EHCNA Officer

The Wild; Woking; Hybrid; GBP 28,000 - 35,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

26 days’ holiday rising with service

Pension

Flexible working and hybrid options

Learning and development hub

EAP for wellbeing

Job summary

Surrey County Council is recruiting an Education Health Care Needs Assessment Officer to join the countywide EHC Needs Assessment team. The role focuses on timely, high-quality SEND support and collaborative working with families, schools and partner organisations.

The post emphasizes safeguarding, travel across the county, and a commitment to improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND.

Qualifications

• A-level or equivalent level of attainment, with training or experience in SEN, including the Code of Practice and Children and Families Act 2014
• Knowledge of Surrey's SEND policies, national guidance and legislation
• Familiarity with Surrey's Local Offer and school provisions
• Knowledge of evidence-based interventions and the ability to interpret complex reports within draft EHC Plans
• Clear and confident communication and customer service skills

Responsibilities

• Managing casework related to the 20-week EHC Needs Assessment process, engaging with families and education providers
• Using a person-centred approach to meet statutory assessment deadlines
• Coordinating input from Education, Health, and Care services to support each child
• Drafting EHCPs, ensuring clarity and quality

Skills

Clear communication

Relationship building

Knowledge of SEN

Evidence-based interventions

Interpreting reports

Customer service

IT tools (MS Office, databases)

Education

A-level or equivalent with SEN training

Tools

MS Office

Database management

Job description

The starting salary for this full time, permanent position is £31,659 per annum based on a 36-hour working week, pro-rata for part-time hours.

This role is open to hybrid working and as a team we split our time between collaborating with colleagues in the office for a minimum of two days per week and working from home. Team members are welcome to work from any of our area offices in Woking, Weybridge or Reigate.

We're excited to be recruiting a new Education Health Care Needs Assessment (EHCNA) Officer to join our fantastic Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) service. This role is integral to on-going, focused work to improve the quality and timeliness of our SEND services.

Join our SEND Service - Make a Real Difference! If you're committed to collaboration, advocacy, and making things happen, we'd love to hear from you.

Our Offer to You

• 26 days' holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years' service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
• An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
• Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, and shopping
• A chance to make a real difference to the lives of our residents

About the Role

We're looking for a compassionate, knowledgeable and proactive individual who can build trusted relationships and communicate clearly. Our young people want adults who listen, explain things honestly, and keep them at the centre of every decision. Parents and carers value empathy, strong organisational skills, and a deep understanding of SEND legislation and diverse needs. Schools need consistent, accessible professionals who are experts in SEND and can guide them through the system with clarity and confidence.

At Surrey County Council, we're committed to providing excellent support for children and young people with SEND. Our SEND services work together to deliver timely, effective support that leads to positive outcomes. We focus on building strong, respectful relationships with families, schools and partner organisations, with relational and restorative practices underpinning all our work.

As an Education Health Care Needs Assessment Officer, you'll join a newly established countywide Education Health and Care (EHC) Needs Assessment team.

Your key responsibilities as an EHCNA Officer will include:

• Managing casework related to the 20-week EHC Needs Assessment process, engaging with families and education providers to facilitate informed discussions
• Using a person-centred approach, you will ensure statutory assessment deadlines are met
• Coordinating input from Education, Health, and Care services to ensure each child receives the right support for their needs
• Drafting EHCPs, ensuring they are clear, accurate, and of high quality

Reflective practice and continuous improvement are key to this role, and you'll be part of a team that puts the child at the centre of everything we do. By working in close collaboration with children's Social Care, Health, parents/carers and families, as well as schools, your impact will help us to achieve the best outcomes for the children we support.

Your Application

In order to be considered for shortlisting, your application will clearly evidence the following skills and align with our behaviours:

• A-level or equivalent level of attainment, with training or experience in SEN, including the Code of Practice and Children and Families Act 2014
• Knowledge of Surrey's SEND policies, national guidance and legislation, and awareness of the impact of SEND on vulnerable children and young people
• Familiarity with Surrey's Local Offer and school provisions, or willingness to learn
• Knowledge of evidence-based interventions and the ability to interpret and accurately convey information from complex written reports within draft EHC Plans
• Clear and confident communication and customer service skills, both in writing and in person
• Strong relationship building skills and experience of working collaboratively with children, young people, and families
• Competence in a range of IT tools including MS Office and database management systems
• Passionate about improving outcomes for children and young people

The role involves working in, and visiting, venues across Surrey to build professional working relationships, therefore you will need the willingness and ability to travel across the county to meet the demands of this role.

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 10/09/2026.

An enhanced DBS 'Disclosure and Barring Service' check for regulated activity (formerly known as CRB) and the Children's and Adults' Barred List checks will be required for this role.

Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)

Surrey County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation, moving from a two-tier system to two new unitary councils in April 2027. If you are employed by Surrey on 1st April 2027, your role will transfer with current terms and conditions to one of the new organisations, supporting local devolution and greater powers for our communities.

Our Commitment

We are a disability confident employer which means if you have shared a disability on your application form and have evidenced you meet the minimum criteria, we guarantee you an interview.

Your skills and experience truly matter to us. From application to your first day, we're committed to supporting you with any adjustments you need, we value inclusion and warmly welcome you to join and help build a workplace where everyone belongs.