Strategic Lead – Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

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 the role

This role is a key post which will be responsible for overseeing and driving inclusion and the educational achievement and progress of children and young people with SEND across the borough. The purpose of this role is to provide systems leadership to promote the most inclusive practice for children, drive our partnership SEND strategy to continue to provide the most effective response to the needs of children and to provide energised, child-centred leadership and management to Brighter Futures for Children services for children with SEND. The postholder will represent the Director of Education as agreed and as appropriate.

We are proud of the collaborative approach we have developed with children, families, schools and other partners, an approach that shapes the service we deliver for children with special education needs & disabilities. Our partnership approach has been recognised as delivering effectively for children by Ofsted and CQC. Our new innovative Reading Inclusive Services in Education (RISE) and investment in local schools is seeing increasingly effective end best practice for children with SEND make a real difference.

From this strong position, we are seeking an experienced leader of services for children with SEND who can passionately and creatively drive our shared vision and strategy forward. 

Role responsibilities:

• To drive forward the Reading partnership SEND Strategy, delivering inclusive practice, schools and settings and improving outcomes for children with SEND.
• Leadership, performance, and quality assurance of the following functions:
• a) Special Educational Needs and Disability Team, ensuring that that Education Health and Care Plans are completed and reviewed by BFfC on behalf of the Council to pupils in line with the School Admissions Code and local arrangements.
• b) Home to School Transport, ensuring that eligible children are supported to attend school and access education in line with agreed policies and procedures.
• Working with officers from Brighter Futures for Children and Reading Borough Council to secure effective school place planning, service commissioning and joint commissioning for Reading children with SEND which achieves a sufficiency of provision.
• Working with Senior School Standards Officers, the Director of Education and the DfE Regional Directors Office to ensure that school organisation arrangements promote positive outcomes for Reading children and young people.
• Managing resources efficiently and effectively within the available funding envelope, including General Fund, High Needs Block DSG and partner resources, ensuring that resources are allocated appropriately and monitored to ensure impact on children and young people’s outcomes.
• Contributing to the leadership of the Brighter Futures for Children Architecture for Practice, developing and contributing to training and professional development programme which ensures staff are able to support children and young people — in local provisions and in mainstream where this is possible.
• Maintaining and building on the strong partnerships across local schools and Early Years settings in the borough and developing strong professional working relations across providers, other local authorities, regional and national organisations to share and learn from best practice.
• Managing key budgets in the General Fund and the High Needs block of the DSG, this role will ensure that resources are allocated appropriately and monitored to ensure impact on quality and standards.
• Work innovatively, creatively, and positively with partners to maximise available resources and achieve the best possible provision and outcomes for vulnerable children and young people, in the borough.
• Act as a voice and advocate for vulnerable children and young people and their families and will promote and support partnership working across all agencies.
• Ensure that all processes related to statutory requirements and BFfC and Council approved policies are followed.

About you:

This is a highly rewarding role where you’ll have the opportunity and autonomy to really make a difference. If you are passionate to help us in making a positive difference to vulnerable children’s lives every day, then we would like to hear from you.

Experience/skills required:

• Experience of working in an educational environment, local government, voluntary organisation or other field relevant to Special Educational Needs or Disability.
• A track record of leadership delivering service action plans, service plans and departmental targets within timescales.
• Experience of people management skills that demonstrates ownership and accountability; to include inter-personal and conflict management.
• Detailed knowledge of all national legislation and statutory requirements that underpins safe and excellent delivery of relevant Children’s Services.
• A clear understanding of what good practice in education and SEND looks like and how to achieve that standard consistently across a staff group.
• Proven ability to work across organisational boundaries to lead the development and delivery of multi-agency initiatives.

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.
• 30 days annual leave plus public holidays.
• Discounted Child Care (on-site nursery).
• Salary sacrifice car lease scheme.
• Season ticket loans.
• A range of local discounts.
• Remote/Agile working.

For any query or informal discussion about the role, please feel free to contact our Director of Education – Brian Grady on Brian.Grady@brighterfuturesforchildren.org or for any other query, please contact Suchita Swain on Suchita.swain@brighterfuturesforchildren.org

Closing date: 11 August 2024.

Interview date: To be confirmed.

We look forward to hearing from you!