Job info	Job info details
Job title	SEND Family Liaison Coordinator
Strategic team/Directorate	Children's Services
Service	Learning and Partnerships
Business unit	SEND
Responsible to (day to day issues)	Head of Service – QFT and School Improvement
Accountable to (line manager)	Family Liaison Coordinator
Salary grade	E
JE ref	CSERV062

1. Key purpose of job

• To coordinate listening and feedback from SEND families (parent carers, family carers,), by offering opportunities to hear family voices and experiences to contribute to coproduction activity for SEND Improvement working in partnership with the Parent Carer Forum in Torbay.
• This role will act as a champion for SEND support and services across the community by building knowledge of parents and carers and promoting trusted services and providers.
• This role will work in partnership with the Parent Carer Forum to listen and hear family voices and to support parental confidence in SEND improvements in Torbay.

2. Anticipated outcomes of post

• SEND families feel listened to and a greater number of families experiences and voices are heard including those from less represented communities. 
• SEND families have regular opportunities for having their views heard.
• SEND families regularly volunteer to share the experiences of parent carers’, children and young people, offer peer support or participate in service improvement work.
• SEND families know about the improvements being focused on in the Local Area, including how they can contribute to these improvements.
• SEND Families have increased knowledge of the Local Offer of support and services and how they access these.

3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post

• As an Employee of Torbay Council all roles are expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. The Designated Senior Lead for Safeguarding is the Chief Executive and Director of Children’s Services.
• Build positive, empowering relationships with families.
• Listening to family voices and collating these themes for the SEND Local Area Partnership.
• Facilitate group activities and peer support networks.
• Identify and promote Inclusion for SEND across the Local Area.
• Promote local universal level SEND support mechanisms, services and information within the Local Offer to improve support to families, through introductions, signposting and navigation through services. 

4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post

• None. 

5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post

• None. 
• This post will be managed day-to-day by the chair of Torbay’s Parent Carer Forum and where necessary via the SENDIASS Team. The post will be line managed by the Family Liaison Coordinator. 

6. Working environment and conditions of the post

• Normal working conditions. 

7. Physical demands of the post

• Normal physical demands. 

8. Specific resources used by the post

• None. 

9. Key contacts and relationships

• External:
  • Chair, SEND family Voice Torbay. 
  • Families. 
  • SEND Local area partnership. 
• Internal:
  • Children’s Services teams. 

10. Other duties

• To undertake additional duties as required, commensurate with the level of the job. 

Other Information

• All staff must commit to the Workplace Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Practice and Policy.
• Torbay Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo the checks appropriate to the post applied for.
• The post holder is expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures. And are aware that the Chief Executive and the Director for Children’s Services are the Safeguarding Leads for the Council.
• This post is office based at Parkfield, Paignton with regular visits to bases across Torbay but the post holder may be required to move their base to any other location within the Council at a future date.
• As this post meets the requirements in respect of exempted questions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, all applicants who are offered employment will be subject to a criminal record check (Disclosure) from the Disclosure & Barring Service before the appointment is confirmed. This will include details of ALL cautions, reprimands or final warnings as well as convictions, whether “spent” or “unspent”. Criminal convictions will only be taken into account when they are relevant to the post.
• The Council operates a Smoke-Free Policy and the post-holder is prohibited from smoking in any of the Council's buildings (including Council owned and Council leased buildings, but excluding designated areas in residential schemes), enclosed spaces within the curtilage of buildings, and Council vehicles. The Council does not permit smoking breaks within work time, however, in services where the flexi-scheme is in operation, employees may take reasonable break times outside of core hours, in accordance with flexi-time arrangements. Employees should follow the flexi-scheme procedure for agreeing time away from their duties in the normal manner with their immediate colleagues and line manager, with break start and finish times being recorded, as with any other break-time arrangement. 
• The post-holder is expected to familiarise themselves with and adhere to all relevant Council Policies and Procedures.
• The post-holder must comply with the Council’s Health and Safety requirements as outlined in the H&S policy appropriate to the role.
• The post-holder must be committed to the Council’s Core Values for employees – “Torbay Council employees are committed to being forward thinking, people orientated and adaptable - always with integrity”. Evidence will be sought during the probation and appraisal processes.
• If this post is customer facing, it will require the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.
• If you are required to access a government system such as HMRC, DWP or The Public services network (PSN) as part of your role with the Council you will be required to complete a basic disclose with your line manager before you can access these systems. Your manager will be required to complete a verification form that confirms your identity, nationality and immigration status, employment history and unspent convictions (third party).
• If you are required to use your own vehicle on Council business or drive a council vehicle you will be asked to provide information on any driving endorsements by accessing gov.uk/view-driving-licence and providing a code to your Line Manager in order to share your driving licence information with the Council.

Person Specification

Note for Candidate

All Candidates

The supporting statement on your application form will be used to assess ability to meet the essential requirements of the role, so you should explain how you meet each of the numbered essential requirements within your supporting statement. In a competitive situation, the desirable criteria may be taken into consideration, so you are encouraged to show how you also meet each of the desirable criteria.

Candidates who consider that they have a disability

Reasonable adjustments will be made to the job, job requirements or recruitment process for candidates with a disability.

If you consider yourself to have a disability you should indicate this on your application form, providing any information you would like us to take into account with regard to your disability in order to offer a fair selection interview.

Where ever possible and reasonable we will make adjustments and offer alternatives to help you through the application and selection process.

If you have indicated that you have a disability on your application form you will be guaranteed an interview if you clearly demonstrate in your supporting evidence how you broadly meet the essential requirements of the role.

Job info	Job info details
Job Title	SEND Family Liaison Coordinator
Strategic team/Directorate	Children's Services
Service	Learning and Partnerships
Business unit	SEND

Skills and effectiveness

Essential skills and effectiveness

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently.
• Strong organisational and record-keeping skills to collate family views and feedback.
• Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion and confidentiality.
• Competent in using IT systems for case management and reporting.
• Empathetic, non-judgmental, and resilient.
• Committed to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion.
• Flexible and adaptable to changing needs and environments.
• A proactive and solution-focused approach. 

Desirable skills and effectiveness

• Ability to deliver group work or workshops for parents/carers. 

Knowledge

Essential knowledge

• Strong understanding of the Local Area SEND Support and Services and its context.
• Knowledge of safeguarding procedures and thresholds.
• Awareness of barriers to engagement for vulnerable families. 

Desirable knowledge

• Knowledge of the Graduated Response, EHCP processes and SEND legislation.
• Knowledge of the Local Support and Services available in Torbay. 

Experience and achievements

Essential experience and achievements

• Experience working directly with children and families, particularly those with SEND.
• Proven ability to build trusting relationships with families facing complex challenges.
• Experience in multi-agency working and knowledge of local support services.
• Experience in coordinating and delivering meetings and forum for families within a framework and budget. 

Desirable experience and achievements

• Experience at working within a similar role as a liaison coordinator.
• Lived experience of SEND (either as a parent carer or through personal experience). 

Qualifications/professional memberships

Essential qualifications/professional memberships

• Either qualifications or experience in working alongside SEND children or families in any Sector.
• Safeguarding training (Level 2 or above).
• Evidence of continuing professional development.
• Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle. 

Desirable qualifications/professional memberships

N/A

Other requirements

Other requirements of the job role

• Demonstrates a commitment to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people. 
• Ability to travel efficiently around Torbay in order to carry out duties. 
• Ability to accommodate unsociable hours. 
• Ability to accommodate occasional/permanent home-working.