Interim Annual Reviews Officer

About the role

As an Annual Reviews Officer you will be expected to undertake core statutory elements of the role including processing all Post 14 annual reviews received by the LA on the relevant record management systems, issuing decisions within statutory timeframes as outlined in the SEND Code of Practice, amending and issuing EHC Plans that are legally compliant with the statutory requirements of the Children and Families Act 2014 / SEND Code of Practice and undertake relevant time bound casework, including presenting cases to relevant decision-making panels for consideration, consulting with settings for placementments and attending annual reviews of EHC plans. Other aspects of the role include:

• Keep up to date with all relevant local and national material/research relevant to the client group and build this knowledge into service delivery and contribute to the broader aims of the organisation to improve integrated delivery to children and young people.
• Promoting high standards of practice in safeguarding having particular regard to statutory guidance on safeguarding disabled children. Follow agreed policies and procedures when there are concerns that need to be acted upon.
• Undertake relevant training and professional development to ensure knowledge, skills and understanding of matters relating to special educational needs/disability, inclusion and professional practice remains up to date.
• Contribute to the broader aims of the service to improve integrated delivery to children and young people with SEND and using highly refined communication skills inform wider stakeholders of the remit and functions of the service.
• Undertake any other duties commensurate with the grade of the post, as may be required from time to time.

For further information about this role, please contact Joanna Safa on joanna.safa@achievingforchildren.org.uk for an informal discussion.

About you

• Educated to A Level or equivalent, with appropriate professional qualification/s. 
• Level 2 qualification in Maths, English and IT or equivalent experience.
• A high level of determination, personal drive, energy and ambition to achieve challenging targets and improve outcomes.
• Commitment to an organisational culture and the development of services that value equality and diversity.
• Strong organisational abilities including: time management, creative-thinking, problem-solving and multitasking.  Ability to work flexibly and independently with limited management oversight.
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills that are open, honest, persuasive and pragmatic, including excellent negotiation and influencing skills.
• Ability to work as part of an effective and supportive team.
• The ability to meet deadlines and adhere to the agreed timelines and prioritise workload as required.

About our benefits

We are focused on creating a positive supportive environment, where you will have access to a really wide range of resources, as well as a competitive salary and all the perks to enable hybrid working. In AfC you will also have access to:

• 29 days annual leave, increasing to 33 days after 2 years and 35 days after 4 years with an additional day off in your birthday month (Or for term-time workers, your leave entitlement consists of the non-working periods in your contract)
• Tailored induction sessions commencing on the date you start working for AfC
• Local Government salary and pension scheme (LGPS or Teachers Pension)
• Flexible working options - helping to keep a good work life balance
• A comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme
• A range of staff benefits and discounts
• An excellent learning and development offer to support your career pathway

To find out about all of the breadth of benefits of working for Achieving for Children click here. For our social work offer click here. For our Recruitment Journey, click here.

Important Information

Start dates: Achieving for Children have set start dates meaning successful candidates join on a set date in each month. Candidates are advised to prepare for this should a job offer be accepted to ensure eligible continuous service is not affected.

Right to work: The UK has introduced a new points-based immigration system affecting EU and Non-EU workers and sponsorship requirements. We advise checking the GOV.UK website for right to work guidance.

Equality: We particularly welcome applications from sections of the community who are currently underrepresented within our teams. Achieving for Children 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 and can improve the way we deliver services. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer.

Safeguarding: We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. 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).

We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. Therefore, it is strongly advised that you complete and return your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.