The posting
Contract to start ASAP until 12-02-27 with a possible extension.
Full Job DescriptionSEND Case Officer
Derbyshire County Council
Hours: Full-time (37 hours per week)
Contract: Temporary – ending 12 February 2027
Pay Rate: £20.50 per hour (Umbrella)
Support Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
We're recruiting an organised, compassionate and knowledgeable SEND Case Officer to support Derbyshire County Council with the effective coordination and administration of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities cases.
This role will involve managing an allocated caseload, working closely with families, schools, education professionals and partner agencies to support statutory SEND processes and help ensure children and young people receive appropriate educational support.
You'll need excellent communication and organisational skills, strong attention to detail and the ability to manage sensitive and sometimes complex cases within statutory timescales.
About the Role
As a SEND Case Officer, you'll support the delivery of the council's statutory responsibilities relating to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.
You'll manage cases through relevant stages of the SEND process, coordinate information from education, health and care professionals and maintain regular communication with parents, carers, schools and other stakeholders.
The role requires the ability to interpret detailed information, maintain accurate records and progress cases efficiently while keeping the needs of children and young people at the centre of decision-making.
What you'll be doing:
- Managing an allocated SEND caseload, ensuring cases are progressed accurately and within required timescales.
- Supporting Education, Health and Care Plan processes, including assessments, reviews and amendments where applicable.
- Gathering information and professional advice from schools, health professionals, social care teams and other relevant agencies.
- Liaising with parents and carers, providing clear information about SEND processes and responding professionally to enquiries.
- Working closely with schools and educational settings, supporting effective communication and resolving routine case-related issues.
- Preparing and reviewing case documentation, ensuring information is accurate, complete and appropriately recorded.
- Supporting annual review processes, monitoring recommendations and progressing required changes.
- Maintaining accurate electronic case records, ensuring correspondence, decisions and supporting documents are recorded promptly.
- Monitoring statutory deadlines, identifying cases at risk of delay and escalating concerns appropriately.
- Preparing cases for decision-making panels or senior officers, ensuring all relevant evidence and information is available.
- Supporting placement and provision discussions, working with relevant teams and education providers where required.
- Responding to telephone, email and written enquiries, providing accurate information and appropriate updates.
- Working collaboratively with SEND colleagues and partner services, helping ensure a coordinated approach to individual cases.
- Handling confidential and sensitive information appropriately, complying with data protection and council procedures.
Requirements
We're looking for a well-organised, confident and child-focused professional who can manage detailed casework and communicate effectively with families and professionals.
You'll ideally have:
- Previous experience working in SEND, education, children's services or a similar case-management environment.
- Knowledge of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities processes and responsibilities.
- Understanding of Education, Health and Care Plans and statutory SEND procedures.
- Experience managing a caseload and working to statutory or organisational deadlines.
- Experience liaising with parents, carers, schools and professional agencies.
- Strong written communication skills, with the ability to produce clear and accurate correspondence and case documentation.
- Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple cases and competing priorities.
- Strong attention to detail, particularly when reviewing reports, assessments and formal documentation.
- Good IT skills, including experience using electronic case-management systems and Microsoft Office applications.
- Ability to deal professionally with sensitive or challenging conversations.
- An understanding of confidentiality, safeguarding and data protection requirements.
- A collaborative and solutions-focused approach to working with families and professionals.
- Local authority or public-sector SEND experience would be highly advantageous.
- Eligibility to work in the UK and ability to complete required pre-employment checks.
Why Apply
- Opportunity to support children and young people with SEND and their families.
- Varied case-management role involving education, families and multi-agency professionals.
- Chance to gain or further develop local authority SEND experience.
- Competitive umbrella rate of £20.50 per hour.
- Full-time assignment of 37 hours per week.
Benefits
- Weekly Pay
- Company Pension
- Ongoing Agency Support
Benefits are subject to eligibility and agreed agency and payroll arrangements.
Additional Information
Client: Derbyshire County Council
Job Title: SEND Case Officer
Employment Type: Temporary
Location: County Hall, Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 3AG
Working Arrangement: Office attendance, travel and any hybrid-working arrangements are to be confirmed.
Original Target Start Date: 6 October 2026
Actual Start Date: To be confirmed, as the original target date has passed.
End Date: 12 February 2027
Hours: 37 hours per week
Positions Available: 1
Pay Rate: £20.50 per hour – Umbrella
IR35: Status to be confirmed
DBS: Any required level of DBS check should be confirmed by Derbyshire County Council.
Job Types: Full-time, Temporary contract
Pay: £20.50 per hour – Umbrella
Application question(s):
- Please describe your experience working within SEND, education or children's services.
- Do you have experience managing SEND cases or supporting Education, Health and Care Plan processes?
- Please give an example of how you managed a complex case involving families, schools and other professionals while working to a deadline.
- Please confirm your current location and your availability to start as soon as required.
Experience:
- SEND, education or children's services: Preferred
- Case management: Preferred
- EHCP or statutory SEND processes: Strongly desirable
- Local authority experience: Advantageous
- Working with families and educational settings: Preferred
Qualifications:
- Relevant qualification in education, SEND, administration, social care or a related discipline: Desirable
- SEND-related training or knowledge: Advantageous
Any mandatory qualification requirements should be confirmed against Derbyshire County Council's person specification.
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom – right to work required
Disclaimer: On applying for this vacancy, you agree that your personal details will be passed onto our client for their consideration of your suitability for the role. I acknowledge that it is my responsibility to notify iWork Recruitment Limited of any hirer who I do not want my details to be passed onto.
5308861-10-26
