Overview
SEND IAS Helpline Worker
Permanent, Full Time
£28,514 to £33,545 per annum
Location: Countywide
Closing Date: 12th October 2025
The Role
The Essex Special Educational Needs & Disability Information, Advice and Support Service (SEND IASS) provides confidential and impartial information, advice and support about special educational needs & disabilities (SEND) for children, young people, parents and carers, to empower them to play an active and informed role in issues relating to their education and care.
The focus of the role is to be the vital first point of contact for the service, providing direct support and advice to children, young people, parents and carers. Ongoing casework support for parents/carers, children and young people through telephone and emails will also be required as well as the work necessary to maintain the significant amount of data inputting/record keeping and telephone/online work that is required for the role.
To read more about our business area, please visit: https://essexsendiass.co.uk/
The Opportunity
The post holder will be part of the team responsible for managing a high level of calls, emails and contact forms that are received into the service helpline inbox/message inboxes, from parents/carers, children/young people, schools, colleges and colleagues across a range of statutory and voluntary services.
The post holder will be a source of information and expertise on education provision for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities and on how to communicate and work effectively with parents, children and young people as equal partners, promoting sharing knowledge with parents, children and young people as decision makers, to embed these values in schools, settings and the workforce.
If you are enthusiastic, capable and empathic, with excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills, then we would like to hear from you.
Accountabilities
- Deliver impartial, technical and legal information and support to parents/carers, children and young people on all aspects of educational provision for children and young people with SEND
- Work closely with colleagues within the SEND IASS team to provide continuity in casework as well as from across education, social care and health and with education settings and a range of outside agencies to secure positive outcomes for families.
- Responsible for managing a defined caseload ensuring keeping up to date accurate records and data on a daily basis
- Provide information, advice and support to promote independence and self-advocacy for children, young people, parents and carers.
The Experience You Will Bring
- Possesses a professional qualification at RQF level 5 (foundation degree) or equivalent experience in a relevant area of work.
- Evidence of continuing professional development with knowledge and experience of working with parents/carers of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities with an understanding of the barriers to education and the issues affecting them within education.
- Awareness of the legislation and regulations for all aspects of SEND education
- provision (SEND legal training is a requirement of SEND IAS Services, which will be provided).
- Experience of working in partnership with a range of agencies to successfully influence
- delivery and improve outcomes for children, young people with SEND and their families.
- Ability to advise and support parents/YP where challenge is required to generate options which are credible solutions to head teachers, parents, children and young people and professionals.
- Efficient use of ICT to input all case information and support the service in the development of reports to monitor and evaluate quality.
In your application, please make clear why you would like to apply for this post and include details of the relevant skills, knowledge and experience you will bring to the role.
For an informal discussion about this role please contact the Job share manager of the service Louise Bracci on 0333 013 0330.
