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Job description

The SENCO has responsibility for: Ensuring liaison with parents and other professionals in respect of children with special educational needs (SEN). Advising and supporting other practitioners in the setting. Ensuring that Individual Education Plans are in place. Ensuring that relevant background information about individual children with special educational needs is collected, recorded and updated. Making applications to Statutory Assessment Panels about individual children with more complex special educational needs. .

Responsibilities

• The SENCO is responsible for the day to day operation of the settings Special Educational Needs/Inclusion Policy to ensure that children with Special Educational Needs are fully included into the early years setting.
• To keep a profile of children with special educational needs.
• To observe and support children as appropriate on the special educational needs profile.
• To support and advise Key Workers, Learning Support Assistants etc. as appropriate, on how to include childrens needs in the setting.
• To liaise with other settings e.g. schools.
• To liaise with other professionals from outside services and external agencies e.g. Pre-school Education Team Teachers, Health Visitors, Educational Psychologists, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Speech and Language Therapists, etc.
• To arrange, organise and review support for individual children.
• To keep Key Workers and Learning Support Assistants up to date with SEN and inclusion issues and to encourage personal development through courses and training.
• To meet with parents regularly in order to maintain good relationships and to keep parents informed about their childs progress.
• To respond to changes in legislation and practice.
• To organise relevant training for staff in the early years setting.
• To review individual childrens IEPs termly as appropriate.
• To write detailed education reports about individual children for other professionals and parents (including Statutory Assessment Panel applications).
• To review statements via annual and interim review meetings.
• To develop and share knowledge of resources (equipment, books, materials and knowledge of possible strategies).

Skills and Qualifications

Essential Skills

• Experience in the application of child protection procedures.
• Level 3 Childcare qualification.
• Thorough knowledge of: child development; all aspects of inclusion - personalised learning, special educational needs, equal opportunities & diversity.
• 12 months direct work with children or young people and families.
• Experience of working with children with special educational needs.
• Thorough understanding of use of data to support identification of SEN.
• Experience of family support work with children in need & their parents/carers.

Desirable Skills

• Special Educational Needs qualification.
• Good ICT skills.

Further Information

Ballybeen Women's Centre is an Equal Opportunities Employer. The closing date is Friday 26 April 2024 at 3.00 pm