SEND Complaints and Tribunals Officer - REQ001138

Job title: SEND Complaints and Tribunals Officer

Salary: £44,711 to £47,754 (PO4)

Hours: 37

Contract: Permanent

Location: Merrion House/Hybrid

As a SEND Complaints and Tribunals Officer, you’ll thrive on working restoratively with some of the city’s most vulnerable children and families and resolving disputes.

It’s not about arguing or being defensive - you will bring creativity and passion to your work with families and involve them in conversations and decisions, working collaboratively to resolve issues in a fair and empathetic way.

You’ll be a key team member within our Special Educational Needs Statutory Assessment and Provision (SENSAP) service. Our overarching goal in SENSAP is to enable children and young people with complex special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to access education with all the support they need to fulfil their potential and carry out the local authority’s duties under the Children and Families Act 2014, SEND Regulations 2014, and related legislation.

Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.

About you

As a SEND Complaints and Tribunals Officer you will bring to the role:

In depth knowledge and understanding of current SEN legislation and reform, statutory procedures and processes governing the provision of services for children with special educational needs.
Previous SEND case management experience, including significant experience of managing a high case load of complex cases.
Experience of complaint handling and resolution, and successfully managing conflict and disputes in difficult situations.
Extensive knowledge and understanding of the impact of SEND on children and young people’s educational, health and social care outcomes.

About the role

In SENSAP we take a forward-thinking, innovative approach to our statutory duty, which is to delegate high needs funding, support inclusive SEND practice in education settings and manage education, health and care assessments and plans. We fully engage children, young people and families in key decision making to help them understand their options and we work together to find the educational placement that best meets an individual’s needs.

As a SEND Complaints and Tribunals Officer, you will represent the service and develop practice across the Special Educational Needs Statutory Assessment and Provision (SENSAP) Team to reduce the Local Authority’s exposure to risk of appeals to Tribunals, complaints, litigation and judicial review/complaints to the Local Government Ombudsman. You will lead on the completion and coordination of Complaints across SENSAP, including liaison with the Directorate’s Central Customer Relations Team, to ensure speedy resolution of all complaints. You will also lead on embedding a culture of customer services, including the delivery of training and development sessions, across SENSAP.

What we offer you

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements

a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further

How to apply

Please complete the online application form.

Read our guidance for further advice. Please check your information carefully and ensure you complete all sections before submitting your application.

If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role, please contact SENSAP@leeds.gov.uk with the subject line FAO: SENSAP Head of Service.

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be carried out on preferred candidates. Read our recruitment of ex-offenders policy.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

We promote diversity and want a workforce that reflects the population of Leeds. Leeds City Council is recognised in Stonewall’s Workplace Equality Index 2024. We are also an Age-friendly Employer, a Mindful Employer and a Disability Confident Leader.

All new Leeds City Council appointments are made subject to the satisfactory completion of a six-month probationary period.

This role is based in the UK. Employment is conditional on confirmation of the right to work in the UK - either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa. If you do not have the right to work in the UK and the role does not meet eligibility for sponsorship, please consider carefully whether you meet the eligibility to apply.

Job Description

Responsibilities

To take the lead on complex casework, providing effective mediation, drawing on strong negotiation and influencing skills across a range of complex SEN issues between parents, schools and multi-disciplinary practitioners.
To be a source of expert advice to the Council and SEN officers on all aspects of the SENDIST.
To attend resolution meetings with parents and other professionals in an attempt to settle disputed issues without the need for formal legal redress wherever possible. This will include responsibility for negotiating changes to the EHC plans using tact and diplomacy through working with families experiencing emotional turmoil.
To ensure mediation and problem resolution is an active feature at an early stage in caseworkers’ engagement with families to reduce tribunal numbers.
To prepare evidence and responses to complaints and enquiries including from the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO).
To track and monitor responses to member and MP enquiries, complaints, tribunals and LGSCO decisions, assisting service managers to prepare key documentation where needed.
To ensure that the computerised database information is accurate and up to date at all times and that action is undertaken as required to ensure production of accurate and timely information.
To attend and contribute to Ofsted, LA, DFE and peer inspections and discussions, as required.
To support the development of training and quality assurance in relation to complaint handling across the service
To represent the Local Authority at the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal and defend appropriateness of the proposed service provision for an individual child/young person
To provide key leadership in case management of SEN appeal related cases to ensure that the Council discharges its responsibilities effectively in relation to statutory appeals to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal (SENDIST)
To develop practice across the SENSAP team to reduce the Local Authority’s exposure to risk of appeals to Tribunals, complaints, litigation and judicial review/complaints to the Local Government Ombudsman.
To work directly with parents, schools, parental appointed legal representatives and other professional bodies within the statutory and legal framework related to the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal process.

Qualifications

GCSE Qualifications, including English and Maths (grade 4 or C and above).
Professional qualifications in education or other relevant qualification/experience

Essential requirements

It is essential that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria. Candidates will only be shortlisted if they can demonstrate that they meet all the essential requirements.

In depth knowledge and understanding of current SEN legislation and reform, statutory procedures and processes governing the provision of services for children with special educational needs.
Extensive knowledge and understanding of the impact of SEND on children and young people’s educational, health and social care outcomes.
Thorough knowledge of the services and agencies which might be involved in EHC assessments and EHC Plan delivery.
Extensive knowledge of the types of special needs and disabilities that effect children’s education and an ability to develop this knowledge.
Extensive knowledge of the issues faced by children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities and their families.
Experience of complaint handling and resolution
Previous SEND case management experience, including significant experience of managing a high case load of complex cases.
Experience of Appeals and Tribunals processes and guidance.
Experience of successfully managing conflict and disputes in difficult situations.
Ability to use ICT programmes effectively to capture data and monitor performance
Experience of multi-agency working and working alongside a range of stakeholders to drive multi-disciplinary strategic change.

Essential behavioural and other characteristics

Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct
Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon
Be aware of and be able to understand and observe Leeds City Council policies.
Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health and Safety.
Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities
Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities.
Be aware of and support difference ensuring equality for all, working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & diversity.
Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person
The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.

Desirable requirements

It is desirable that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria. Candidates are not required to meet all the desirable requirements however these may be used to distinguish between candidates.

Professional qualification in Education, Social Care or Health or equivalent experience
Ability to use the Synergy system
Extensive knowledge of other related legislation, including legislation governing Adult Social Care, the Children Act, and safeguarding processes

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