What we value at
Westminster
We believe that through our leadership and working together we can
create the best environment to support growth that benefits our
local communities and our unique heritage of which we are the
proud custodian.
Our vision is for Westminster to be an unrivalled City of choice and
aspiration where the connections we build amongst our teams,
residents, businesses and visitor’s gets stronger as everyone plays
their part in and benefits from the city’s continued success.
Our culture We aim to be Productive, Ambitious, Collaborative and Enterprising.
We want all our teams to have the skills, confidence and network to
contribute to and deliver our City for All vision.
We want you to have the opportunity to put your ideas into action, to
have a real opportunity to set the standard and the PACE and make
your career your own. We want your ambition and we want to help
you learn and grow.
Portfolio/responsibilities
of this role
1. The SEN Service needs to manage crucial interfaces with support
services, including Children’s Social Care and Health, as well as
maintaining excellent multi agency working relationships.
Therefore, service management is expected to operate in a
positive, collegiate and respectful manner to ensure boroughwide service effectiveness across our services and partners.
2. To provide an EHC Assessment and Review function that enables
effective and efficient support in order to build strong and
resilient children, young people and families.
3. To undertake the statutory assessment process of an EHC needs
assessment and the issuing of EHC Plans within twenty weeks as
per the statutory deadlines, which is in accordance with The
Children and Families Act 2014 and SEN Code of Practice January
2015.
4. To coordinate a person centred, outcome focused multi agency
approach to the assessment, planning and support, ensuring that
children, young people and parents are treated as equal partners
in the assessment and planning process.
5. To engage and build respectful, transparent and effective
relationships with children and young people with SEN, their families, education settings, and work across multiple agencies to
ensure the needs of those with SEN are met.
6. Contribute to the development of initiatives and partnerships
that encourage children and young people to build strong links
with their local community and support the growth of positive
perceptions of young people.
7. To provide effective and efficient commissioning of suitable
educational provision and school placement for children and
young people with an EHCP, with a focus on accountability for
outcomes.
8. Undertake EHC Assessment and Review functions for a caseload
of children and young people with SEN aged 0 to 25 who are
under an EHC needs assessment or review of an EHCP. In
particular, this will include:
• Being a single point of regular and consistent contact for
the child or young person and their parents/carers during
the education, health and care needs assessment
process;
• Facilitating multi-agency meetings;
• Co-ordinating services and practitioners around the child
and young person and their family;
• Supporting a single planning and joint assessment
process;
• Providing information and signposting where necessary;
• Providing emotional and practical support as required as
part of a trusting relationship; and
• Enabling and empowering the child and young person
and their families to make decisions and where
appropriate to make effective use of a personal budget.
9. Ensure that EHC Plans are person centred and outcome focused
and based on the evidence from the child or young person, their
families, schools and other educational settings, educational
psychologists, medical officers including therapists, social
workers and any other professionals working with the child or
young person.
10. Ensure that the education, health and care needs assessment is
undertaken within the statutory 20 week timeframes,
information is recorded correctly and appropriately on
databases/systems and records are kept up-to-date and accurate.
11. Ensure that draft EHC Plans are high quality and are taken
through appropriate decision making processes to agree the
allocation of resources in accordance with guidelines including a
personal budget, where appropriate.
12. Commission effective and efficient educational provision and
school placement for children and young people with an EHC
Plan, with a focus on accountability for outcomes.
13. Negotiate fees with placements providers and ensure contracts
are in place.
14. Attend annual reviews and ensure that these are person centre
and focussed on achieving the outcomes for the child or young
person.
15. To complete the annual review process in accordance with
legislation and timeframes.
16. Challenge providers where outcomes are not achieved and work
with relevant services where intervention is required.
17. Ensure all transitions between education and life phases are
managed effectively and seamlessly with statutory deadlines.
