Job Description

Section A: Job Profile

The job profile outlines key information relating to the salary and working conditions e.g., location of a job, along with the current focus of the role and a brief description of the main duties.

Job Details

Job Title:	Senior EHCP Casework Officer
Salary:	£54,495 - £57,864
Grade:	Grade 14
Hours:	37 per week We are open to discussions about flexible working.
Team:	SEND Team
Service Area:	Children’s Services - CEF
Primary Location:	County Hall, Oxford OX1 1ND.
Budget responsibility:	Scheme of delegation on decisions up £5000
Responsible to:	Lead SEN Officer
Responsible for:	Managing a team of EHCP Casework Officers and Assistant Officers
Political Restricted Post:	No

Job Purpose

To ensure that all Statutory processes are completed in the timeframes set out in the SEND Code of Practice

To support the Lead SEN Officer to ensure that the strategic aims for young people with special educational needs are met within the legislative frameworks

To take lead responsibility for advising parents, schools, colleges and providers in implementing SEND decisions, managing expectations, and arising disputes on these decisions.

To lead and manage allocated cases within SENDIST Tribunal processes to ensure that all legal deadline dates are met and that all case preparation is in line with Tribunal rules.

To make robust, equitable and evidence-based decisions around funding within their scheme of delegation.

To support and develop a highly effective and capable team that consistently produce a service to a high standard

To ensure team performance and quality of work produced is statutorily compliant and in line with national and local expectations.

Job Responsibilities

To manage and oversee the statutory process for children and young people ensuring that each case is handled efficiently, within Statutory deadlines, and that each EHC plan that is reviewed and issued is of high quality.

To lead and attend Way Forward, Mediation and pre-Tribunal meetings as required.

To represent the LA at SEND Tribunals where necessary.

To provide professional support, challenge and advice (including training where required) to Headteachers, SENCOs, Governing Bodies/Academy Trust, to ensure that they are compliant with the SEND Code of Practice and Disability Discrimination Act.

To work closely with schools and partner agencies to adhere to the time scales set out in the SEND Code of Practice.

To ensure that effective transition processes are in place and that these are communicated to schools at appropriate transition points.

To have oversight of the team’s workload in order to;
- Monitor placements, including AP, to ensure that the pupil’s needs are met and they are making progress towards their outcomes;
- ensure that the Local Authority is receiving value for money;
- liaise closely with other professionals including colleagues in Health and Social Care.

To oversee, manage and ensure safeguarding processes and policies are adhered to within the team that you manage and to report concerns through the appropriate channels.

To have fiscal responsibility within the scheme of delegation, including awareness of impact on overall budget

To ensure that all records for students are maintained and up to date at all times so that an audit trail of involvement is kept and is able to be produced if required.

To work with EHCP Casework Officers to ensure that all casework is thorough and complete, and that the paperwork produced for Local Authority Decision making Panels is accurate and contains up to date information required to ensure that decisions can be made swiftly and with equity and transparency.

To produce reports for Lead SEN Officers/Head of SEND as required to ensure that Senior Leaders are updated at all times.

To ensure and maintain effective communication with key statutory and voluntary sector partners. This includes attendance at multi-professional planning meetings and child protection case conferences.

Ensure that you are always up to date on changes to Legislation, changes to policies and procedures and current guidance to ensure that all staff are aware of these changes.

To chair Multi-Agency Panels where key Local Authority Statutory decisions are made. This includes responsibility for ensuring all decisions are robust, equitable and legally compliant and that the minutes accurately reflect the conversation and decision made

To deputise for the Lead SEN Officer in strategic meetings and Complex Case Panels when necessary.

To lead and manage specific task and finish groups to ensure internal processes are reviewed and updated regularly to include mapping across Business Support Team processes.

To deliver training to internal and external colleagues.

To manage responses to formal and informal complaints and to provide detail for LGSCO responses

To manage and audit the quality of the teams work in line with the Quality Assurance framework to feed into service reports

To provide line management responsibility for a team of SEN Officers and Assistant SEN Officers in line with Oxfordshire’s policies and procedures.

To induct and train new members of staff according to corporate policies and Service specific processes.

To lead, coach and manage a high performing team, ensuring that team and service priorities are met at all times.

To monitor and evaluate team performance, including the setting of clear targets, identifying development needs and tackling poor performance in line with Corporate policy.

To undertake all duties and responsibilities in line with current Council Policies and Procedures, including those relating to health and safety; equalities, diversity and inclusion; safeguarding procedures; financial instructions; procurement and commissioning.

To undertake any other duties in agreement with the post holder and manager.

