and that there is a plan in place to tackle high priority annual reviews. Attendance at regular meetings of SEND Panel and other decision-making meetings is part of this role. You will need to be experienced enough to quality assure draft EHC Plans written by team members before they are sent out to parents and to provide information and instructions to the Joint Legal Team on Tribunal cases they are handling on behalf of the team. Attendance at Next Steps Meetings and Mediation Meetings are also part of this role.

Role responsibilities

• Lead and manage a small team of case officers to meet our statutory duties in relation to Education Health and Care needs assessments, phase transfers and annual reviews.

• Provide support, advice and guidance to the team on the relevant legislation and why compliance is vital.

• Attend and also lead on multi-disciplinary case work discussions for the most complex cases the team hold and provide support and guidance to team members on complex case work.

• Participate in the SEND panel and deputise for the SEND Team Manager in chairing this panel from time to time as required.

• Support the decision making of the SEND panel and contribute to the consideration of decisions taken to ensure they are reasonable and evidence based.

• Be responsible for providing training, guidance and quality assurance on the draft plans produced by the team.

• To liaise with parents, health authority colleagues, children’s social care colleagues and colleagues in schools, colleges and other settings on behalf of young people when it is necessary to challenge their responses to our consultations.

• Sign off EHC Plans for the team once you are satisfied of their quality.

• Attend Next Steps meetings to explain the rationale for the decisions taken by BFfC when assessments are turned down or a plan is not issued following an assessment.

• Represent BFFC at admissions panels for maintained special schools and resource units and be responsible for communicating the outcomes of panel meetings to parents and other authorities.

• Be a named Officer for the local AP provider, the local SEMH Special School and for the statutory school age children who are either unplaced or in receipt of EOTAS.

• Ensure that for your allocated case load all the statutory requirements are met including ensuring that the phase transfer children are all identified and that their plans are reviewed in good time before they change settings.

• Ensure Education, Health and Care plans are amended by the team following annual reviews within statutory timescales.

• Ensure the team creates and maintains up to date records ensuring the relevant databases are updated. Collate and write reports as required for meetings such as the SEN Panel, funding requests and for SEND tribunals.

Our offer

We offer a supportive environment to grow and develop your career with the opportunity to put your ideas across. Innovation and ambition are strongly encouraged, and you’ll get a great feel for that working in our friendly and collaborative environment.

A competitive salary alongside a range of benefits including:

• Local Government Pension Scheme with generous employer contribution

• Incremental holidays starting with 26 days plus public holidays (rising to 33 after 10 years’ service)

• Discounted Child Care (on site nursery)

• Cycle to work scheme.

• Season train ticket loans

• Salary Sacrifice Car Lease Scheme

• A range of local shopping discounts

Inclusion and Diversity

We want Brighter Futures for Children to be a great place to work and to ensure that our children, young people and families are represented in leadership roles and positions of power. A vital part of this is ensuring we are a truly inclusive organisation that encourages diversity in all respects, including diversity of thinking.

We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and those of Other Ethnicities, LGBT+, disabled and neurodiverse communities to make a real difference to our children, young people and families so that equalities and justice remains at the heart of everything we do.

Asking for Adjustments

Brighter Futures for Children is committed to making our recruitment practices barrier-free and as accessible as possible for everyone. This includes making adjustments or changes for disabled people, neurodiverse people or people with long-term health conditions.

If you would like us to do anything differently during the application, interview or assessment process, including providing information in an alternative format, please let us know.

Closing date: Sunday 03rd August 2025
Interview date: To be confirmed

We look forward to hearing from you!