SEND Casework Manager

The role

Are you a passionate leader looking to make a lasting impact on the lives of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)?

If so, this is your chance to drive meaningful change and lead a dedicated team committed to transforming outcomes for young people and their families.

We have two positions to fill: one in our 0-14 team and one in our 14-25 team. Both roles are permanent, full-time positions at 36 hours per week.

About us:

Southwark's Children's and Adults Services consistently receive a "Good" rating from Ofsted in all areas.

We aim to build on our excellent practices by creating opportunities to co-develop services and support with key stakeholders and families, ensuring impactful results from the earliest stages. Southwark Council is a fantastic organisation to work for, investing in both its residents and staff.

About the role:

As our SEND Casework Manager, you'll lead one of our highly motivated casework teams, focusing on children aged 14-25.

You will manage the assessment, planning and provision of multi-agency casework, ensuring statutory timelines are met and that services delivered are of the highest quality. Your role will involve:

• Managing and delivering Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).
• Overseeing budgetary responsibilities.
• Leading training and development within the SEND service.
• Collaborating with health, education and social care professionals to ensure integrated services.
• Identifying gaps in resources and working with partners to resolve disputes and prevent litigation.

This is an opportunity to lead by example, influencing innovative practices while ensuring the best possible outcomes for children and families.

About you:

We are looking for a dynamic and experienced leader who has a deep understanding of SEND legislation and is ready to take on a senior role within a multi-agency setting. You will:

• Bring significant experience in multi-agency environments, ideally within SEND settings.
• Have a strong knowledge of the Children and Families Act 2014 and the 0-25 SEND Code of Practice.
• Be adept at managing people and resources, with a proven track record of leadership.
• Excel at communication, problem-solving and organisation
• Be committed to delivering high-quality, child-centred services. that place families at the heart of decision-making.

Your ability to build strong partnerships, inspire teams and advocate for children and young people will be critical to your success in this role.

Recruitment timetable

Recruitment timetable is to be confirmed.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme:

As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role, and identify with one of the below criteria:

* Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
* Are currently in care, or have previously been in care
* If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition

We are an organisation who is passionate about our people and understands that richness of diversity is a requirement to provide the best possible services to our communities. This is demonstrated through our council-wide ambitious commitment to tackle racial inequality in our communities and workforce through our Southwark Stands Together programme. We particularly welcome applications from members of the Black, Asian and ethnic minority communities to increase representation at senior management level in the Council.

Additional details

In return for your hard work, we offer:

• Up to £59,772 per annum (subject to experience)
• Opportunities to develop and implement innovative practices.
• Professional development and training opportunities.
• Career progression prospects.
• The chance to work with a supportive and collaborative team.
• The ability to make a lasting impact on the lives of young people.
• A challenging role ideal for an experienced officer seeking new challenges.

For more information on our benefits, see the link here - https://jobs.southwark.gov.uk/why-us/

Want to know more?

Please review the job description below or contact Rebecca Davies, Head of Service for SEND via email at for an informal chat about your suitability for the position.

This post requires a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) DBS check at Enhanced level.

Benefits and more information:

In your role, we want you to feel supported, challenged and rewarded. You will benefit from our family-friendly policies including flexible working, home working, and a local government pension scheme, plus many other staff benefits. You will join a motivated, driven and supportive team that strives for excellence and values its members. You will also be part of a successful and high-achieving development team that is making a real difference to the lives of residents in the borough. For more information about the wide variety of benefits you can take advantage of please visit our Staff Benefits page.