The Role

Are you seeking an opportunity where you can make a difference and contribute to positive outcomes for children and young people with SEND by?

• Listening and understanding?
• Trusting and working with families own knowledge, skills & abilities?
• Providing them with the information, advice and support they need to make informed decisions?
• Working with a team who are focused, experienced, have a great sense of humour and are committed to providing information, advice, and support which is easy to access in a sustainable way?

If yes, we have the perfect role for you!

Our Wandsworth Information Advice & Support Service (WIASS) is looking to recruit a full-time permanent Information, Advice & Support (Parent lead) Officer to join our amazing team and help play a vital role in achieving positive outcomes for parents and their children!

About Us:

WIASS provides the statutory local impartial, confidential information, advice and support service on matters relating to children and young people with SEND. The service is offered to parents and children and young people aged 0-25 years old.

About the role:

This role requires you to:

• Be an active listener who can understand a family’s needs
• Provide the relevant information, advice & support, clearly, simply and in a timely way
• Work closely with the other Information, Advice & Support officer (CYP lead) and Business Support officer.
• Work within the National IASS Minimum Standards and the Service Priorities

About you:

You will be able to carry out the role with families in a calm, clear & sensitive manner, sometimes in emotional & stressful situations.

Empathy, being a reflective practitioner, partnership working and maintaining professional boundaries is vital for this role.

It is essential you can work as part of a team in person/remotely, pick up procedures, information accurately & retain it, be organised alongside being supportive, adaptable, and flexible.

You will understand how children learn & are supported in a mainstream school settings, including the difficulties they & their parents may face when getting the educational, health and social care support they require.

You will have experience of working directly with children with Special Educational Needs & Disability & their parents and ideally have knowledge of SEND legislation (SEND Code of Practice, 2015) & applying it.

Training on SEND Law and guidance will be provided.

This post is provided to Wandsworth residents only and you will be required to travel to meetings within and outside of Wandsworth including working from the service office too.

How to apply?

To apply complete an application outlining how you meet the specific requirements of the role. Please refer to the attached full Job Description/Person Specification. For an informal discussion please contact:

- Rina Patel, WIASS Manager at Rina.patel@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk

- Lucy Davies at  Lucy.davies@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk

Benefits

In return, we can offer you working arrangements that will enhance your work-life balance and a generous holiday allowance of 31 days plus bank holidays.  In addition, we offer a range of staff benefits such as membership of the Local Government contributory pension scheme, childcare vouchers, new technology scheme, interest-free loans on annual travel cards, discounts at many leisure activities, restaurants, shops, and other establishments. A wide range of developmental opportunities is also offered.

Indicative Recruitment Timeline     

• Closing Date: 11.59pm on Monday 3^rd May 2021
• Shortlisting Date: Week commencing on the 3^rd May 2021
• Interview Date(s): Week commencing on the 10^th May 2021

Useful Information: The closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. We strongly advise you to complete your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Please note that the advertised dates for interviews may change due to the current Covid-19 situation. If they do, we will let you know as soon as possible. Your health and wellbeing is our top priority. Should you become unwell due to Covid-19 during the recruitment process we would very much appreciate receiving an update from you as soon as possible.

We particularly welcome applications from sections of the community who are currently underrepresented within our teams, including BAME backgrounds and candidates with disabilities.

Equality Statement

Richmond and Wandsworth Councils are committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds bring important and positive contributions to the Councils and can improve the way we deliver services. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer.

Important Information

This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) helps employers make safer recruitment decisions and prevent unsuitable people from working with vulnerable groups, including children. It replaces the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA).

Richmond and Wandsworth Councils

Attached documents

•  Information, Advice and Support Officer - Job Profile