18. In liaison with SEN Team Manager and/or Senior SEN Practitioner,
to support the drafting of responses to members’ enquiries,
complaints, Ombudsman investigations, Tribunals etc.
19. In liaison with SEN Team Manager and/or Senior SEN Practitioner,
ensure high quality preparation and follow up of the Local
Authority cases for SEN Tribunals and ensure that any
directions/actions are completed within the time frames set.
20. Work closely with the Tribunals team for oversight of the
assigned cases and adherence to timescales.
21. To ensure that the meeting of children’s and young people’s
learning needs remains paramount and adhere to responsibilities
and timelines in the relevant legislation and Codes of Practice
The duties and responsibilities outlined in this job profile are
indicative of the role; however, they are not exhaustive and may be
subject to change. In addition, the post holder may be required to
undertake other reasonable duties as directed by service managers.
In accordance with Bi-Borough working arrangements, your
employment will be with the Royal Borough of Kensington and
Chelsea. Under the S113 of the Local Government Act 1972 you may
be required to act on behalf of both The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and The City of Westminster. This may mean that the
location of your employment could vary.
Budget Responsibilities: N/A
Staffing: N/A
Procurement: N/A
Other: N/A
What do we expect this
role to achieve?
The Children and Families Act 2014 has had a significant impact on
the delivery of SEN services resulting in a fast paced, complex
interpersonal environment focused on children and young people
with high level and complex special educational needs, their
parents/carers, schools and other professionals, and requires an
enhanced level of communication and case management skills. On
behalf of the Local Authority, the SEN Service administers are
responsible for statutory SEN functions contained within the Children
and Families Act 2014 and therefore has significant contact with
members of the public and other professionals from within and
outside of the councils, schools and other settings.
The Education, Health and Care (EHC) Assessment and Review CoOrdinator is the primary and face-to-face contact for children, young
people and their families and is responsible for the completion of the
EHC Needs Assessment and review of an EHCP processes. The post
holder will maintain a caseload, set up and maintain positive and
professional working relationships and work in partnership with
families, education settings, health and social care services, whilst
ensuring compliance with relevant legislation.
To provide an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Assessment and
Review function for children, young people and their families who are
undergoing an education, health and care needs assessment or have
an education, health and care plans across the 0 – 25 age range, who
are resident in who are resident in The Royal Borough of Kensington
and Chelsea and City of Westminster and/or, or who are Looked After
by these Boroughs.
To provide comprehensive casework management and administrative
support to ensure the effectiveness of the SEN Service for the Royal
Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and the City of Westminster in
accordance with the requirements of the Children’s & Families Act
2014 and the SEN Code of Practice 2015.
Band/Salary range WCC Band 3, Level 1 NJC Inner London
Work style Agile and based at the Town Hall, Hornton Street, Kensington,
London.
In accordance with Bi- Borough working arrangements, your
employment will be with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Under the S113 of the Local Government Act 1972 you may
be required to act on behalf of one or both, including the City of
Westminster.
Your manager & team SEN Team Manager
There are no employees reporting into this role
Experience Essential:
• A good knowledge of the Children & Families Act (2014); SEN
Code of Practice 2015 and Education Act 1996 and any
subsequent revisions or new legislation is essential
• Successful staff and casework management experience within a
SEND, education or other related Local Authority service is
essential; experience of this within a statutory framework or
service is highly desirable
• Successful experience of developing constructive and positive
relationships and working collaboratively with Local Authority
colleagues, head teachers, SENCOs, children, young people and
their parents, and other stakeholders
• Experience of successfully managing casework or a caseload.
• Experience of and the ability to manage change whilst
maintaining a motivated workforce and supporting delivery
Desirable:
• Knowledge and experience of Children’s Services.