Our Values

Our organisational values underpin everything we do and say and are supported by policies, processes and guidance. In short, our values describe ‘the way we do things here’ so that we deliver great services for our residents. Our values are:

Always learning
Be kind and care
Equality and integrity in all we do
Taking responsibility
Daring to do it differently

Everyone that works for us demonstrates their commitment to these values. We will ask you to demonstrate your commitment to these values, and their associated behaviours, throughout the application process.

Section B: Selection Criteria/Person Specification

This section provides a list of essential and desirable criteria that detail the skills, knowledge, behaviours, qualifications and experience that a candidate should have to perform the job.

Each of the criteria listed below, and your commitment to our values, will be measured through the application form/CV (A) and optionally one or more of the following - a test / exercise (T), an interview (I), a presentation (P) or documentation (D). You must provide a supporting statement as part of your application which includes examples and evidence of when you have demonstrated the criteria listed below.

Essential Criteria	Assessed By:
Educated to degree level plus significant experience in SEND Casework	A/I
In-depth knowledge and experience of the SEND Code of Practice Children and Families Act 2014 and other relevant Legislation	A/I/T
Experience of working with Children & Young people with SEND, their families and professionals	A/I
A high level of understanding of SEND processes and case management, to ensure that the legal deadlines set out in the Children and Families Act 2014 and SEND Code of practice are adhered to at all times.	A/I/T
Experience working in a multi-professional environment	A/I
Proven ability to lead and manage a high performing team, ensuring that the team and service priorities are met at all times.	A/I
Excellent communication skills, in particular writing letters, dealing with complaints, writing reports and undertaking difficult telephone calls. Proven ability to manage challenging conversations	A/I
In-depth knowledge of the SEND Tribunal process and Tribunal Case management, including the ability to write case statements and represent the LA at Tribunal hearings.	A/I
Ability to travel across the County as required.	A
Knowledge and experience of using the Data management systems and proficiency in the use of appropriate Microsoft applications.	A/I
Ability to think analytically, problem solve and work on your own initiative including excellent time management skills.	A/I
Ability to maintain confidentiality at all times.	A/I
Desirable Criteria	Assessed By:
QTS or relevant Professional Qualification	A/I
Knowledge and experience of using Liquid Logic systems.	A/I
Proven experience of delivering training to a range of audiences	A/I

Section C: Pre-employment Checks

All appointments are subject to standard pre-employment screening. This will include identity, references, proof of right to work in the UK, medical clearance and verification of certificates. Further information can be found here Pre-employment checks

Additional pre employment checks specific to this role are identified below (those ticked).

☐	Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check with Children’s and Adults Barred List	☐	Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check without an Adult/Children’s barred list check
R	Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check with Children’s Barred List	☐	Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check with Adults Barred List
☐	Standard Disclosure and Barring Service check	☐	Basic Disclosure
☐	Disqualification for Caring for Children (Education)	☐	Overseas Criminal Record Checks
☐	Prohibition from Teaching	☐	Professional Registration
☐	Non police personnel vetting	☐	Disqualification from Caring

☐	Other (please specify):

Section D: Working Conditions

This is a guide to the working conditions and the potential hazards and risks that may be faced by the post-holder.

Health and Safety at Work

You are responsible for your own health, safety and wellbeing, and undertaking health and safety duties and responsibilities for your role as specified within Oxfordshire County Councils Health and Safety Policy.

The potential significant hazard(s) and risk(s) for this job are identified below (those ticked).

☐	Provision of personal care on a regular basis	☐	Driving HGV or LGV for work
☐	Regular manual handling (which includes assisting, manoeuvring, pushing and pulling) of people (including pupils) or objects	R	Any other frequent driving or prolonged driving at work activities (e.g. long journeys driving own private vehicle or a council vehicle for work purposes)
☐	Working at height/ using ladders on a regular/ repetitive basis	R	Restricted postural change – prolonged sitting
R	Lone working on a regular basis	☐	Restricted postural change – prolonged standing
☐	Night work	☐	Regular/repetitive bending/ squatting/ kneeling/crouching
☐	Rotating shift work	☐	Manual cleaning/ domestic duties
☐	Working on/ or near a road	☐	Regular work outdoors
R	Significant use of computers (display screen equipment)	R	Work with vulnerable children or vulnerable adults
☐	Undertaking repetitive tasks	☐	Working with challenging behaviours
☐	Continual telephone use (call centres)	☐	Regular work with skin irritants/ allergens
☐	Work requiring hearing protection (exposure to noise above action levels)	☐	Regular work with respiratory irritants/ allergens (exposure to dust, fumes, chemicals, fibres)
☐	Work requiring respirators or masks	☐	Work with vibrating tools/ machinery
☐	Work involving food handling	☐	Work with waste, refuse
☐	Potential exposure to blood or bodily fluids	☐	Face-to-face contact with members of the public

☐	Other (please specify):

January 2026

Senior EHCP Officer - Early Years & Primary

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