SENDIASS Advisor

Cambridgeshire County Council; Ellington; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Wellbeing package

Flexible annual leave

Professional development

Volunteer days

Employee discounts

Job summary

Cambridgeshire County Council is seeking a full-time SEND Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) Adviser to empower families navigating SEND rights. You will offer confidential, impartial guidance on SEN, EHCPs, mediation and tribunals, and support across Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and Rutland.

You will manage a caseload for parents, carers and young people, join meetings, and deliver workshops, ensuring records are detailed and accurate while promoting inclusion and informed

Qualifications

• Impartial, confidential guidance across education, health and social care.
• Experience in SEND system and local processes is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Provide information, advice and support to families and young people aged 0–25 on SEND-related matters.
• Attend meetings and hearings and maintain accurate records of interactions.
• Work with local authorities, health services and voluntary sector to provide joined-up support.
• Develop and deliver workshops and training on SEND topics.

Job description

The Special Educational Needs & Disability (SEND) Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS) is looking for a full-time, permanent Adviser to join our dedicated team. You will be providing impartial, confidential, arm's-length guidance across education, health, and social care, to parents/carers and young people directly, when required. Our service works across Cambridgeshire County Council, Peterborough City Council and Rutland County Council., Are you passionate about empowering families to understand their rights and help them navigate the Special Educational Needs & Disability (SEND) system? Do you want to help families improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND? As a SENDIASS Adviser, you will be a key point of contact, offering high-quality advice and support to service users. Your work will help young people and their families understand complex SEND legislation and local processes, enabling them to participate confidently in decision-making and to achieve the best possible outcomes. You will provide tailored information, advice and support to families across a range of SEND-related matters, including SEN support in schools, statutory assessments, Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), mediation, tribunals and local support services. You will work closely with families and professionals, helping them to understand legislation, and feel confident in making decisions. If you are motivated, empathetic, and committed to inclusion, this is an exciting opportunity to make a real difference every day. You will manage a caseload of parents, carers and young people aged 0-25. You will attend and support families at meetings and hearings, while maintaining detailed and accurate records of all interactions on our database. Working collaboratively, you will build strong relationships with local authorities, health services and voluntary sector organisations to provide effective, joined-up support. In addition, you will develop and deliver workshops and training on a range of SEND topics for parents, carers and professionals.

The successful candidate will have outstanding interpersonal skills, with the ability to listen empathetically, communicate clearly and build positive relationships with families and a wide range of stakeholders. You will be resilient and adaptable, able to handle sensitive information, remain calm under pressure and respond flexibly to changing circumstances. A solid understanding of current SEND legislation and practice is essential, together with the professionalism and independence needed to work effectively both as part of a team and on your own initiative. You will be confident in using Microsoft systems including outlook, teams, Excel and PowerPoint and willing to embrace new digital tools and ways of working. You will also be committed to completing the Information, Advice and Support Services Network training (Units 1-3) and to carrying out your role in accordance with the statutory duties and principles set out in the Children and Families Act 2014 and the SEND Code of Practice. Many meetings take place on-line, but the role also involves some travelling across Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and Rutland to attend meetings, events and engagement activities when in person attendance is required. Our office base is New Shire Hall, Alconbury Weald and in person attendance is required for some meetings. Therefore, the ability to travel throughout the service area is essential.

Cambridgeshire is a great place to work and live with a diverse population, an urban centre in Cambridge, historic Isle of Ely, Huntingdon and St Ives as well as more rural landscapes.

We value our colleagues in Cambridgeshire County Council and have developed a number of benefits in addition to the basics like annual leave, sick pay, pension and mileage…

• A comprehensive wellbeing package to cover all aspects of wellbeing, both in and out of work, which can also be accessed by your family
• Buy up to 4 weeks additional annual leave (pro-rata) through our salary sacrifice scheme
• Take your bank holidays flexibly to better suit your personal circumstances
• Make Additional Voluntary Contributions (Shared AVCs) to your pension with tax and National Insurance savings
• Access to development opportunities, apprenticeships and qualified coaches to support your personal and professional growth
• Paid volunteering hours each year so you can make a positive impact on our community during your normal working day
• Access to Peer Support Groups through our IDEAL staff equality, diversity and inclusion network
• Opportunities to nominate and receive Employee Recognition Awards
• An Our Cambs Rewards account, giving you access to in-store and online discounts as well as our Car Lease and Cycle to Work schemes