SEND Pathways Practitioner

Overview

Are you passionate about helping young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) achieve positive futures? Do you thrive on building relationships, providing specialist support, and creating opportunities that make a real difference?

We are looking for a dedicated SEND Pathway Practitioner to join our ISEND Service. In this rewarding role, you will support young people with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), helping them access meaningful education, employment and training opportunities while working collaboratively with families, schools, colleges and partner organisations.

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

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in improving outcomes for young people with SEND across Buckinghamshire. As a SEND Pathway Practitioner, you will support young people with high levels of need, helping them successfully transition into education, employment and training opportunities that meet their aspirations and potential. You will work directly with young people and their families while also influencing wider SEND provision through partnership working, service development and specialist advice.

The role combines strategic and operational responsibilities, giving you the opportunity to make an impact both at an individual and system-wide level. You will hold a caseload of young people who require additional support, coordinate interventions, complete Annual Reviews and update Education, Health and Care Plans. You will also work closely with schools, colleges, community partners and other professionals to develop pathways that enable young people to achieve positive outcomes and successfully prepare for adulthood.

No two days are the same. One day you may be meeting with a young person and their family to review progress and plan next steps, while the next you could be working with partners to improve local opportunities, sharing specialist advice with colleagues, or helping shape initiatives that support young people at risk of becoming NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training).

Key Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of young people with SEND who require additional support to access education, employment and training opportunities.
• Complete Annual Reviews and contribute to the updating and issuing of Education, Health and Care Plans.
• Build strong partnerships with schools, colleges, employers and other agencies to coordinate effective support.
• Provide specialist advice, guidance and signposting to young people, families, colleagues and partner organisations.
• Support the development of targeted provision and opportunities for young people with SEND across Buckinghamshire.
• Undertake complex casework and contribute to quality assurance and continuous service improvement.
• Champion the voice of young people, ensuring they are actively involved in decision-making about their future.

For a full list of responsibilities and duties, please refer to the Job Description.

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

We are looking for a compassionate, proactive and highly organised professional who is committed to improving outcomes for young people with SEND. You will be confident working with young people, families and professionals from a variety of backgrounds and be able to build effective relationships that support positive change. You will be someone who enjoys problem-solving, can manage competing priorities and is motivated by making a meaningful difference to young people's lives.

To be successful in this role, you will bring substantial experience of working with children and young people with SEND, particularly those with high levels of need or those at risk of becoming NEET. You will have experience of delivering effective interventions, coordinating support across multiple agencies and navigating complex situations with professionalism and sensitivity. Strong communication, planning and relationship management skills are essential, alongside the ability to analyse information, develop solutions and influence others to achieve positive outcomes.

You will ideally have:

• Significant experience working with children and young people with SEND and/or young people with an EHCP.
• Experience of working collaboratively with schools, colleges, partner agencies and families to achieve positive outcomes.
• Knowledge of preparing for adulthood, transition planning and factors that impact young people's outcomes.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and relationship-building skills.
• Strong organisational, project management and case management abilities.
• Good ICT skills, including Microsoft Office applications and data management systems.
• Level 2 qualifications in English and Maths.
• A relevant Level 4 qualification or significant equivalent experience and expertise (desirable).
• A full driving licence and the ability to travel across the county as required.

If you are passionate about helping young people achieve their ambitions and want to play a key role in shaping opportunities for young people with SEND, we would love to hear from you.

We understand that candidates may use AI tools to assist with their applications. While we welcome innovation, we expect all submissions to reflect your own experience, skills, and achievements accurately. Please ensure your application is truthful and demonstrates your personal capabilities, as this will be assessed during the selection process.

Other information

Other Information

For more information about this role, please contact Danielle Whelan at ([email protected]) for an informal discussion.

Closing date: Sunday 1^st November 2026

Interview Date:  11^th November 2026

Safeguarding on 17^th November 2026

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.

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

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

• All unspent convictions and conditional cautions
• All spent convictions and adult cautions that are not protected (i.e. that are not filtered out) as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2020 and 2023).

For further information on filtering please refer to Nacro guidance and the guidance published by the Ministry of Justice (see, in particular, the section titled ‘Exceptions Order’).

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.

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/