Head of Service - SEND
Wirral MBC - Town Hall, Wirral, Ch44 8ED
£500/per day
Start Date : 03/07/2023

PURPOSE
To provide strategic leadership in collaboration with senior education, health and social care
colleagues to deliver improvements in outcomes for children and young people with SEND are met.
To lead the strategic development, commissioning and procurement of specialist provision for
children and young people (0 to 25 years) with special educational needs and disabilities and to be
responsible for the strategic framework for the delivery of relevant services and support to children,
schools and families.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Ensure through the provision of services that children are safe and achieving good outcomes.
2. Maintain, develop and lead key strategic collaborative relationships with Health, Social Care,
other partners including the Parent Carer Forum to evaluate the impact of outcomes for
children and young people.
3. Work collaboratively with parents, Health partners and Social Care colleagues so that they are
fully involved in the co-production of the work of the service.
4. Work in partnership with strategic senior managers from external partner agencies to ensure
the effective on-going implementation, analysis, performance review and delivery of the
implementation of the SEND reforms, with a specific focus on SEND statutory functions.
5. Lead on the positive engagement and full participation of all relevant service areas, including
Health and inhouse commissioners, to development effective joint commissioning arrangements
which effectively meet the needs of the children and young people.
6. Lead on the strategic implementation, co-ordination and delivery of the integrated assessment,
and Education, Health and Care Plans for children and young people up to 25 years.
7. Develop, monitor and maintain quality assurance processes including the use of information and
intelligence activity in the system to influence and contribute to the SEND strategy, with a clear
focus on outcomes for children and young people.

ROLE SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS
Qualifications:
* Educated to degree or equivalent level
* Evidence of relevant continual professional development (CPD) at a post graduate level
Knowledge & Skills:
* Extensive knowledge and understanding of the SEND reforms and their impact across
Education, Health and Social Care
* Ability to think strategically and to translate the vision for the local are delivery through
collaboration and partnership
* Good leadership skills that encourage commitment from others and promote a positive,
motivated and organisational culture
* Effective people management resulting in high performance
* High level of interpersonal skills, good oral communication and listening skills
* Excellent written communication, including presentations, report writing, briefings and letters
for Senior Managers and Elected Members
* Proven ability to network effectively, negotiate at all levels and influence other's decisions
* Demonstrable success in supporting positive outcomes for children and young people with
SEND

Experience:
* Senior leadership experience and expertise in a relevant area/discipline
* Successful and extensive experience of leading SEN services to schools and families
* Demonstrable experience in partnership working with schools and other partners in the
provision of services
* Experience of work with Social Care colleagues to ensure that there is joint partnership working
* Evidence of the ability to encourage and achieve change by effective influencing and facilitation
skills
* Effective leadership style which builds up staff confidence and motivation
* Successful involvement in achieving outcomes across a number of multi-agency area
* Effective Budget management so providing best value
* A track record of effectively leading and managing change resulting in service improvement.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The postholder must be able to travel across the borough.
Able to work outside traditional hours, of a weekend and evening as required, adopting an agile
working approach in response to business requirements