• Strong knowledge of local education, health and social care
provision
Skills Essential:
• IT literate including using database technology, and Excel
• Ability to work without constant supervision, to work
independently as part of a team and under pressure
• Excellent organisational skills, including the capacity to manage
competing demands and meet deadlines within timescales
• Honesty
• Keen to learn from everyone including parents
• Respectful
• Willing to ask parents as well as other professionals for
information/advice
• Embraces diversity with a ‘can-do’ attitude
• Willing to see things from others perspective
• Good interpersonal skills and experience of supporting shared
problem solving with a range of people including children and
young people, parents and practitioners.
• A good understanding of the nature and importance of
partnership working and managing multiple stakeholders and
evidence of good practice in this area.
• Good communication skills and being able to provide clear,
concise and effective written and verbal communication and
ability to enthuse, engage and motivate others through these
• Knowledge of the pathways through the education system for
children and young people, and a good understanding of
Preparation for Adulthood
• Experience of using negotiation and conflict resolution skills
successfully.
• Demonstrably good organisational skills with the capacity to
manage competing demands and meet deadlines within
timescales.
• Enhanced knowledge, skills and understanding in a significant
area related to SEN and relevant Education legislation is highly
desirable; the ability to develop this rapidly and effectively if not
is essential
• A good knowledge and understanding of the key legislative
frameworks relating to the provision of SEND services to children
and young people (Children and Families Act 2014, Education Act
1996, SEN(D) Codes of Practice), and their application to effective
casework
• A good working knowledge of other relevant legislative
frameworks such as the Care Act and safeguarding legislation and
their relevance to and impact on SEND legislation
• An understanding of the changing national agenda for schools
and an ability to interpret the impact of this on casework
• Evidence of sound judgement and analytical skills leading to
effective service delivery
• Ability to manage and balance priorities to deliver to a high
standard and within timescales
• Evidence of working cooperatively with key stakeholders so that
appropriate decisions are made to meet the SEND needs of
children and young people.
• The ability to gather, understand and use data to make informed
and effective decisions in relevant service areas
• Evidence of continued relevant professional development
Qualifications
Essential
Degree level qualification or equivalent
Desirable
SEN-related qualification (knowledge of children’s SEN and/or school
SEN systems)
Other relevant professional qualifications
Corporate standards • Resources / Financial management
We expect you to manage delegated budgets, funding and
resources in line with our processes and our Westminster Way.
We would welcome your ideas on the development of outcome
based commissioning models and/or income generation
opportunities to help the council receive value for money.
Values and behaviours
• Our values and behaviours are at the heart of everything we do.
We expect you to work in this Westminster Way empowering,
engaging and encouraging your teammates to deliver our
corporate vision.
• Compliance
We expect you to ensure legal, regulatory and policy compliance
in area of your specialism, identifying opportunities and risks and
escalate/report where appropriate.
• Equality and diversity
We value equality and diversity as a city council and we want you
to support and promote this in your day to day work.
PACE Our values and behaviours: Set the PACE
The Values and Behaviours are essential criteria for each post. The
bullet points alongside each value give examples of good practice or
behaviours associated with that value. You will need to show that you
meet each of the values to join us.
Productive
• We show initiative, drive and determination to get the job done;
and constantly to improve what we do.
• We determine the right course of action through listening to the
needs of our customers
• We are accountable for our actions and the decisions we make
• We help others to be productive, independent and make
informed decisions
Ambitious
• We are ambitious in creating new solutions which bring about
substantial benefit
• We challenge ourselves to be the best we can be
• We take pride in providing public services to our communities
• We work as a team to support one another to be the best we can
be for our customers
Collaborative
• We provide local leadership and work with partners jointly to
develop and deliver services
• We listen to one another and respect one another’s point of view
• We challenge one another respectfully and constructively,
working together to resolve issues
• We treat everyone with courtesy, fairness and transparency
Enterprising
• We seek the best deal when looking for ways to improve value
for money and reduce cost.
• We look for new ways to generate growth, income and maximise
commercial potential
• We take managed and considered risks to enable us to achieve
the best outcomes.