SEND Officer (pay award pending)
We are recruiting for a SEND Officer who can build positive, trusting and enabling relationships with families of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), as well as with partner professionals, while supporting the statutory responsibilities of Bracknell Forest Council’s SEND team.
This is an opportunity to make a meaningful difference to the lives of children, young people and their families. We are committed to helping you thrive in your role, providing the support, development and flexibility you need to be at your best - so that together, we can achieve the best outcomes for our residents.
At Bracknell Forest, we pride ourselves on being a council which is stable and well-managed where our employees can thrive in a supportive environment. We understand the importance of a healthy work-life balance and offer a variety of flexible working practices, including options for remote working and arrangements that allow you to work from home, dependent on the needs of the service. This role includes an expectation to work from our Time Square office 1 - 2 days per week, alongside flexible working arrangements.
About you...
We are looking for an organised and compassionate SEND Officer with strong knowledge of the EHC statutory framework, excellent communication skills and the ability to manage sensitive casework effectively. You will work collaboratively with families, schools and professionals to deliver timely, compliant, child-centred support that improves outcomes for children and young people.
As a SEND Officer, your key skills will be SEND statutory knowledge, EHC casework, clear communication, organisation, accurate record keeping, collaborative working, deadline management, confidentiality, problem-solving and resilience. You will also be confident using Microsoft Office and SEND case management systems.
We are looking for a confident and dependable person who is enthusiastic about special educational needs. Strong communication skills are key as well as experience of SEND services for children, young people, and families. You will promote listening to children at every opportunity ensuring their views are heard, recorded and acted upon in an appropriate and timely manner.
Skills in mediating and a solution focussed approach are essential.
Ideally, you will already have experience in a similar role, but if you have related knowledge, experience and skills such as a SENCO, teacher, social worker, SEND casework assistant or therapist/assistant and can demonstrate your strong potential, we are ready to invest in your training and development.
If you can prioritise work independently and complete work within tight timescales to meet statutory deadlines and to a good quality then we would really like to hear from you.
About the team...
It is an exciting time to join Bracknell Forest Council. We continue to shape our Statutory SEND Service, reflecting the growing number of children and young people identified with additional needs.
We believe that every child and young person should have access to high quality education, with the right support at the right time, so that they can achieve the best outcomes possible as adults. Our purpose is to support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities to achieve their outcomes so that they can live their best lives.
We are committed to working with our partners to develop processes around co-production and ensure this is embedded in everything that we do. We produce strategies that lead to co-delivery of services, making the best use of resources available for children and young people with SEND.
We are a small but growing team who work closely together to ensure we deliver the best support to families of children and young people with SEND. Sometimes the work is challenging, but our creative, solution-focused and collegiate approach means the work is highly rewarding. Many team members have worked in the SEND service for several years while others are new to the service.
We are friendly and supportive and share a passion for enabling vulnerable children and young people the best opportunities to achieve great outcomes and secure futures.
This is a diverse post which involves comprehensive knowledge of the SEND statutory framework. Whether working in the office, side by side with colleagues, or some days from home, you will be fully inducted and supported.
Key responsibilities...
On a day-to-day basis you will be corresponding with the families of children with special educational needs and disabilities to ensure bespoke, holistic delivery plans are in place that best assist the child and their family to meet their needs. Your reflective nature and passionate approach will see you driving forward improvements which will be delivered through high quality written work. You will be a clear and comprehensive communicator and through effective organisational skills, you will ensure that we meet and look to push beyond our obligations.
Some of your role and responsibilities will be to:
- Manage and oversee the EHC Needs Assessment and placement process for young people.
- Ensure that each assessment is managed efficiently and within statutory deadlines.
- Ensure that children's assessed needs are accurately described in their EHCPs.
- Negotiate and secure educational provision and placements for children and young people across Berkshire.
- Ensure that all children with EHCPs have their needs reviewed annually and that any agreed amendments to the EHCP and/ or change in provision and placement are made in consultation with parents and all other parties.
Our benefits...
- 28 days annual leave increasing to 33 days after 3 years’ continuous service, with the opportunity to buy up to 10 and sell up to 5 days.
- Hybrid working opportunities to support your wellbeing and work-life balance.
- Paid employee volunteering scheme.
- Local government pension scheme, with life insurance cover.
- Electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme (subject to eligibility).
- Recognition of continuous service attained within the NHS and UKHSA when calculating some benefits. (Terms and Conditions apply)
- Career development through internal and external training opportunities.
- Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and fostering leave.
- Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support your health and wellbeing
- Inclusive and social working environment with a variety of staff networks and a sports and social club.
Find out more about all our benefits or see the candidate pack.
Our values...
At Bracknell Forest Council our values define who we are and what is important to us. Our core values are inclusive, ambitious, and always learning. These values influence the way we work with each other and the way we serve our residents and engage with our communities. We make our values real by demonstrating them in how we behave every day. If you are excited about joining a diverse team that celebrates learning and strives for excellence, we would love to hear from you.
Reasonable adjustments...
We are committed to ensuring an inclusive recruitment process for all applicants. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support your application or interview, please let us know by contacting recruitment@bracknell-forest.gov.uk. We will work with you to support you throughout the process. Find out more about reasonable adjustments.
Disability confident and inclusive recruitment...
Bracknell Forest Council is proud to be an inclusive employer. This means that if you have made us aware on the application form that you have a disability, are an armed forces veteran or you are a care leaver, you will be guaranteed an interview if you meet the essential criteria outlined in the person specification.
Interview date
Interviews will be held week commencing 27th July 2026.
Interviews will be conducted in person, providing candidates with the chance to personally meet the team and experience our work environment.
We will be reviewing applications regularly and reserve the right to close the advert early if suitable candidates are identified. To avoid disappointment, you are advised to submit your application as soon as possible.
Please note AI is prohibited during the interview, any candidate using AI will be withdrawn from consideration.
Want to ask us a question?
For an informal discussion or to ask any questions about this role, please contact:
Ayanda Larkin-Harrison, Senior SEND Officer
Email: ayanda.larkin-harrison@bracknell-forest.gov.uk
Tel.: 01344 355496
or
Suzi Austin-Brookes, SEND Service Lead
Email: suzi.austin-brookes@bracknell-forest.gov.uk
Tel.: 01344 351758
Bracknell Forest Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect everyone employed with us to share this commitment. All successful candidates for this role will be subject to a DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) check as part of our pre-employment checks process.
We can only accept applications from candidates currently residing in the UK.
This role is not eligible for a sponsored work visa as it does not meet current Home Office sponsorship criteria. Applicants must already have the right to work in the UK.
No agencies please.
Equal Opportunities
Bracknell Forest Council – Working for Equality. We welcome applications from all sections of the community.
How to apply
Please apply online via the link provided.
Please note, we do not accept CVs submitted without a fully completed online application form.