Special Needs Officer - West Sussex County Council : Job Details

About Us

The Special Educational Needs Assessment Team (SENAT) manage the decisions and processes concerned with the statutory education health and care needs assessment process for learners with an education, health, and care plan (EHCP), the placement of children in learning settings and the allocation of resources to settings.

The team considers suitability of and, where appropriate, arranges the assessment and placement of children, young people, and young adults with special educational needs in accordance with the provisions of the Children and Families Act 2014 (Part 3, SEN) and associated regulations, including the SEN Code of Practice, to ensure that the statutory assessment procedures are followed and that EHCPs are issued and reviewed within the timescales laid down by the regulations. This will be achieved through direct work with parents, educational settings, young people, health, social care and other external customers and partnership organisations to establish the best ways to support learning for children and Young People (0 - 25).

For more information, please visit our West Sussex SEN Assessment Team page on our WSCC website.

About The Job

Are you a qualified teacher with experience of SEN? Do you enjoy problem-solving? Are you looking for a new opportunity within your career? If this sounds like you, we'd love to hear from you.

The Special Educational Needs Assessment Team (SENAT) manages the decisions and processes associated with the statutory education, health, and care needs assessment process, including the placement of Children and Young People in settings and the allocation of resources.This exciting and varied role provides monitoring, advice, and support to a range of educational settings. You will work collaboratively with a wide range of professionals and families to ensure the needs of our most vulnerable learners are met.

You will be working within the Special Educational Needs Assessment Team, joining a small team of Special Needs Officers - each Officer covers a specific geographical area of West Sussex, whilst also working collaboratively together to support inclusive practice across the whole of West Sussex.

You will need to be committed to supporting equality and diversity, with high levels of confidentiality. We are looking for someone who is respectful of all customers, with a focus on delivering services to those customers.

We are looking for a qualified teacher with a specialist SEN qualification, or equivalent experience, to join our friendly, fast paced team. You will have excellent communication skills and be passionate about making a difference for children and young people with SEND.

If you are a qualified teacher committed to helping Children and Young People with SEND achieve their outcomes, we would be very pleased to hear from you.

Qualifications and/or experience:

• Qualified teacher status
• Specialist SEN qualification or equivalent.
• Recent successful teaching experience.
• Previous recent involvement in multi-disciplinary initiatives relating to children with special needs.
• Proven expertise in the implementation of the statutory SEN processes and Special Educational Needs Code of Practice.
• Clear understanding of the role of the special educational needs team within the LA.
• Knowledge of recent government papers and legislation relating to special educational needs.
• Knowledge of the LA policies and procedures for identifying, assessing, and meeting special educational needs.
• Understanding of the importance of working in partnership with parents, school staff and voluntary agencies.
• Knowledge of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal.

Rewards and Benefits

As an employer we recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive and dynamic working environment where employees can achieve their full potential, achieve a healthy work-life balance, and are rewarded for the work they do.

For a full list of the benefits offered to you as a West Sussex County Council employee you can find them on our Rewards and Benefits page.

Further Information

The reference number for this role is CAFHE05095.

For issues or queries regarding your application please contact

This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check, 5 years referencing, Qualified Teacher Status, and an occupational health check.

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

For information regarding your eligibility to apply for this role under our Disability or Veteran's Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please visit our help applying for jobs page.