building stronger families
Job Description
Project Manager – Harrow SENDIAS service
FAMILY ACTION GRADE Grade 3 plus OLW
DEPARTMENT Operational Services
LOCATION Harrow
HOURS To be confirmed
REPORT TO Ealing SENDIAS Service Manager
Function:
To manage Harrow SENDIAS service and staff which informs parents, children and young people who reside in Harrow, of their rights as regards the SEND process, by keeping abreast of education and other relevant legislation and SEND policy, and support their navigation through the SEND assessment process empowering them to express their views and needs. To hold a caseload of direct work and to work with families and other stakeholders to achieve the best outcomes for the education, health and care of the child/young person concerned.
Principal accountabilities:
1 To be responsible for the overall management of all staff within the
service, ensuring that high standards of professional practise are
maintained, and that policies and procedures are implemented. To
include the prioritising and delegation of work, regular target setting,
planning within time scales and staff performance development via the
appraisal process.
2 Allocate work within the service and set appropriate priorities ensuring
a consistent professional response, support and standards are
achieved.
3 Work closely with parents including:
· Provide practical support to parents, either individually or as a group
and follow up discussions with schools, local authorities, and other
relevant agencies.
· Provide parents with accurate information on their rights, roles and
responsibilities within the SEN process and on the wide range of
options and agencies that are available.
· Assist parents to establish support groups, encourage them to support
each other.
· Organise occasional workshops/conferences for parents and other
agencies to promote understanding of current SEN issues.
· Maintain parents helpline to offer informed advice and support.
· Work with parents of children with SEN who are at risk of exclusion or are excluded.
4 Supervise the professional practice and standards of Service staff
advising and supporting where appropriate on the most complex cases
ensuring thresholds for service intervention are met.
5 Produce, monitor and evaluate service development plans with
identified targets and objectives in support of Family Action business
plans providing regular reports and briefing papers as required.
6 Ensure a regular review of the effectiveness of the service including by
seeking feedback from users.
7 Convene and chair a multi-agency steering/management group.
8 Contribute, regionally and locally, to strategic planning discussions with
and ensure collaborative working with statutory and voluntary agencies
and service providers to ensure a high quality unified service. Ensure
that parents’ views are heard and understood and inform and influence
the development of local SEN policy and practice.
9 Manage, monitor and review the budget, resources and materials
available to parents and voluntary groups to ensure effective use of
resources within available budget.
10 Ensure the provision of a range of flexible services including best
endeavours to provide access to an Independent Parental Supporter
for all parents who want one.
11 Establish and maintain links with voluntary organisations.
12 To ensure you have an understanding (appropriate to your role) of, and
comply with Family Action’s procedures for promoting and safeguarding
the welfare of children and vulnerable adults.
13 To ensure the implementation of Family Action’s Diversity & Equality
Policy and our Ethical Policy in every aspect of your work and
positively promote the principles of these policies amongst
colleagues, service users and other members of the community
14 To be able to evidence Family Action’s values at all times, which underpin Family Action’s mission of ‘building stronger families’ by:
· Being people focused
· Reflecting a ‘can do’ approach
· Striving for excellence in everything we do
· Having mutual respect for everyone we work with, work for and support
through our services.
15 To comply with Family Action’s Health and Safety Policy, Data
Protection Policy and to protect your own and others’ health, safety
and welfare.
16. To work flexibly as required by the service and the needs of the families with which we work, including mornings and early evenings and to carry out any other reasonable duties as required.
Person Specification
Project Manager – Harrow SENDIAS
Education, qualifications and background
1 Degree or relevant qualification and experience of working with SEND Procedure.
2 Excellent leadership skills with the ability to manage, supervise and
appraise both paid staff and volunteers.
3 Proven experience of working directly with vulnerable families to support positive, measurable, and evaluated outcomes for children and young people with Special Educational Needs..
4 Detailed understanding of current SEN legislative framework, particularly
affecting SEN processes, admissions, exclusions and appeals.
Abilities and skills
5 Proven ability to manage and develop a project that has a multi-agency component and the ability to work in partnership with other disciplines and agencies.
6 Ability to participate in the development of policies and improved practice,
and design and deliver training programmes.
7 Experience and knowledge of service planning and implementation, and
ability to produce high quality monitoring data and reports.
8 Experience managing a budget and of ability to manage demand within
allocated resources.
9 Ability to develop and maintain networks, and to communicate effectively
and sensitively in a variety of media.
10 Demonstrated Knowledge and understanding of pan-London Child Protection procedures and Working Together to Safeguard Children, as well as ability to work accordance with local and organisational Child Protection and Safeguarding policies and procedures and keep up to date as required.
11 A demonstrated commitment to the values of Family Action with an
understanding of Equal Opportunities and Diversity
12 Excellent organisational skills with the ability to prioritise workload, self-
motivate and work to tight deadlines on own initiative., ensuring the
coordinator is notified promptly of any major concerns.
13 Demonstrate ability to communicate clearly and professionally through a
variety of mediums with parents, children, professionals and excellent
verbal, listening and presentation skills including excellent IT skills.
14 Able to evidence Family Action’s values at all times, which underpin Family
Action’s mission of “building stranger families” by:
· Being people focused
· Reflecting a ‘can do’ approach
· Striving for excellence in everything we do
· Having mutual respect for everyone we work with, work for and support through our services.
15 A proven ability to work flexibly, undertaking out of hours work - including mornings , weekends, evenings as required by the services.