SEND Resolutions Officer

Overview

Our SEND Resolutions Team is seeking an enthusiastic and resilient SEND Resolutions Officer dedicated to strengthening relationships with local families. This exciting opportunity is perfect for someone committed to achieving positive outcomes for children and young people through various resolution pathways.

12 month fixed-term contract (maternity cover)  - start date ASAP

Please note, this position is being advertised for Buckinghamshire Council internal and agency employees only.

About us

Buckinghamshire Council is a relatively new organisation that combines the strengths and expertise of the previous five councils in the county to create positive change for local people, communities, and businesses. We are firmly focused on the future and have made a clear commitment to serve residents better and to provide stronger representation for Buckinghamshire, both locally and nationally.  

Buckinghamshire is an ambitious, rapidly growing county, and our economy is one of the strongest in the country. It is an area of outstanding natural beauty and ranks as one of the top rural areas to live in the UK and yet it is incredibly well connected– only an hour from London on the train. The county has a rich history and heritage and is the birthplace of the international Paralympic movement.

We are looking for motivated, ambitious and inspiring people to join us on our journey. You will be entitled to a range of different benefits to make sure you are happy both at work and at home.

About the role

Are you passionate about making a difference in the lives of children and young people? The SEND Resolutions Team in Buckinghamshire is a small, friendly group dedicated to working closely with families and other agencies to achieve positive outcomes. We pride ourselves on our collaborative approach, commitment, and resilience in supporting our community.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead tribunal cases and formal disagreements, liaise with legal services, present and defend Local Authority cases, prepare evidence for SEND Tribunal and the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman, and engage with multi-agency practitioners.
• Engage with schools and agencies to foster best practices in assessment and planning, lead workforce development strategies, and address practice concerns within the SEND Team.
• Act as a primary contact for parents, carers, and stakeholders involved in SEND Tribunal or mediation, maintain clear records, coordinate casework, and provide regular updates and reports.
• Oversee all aspects of compliments and complaints, mediation, and tribunal work for the SEND Service, including close liaison with colleagues in our legal department.
• Work closely with parents/carers and young people to reach resolutions on disputes, fully participate in the tribunal process, and represent the Local Authority at SEND Tribunal.
• Ensure excellent multi-agency working with managers and officers.
• Manage these areas effectively, disseminate learning, and make recommendations to support improved practice.

Any-Desk:

As an ‘any-desk’ worker, you’ll need to be connected to our network to access digital folders and resources, but this can either be from home or an office location when required. You will be required to work from the office a couple of times a week, depending on your role and team requirements.

About you

What You'll Bring:

• A degree or equivalent professional experience in a relevant field.
• Experience in advocacy or similar roles.
• Significant experience within the SEND service or a related area.
• Expertise in complaint handling and the SENDIST Appeal and Tribunal process.
• Knowledge of the Single Route of Redress.
• Proven ability to conduct high-standard complaint investigations.

Who You Are:

• Caring and committed to delivering excellent customer service.
• Enthusiastic about working closely with families and other agencies to achieve positive outcomes.

If you're motivated, ambitious, and ready to champion the needs of our community, we want to hear from you!

Other information

If you have any questions or would like to find out more about this role, please contact Maxine Moore (SEND Resolutions Manager) at [email protected]

Closing date: Sunday 13th April at midnight

Interviews: Thursday 17th April (in Aylesbury)

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

This post is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

• All unspent cautions and/or unspent convictions

For further information on how long it takes for cautions and convictions cautions to become spent, please refer to our guide on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (updated 2023) | Nacro

Buckinghamshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk.

Our values and culture

We have a set of values, which our employees have chosen, that represent what we are – Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.

By joining Buckinghamshire Council, you can expect:

• a fair and inclusive culture
• the chance to really make a difference to those around you
• health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
• a unified voice through our Employee Representative Group
• ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
• opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events

At Buckinghamshire Council, we know that our biggest strength comes from the people that work for us, and that’s why we’re working hard to ensure we continue to be an accessible and inclusive organisation.

From dedicated staff networks overseen by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, to proudly standing as a Disability Confident employer, it’s important to us that all our colleagues feel engaged, listened to, and valued. Our offer of flexible working empowers a productive and happy workforce and allows employees to combine work with other responsibilities and commitments.

We believe our workforce should reflect the diverse communities we service in Buckinghamshire, and are looking for like-minded individuals to join us in promoting equality, fairness, and inclusion for everyone.

About the Business Unit

Ensuring that children and young people in Buckinghamshire reach their potential is a primary focus within our Education service. It’s essential that we provide inclusive and life-long learning opportunities for all of our young people - so we look to raise standards, attainment and aspirations in a number of ways.

Our key priorities include: improving the quality and timeliness of Education, Health and Care Plans and the support families of children with SEND receive; reducing the number of exclusions both permanent and fixed term; and providing the children of Buckinghamshire with the highest quality education possible.

We aim to provide the right support, at the right time for families requiring non-statutory intervention, and provide sufficient, high quality early years and school places for children in Buckinghamshire. Despite Buckinghamshire having a higher percentage of good or outstanding Early Years providers and schools than national averages, we are not complacent.

We are keen to strengthen the services we deliver to provide the children of Buckinghamshire the highest quality education possible.

We recognise and reward you

Hard work and success deserves recognition. That’s why we pride ourselves on the benefits we give our people. We actively encourage a good work-life balance and promote flexible and agile working arrangements. We provide discounts on various Cafés, restaurants, shops and auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme. In addition to the opportunity to gain membership to Costco, we have discounted gym memberships, travel discounts with Arriva and much more.

https://jobs.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/working-buckinghamshire-council/