Vacancy Description

Would you like to be part of our enhanced new Special Educational Needs and Disability team, working together with colleges, families and our children and young people to help shape their future?

Are you experienced and passionate about working in the field of special educational needs, with a particular interest in young people aged 16-25 years?

If so, this could be the opportunity you are looking for and we will be very keen to hear from you.

Achieving for Children has been up and running for five years, and in that time we have established a reputation as one of the leading children’s services providers in the country. We are one of the Department for Education’s eight ‘Partners in Practice’, tasked with leading improvement across the sector. We are an award-winning social enterprise created by Kingston and Richmond Councils in 2014, expanding into the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead in 2017. We are responsible for delivering the entirety of Children’s Services in all three local authorities.

As PfA Manager you will be responsible for:

• Management of the PfA team ensuring that young people’s needs are met at the point of transition into adulthood, including preparing for statutory assessments and transition into adult services.
• Shaping and influencing post-16 provision and study programmes in order to meet our young people’s needs.
• Collaborative working with the SEND Manager and 0-16 Manager to ensure that all work streams are aligned with smooth delivery from 0-25 years within the service.
• Management oversight for post-16 cases, including supporting work for Tribunal Cases.
• Overseeing statutory responsibilities for young people with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC) aged 16-25 years and ensuring that EHC plans for this group are legally compliant with the statutory requirements of the Children and Families Act 2014.
• Develop the PfA offer for education towards employment, health, community inclusion and independent living for young people with SEND aged 16-25, through collaborative working.
• Setting operational leadership for high quality, timely plans which deliver strong outcomes for children and young people.

To be the PfA Manager, you will be passionate about making a positive difference to the lives of young people as well as demonstrating the following skills and experience:

• Be educated to degree level, with appropriate professional qualification/s.
• Have extensive knowledge of legislation, statutory frameworks including the Code of Practice, and policy affecting services for young people post-16 and families in relation to SEND.
• Experience of managing the processes that deliver co-produced EHC plans on time and to a high quality.
• Have experience of building and maintaining successful relationships with a range of influencers, including FE colleges of all types and schools and health providers.
• Have a high level of determination, personal drive, energy and ambition to achieve challenging targets and improve outcomes.

In return, we will offer you high quality support and excellent training and development opportunities.

If you would like to find out more about this exciting role, please contact Alison Crossick, Interim Associate Director for Inclusion on 01628 685878 for an informal discussion.

Achieving for Children is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Successful candidates will be required to undertake a Criminal Record Check.

Closing date: 26 August 2019

Interviews: 2 September 2019

Further information on this vacancy

• Job Description/Person Specification