SEND Strategy Lead Psychology
Permanent, Full Time
From £66,425 to £70,337 (Soulbury Pay Scale B 10-13) plus up to 3 SPA points
Location: Chelmsford
Working Style: Anywhere worker
Closing Date: 13th May 2024
The Role
The role will report into the Head of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Strategy and Innovation and will work directly with the other SEND strategic leaders within that service, as well as across the Education Quadrant Teams and Health and Social Care. Operational responsibility for the Essex Education Psychology Service will sit within the Education Quadrant Teams.
This is a strategic role to drive the vision and development of the Essex Education Psychology Service, ensuring it has a high national profile to attract the very best talent. The role will influence sustainable system change, developing the long-term plan for the service to secure its sustainability into the future, ensuring everything is aligned to the directorate strategic vision and priorities.
The postholder will line manage the SEND Strategy Leads for autism, SEMH and SLCN and matrix manage the lead for Cognition and Learning and thus play a key role in driving improvements in outcomes for all children and young people with SEND in Essex.
The Opportunity
To apply an educational psychology focus to strategic leadership, as part of the SEND Strategy and Innovation Leadership Team, ensuring resources are targeted effectively aligned with strategic priorities and evolving needs of Essex residents.
To contribute to a culture of innovation in the application of research-informed psychology.
To contribute to a range of forums, as a member of the SEND Strategy and Innovation Team, locally, regionally and nationally.
To contribute to the development and delivery of a cohesive and collaborative Essex SEND workforce development offer, across Education, Health and Social Care, enabling them to provide a high-quality service which fulfils the statutory obligations to children and young people with SEND and their families.
To co-ordinate and ensure the effective contribution of Educational Psychologists (EPs) to the ongoing SEND improvement and transformation programme and the embedding of practice development, through the Co-ordination and Oversight Groups (Identification of Need; Quality of Plans, Participation, Inclusion, Early Years, Monitoring and Communications).
To develop research opportunities that inform future practice and make best use of the knowledge capital held by EPs, aligned to directorate strategic priorities.
To lead the strategic drive to improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND through management of the SEND strategy leads for autism, SEMH and SLCN (matrix leadership for Cognition and Learning).
To ensure the implementation of a workforce development plan across Educational Psychologists, leading to the recruitment and retention of high calibre staff, ensuring employees develop the appropriate skills and knowledge to effectively fulfil their duties and recognise opportunities for future progression.
Support SEND Strategy and Innovation leadership and quadrant leadership teams to develop innovative, effective, efficient and evidence-based ways of working (e.g. consultation, assessment, intervention, research, training, projects), ensuring ongoing Solution Oriented Service™ innovation which is aligned with SEND Transformation Programme and Co-ordination Groups.
To support the quadrant teams to ensure that psychological advice contributing to Educational Health Care needs assessments is produced in a timely manner and meet statutory timescales. All psychological advice must meet expected standards of excellent content and quality.
To lead and champion a culture of strong and effective partnership working between the EP and other Local Authority teams, within the established SEND governance structure.
Deliver clinical/ professional supervision to Deputy Principal Educational Psychologists (DPEPs).
To read more about us please visit: Education
Accountabilities
- To oversee the quality and standards of psychological services provided to comply with codes of professional ethics, standards and competencies of the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), the British Psychological Society (BPS) and the Essex Quality Assurance Framework.
- To be accountable for the development and implementation of the model for: professional practice; professional leadership; clinical supervision and continuing professional development of Educational Psychologists.
- To be accountable for the embedding of effective case-management and recording practices amongst EPs, in line with other established methods of recording
- To lead and manage the development of strategy and innovation across the four conditions of need.
- Accountable for oversight of the delivery against key strategic performance indicators, serving to optimise outcomes for children, young people and their families.
- Accountable for ensuring key messages and developments across the directorate and Council, are disseminated through quadrant leadership to EPs. Working within the established SEND governance structure, ensure intelligence gathered via operational teams informs ongoing strategy work.
- Works collaboratively with SEND teams to ensure appropriate EP involvement and representation at SEND Tribunal appeals;
- To ensure EPs are enabled to provide advice that is robust, impartial and child-centred, and which meets HCPC best practice requirements;
- Deliver clinical/ professional supervision to Deputy Principal Educational Psychologists (EPs) and setting the clinical supervision plan for the EPS
The Experience You Will Bring
- Educated to British Psychological Society (BPS) recognised first degree in psychology and eligibility for chartered status within the British Psychological Society and a Masters Degree or Doctorate in Educational Psychology.
- Evidence of continuing professional development and expert knowledge in relevant professional area, with current registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
- In depth knowledge and understanding of SEN and other legislation which impacts upon children and young people.
- Experience of working with children and young people with SEN/Disability and detailed knowledge of research informed interventions and approaches that prevent and meet SEN.
- Excellent leadership skills and behaviours with the ability to motive a diverse team to achieve joint objectives and strategic change.
- Previous experience of taking a leadership or management role in a multi-agency project or in a team; including delivering supervision and/or line management to colleagues, or evidence of the necessary skills to do this.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, maintaining high ethical standards both personally and professionally; shows integrity and is reliable and trustworthy.
- Ability to build strong working relationships which are collaborative in nature and engender delivery.
Why Essex?
Essex County Council has a location to be proud of. Our 1,300 square miles stretch from Constable Country to the Thames Estuary, from the dynamic M11 corridor to the traditional seaside resorts of Clacton and Walton. England's oldest town, Colchester, and two of its newest - Basildon and Harlow - are right here. Along with the City of Chelmsford, the county town, they form our major population centres. It means real choice and makes Essex the ideal place for your career. Read more about us.
Please note that the job role requires you to be mobile throughout an operational area. Therefore, the post holder will need to have a driving licence and access to a vehicle, or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means.
Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We're committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process.
We're also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.
What you should do next
If you are interested in finding out more about this role, we would love to hear from you. Please apply via the Working for Essex website.
As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service
Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.
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If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email resourcing.team@essex.gov.uk
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