SEND Participation Co-Ordinator

Position reference: 50147328

Directorate: Children’s Services | Service: Early Start, Prevention & Sufficiency

Salary : £ 32,578 - £35,570

Working Arrangements : Hybrid

Hours per week : 37

Contract type: Fixed Term for 3 years

We are happy to talk flexible working arrangements with you, please get in touch .

Suitable for Secondment: Employees wishing to be considered for secondment should agree with their head of service before submitting an application form.

See our range of Employee Rewards: Employee rewards and benefits

Closing date : 27/11/2026 a t 23:59

The successful candidate will be required to speak English to an appropriate standard.

This post requires an Enhanced DBS Check

If you are currently living overseas or have lived overseas in the last five years please be aware, if you are the preferred candidate for the post, you will be required to apply for an overseas criminal records check from the country/countries you have resided in. If you experience difficulty in obtaining an overseas criminal record check please email dbs@barnsley.gov.uk

When applying, please ensure you are prepared to start work with all the necessary legal documents, such as a valid visa, relevant to the type of work you will be undertaking. Please be aware that our organisation does not possess a Home Office license and, as a result, is unable to provide sponsorship for anyone seeking a visa as a skilled or temporary migrant worker.

Pensions Regulations have provisions to reduce pension payments in certain circumstances of those who return to work within local government service. If you are in receipt of a pension upon commencing employment with the authority, this may affect your pension entitlements and you should therefore seek advice from the relevant Pensions Authority.

At Barnsley Council you can start a career that makes a real difference to people’s lives, helping our council and residents to be the best they can be.

We’re an award-winning council and one of the biggest employers in the borough, supporting around 243,000 people. We put people at the heart of everything we do, and that includes our employees. As part of the team, we offer lots of benefits and rewards to support you to thrive and grow, like flexible working, employee discounts, support for your health and wellbeing, and opportunities for training and development to grow your career and develop your skills.

There’s so much happening in our thriving borough, and now’s the perfect time to join our excellent Early Start, Prevention & Sufficiency team as we work to make Barnsley the place of possibilities.

• We’re an award-winning team and one of the biggest employers in the borough supporting around 243,000 people.
• Working at Barnsley Council means being part of a team that makes a real difference to people’s lives, where you can develop the skills you need to make change happen.
• If you join the team you’ll receive great pay alongside an excellent pension scheme. With flexible working we’ll also support your work/life balance, helping you to adjust your hours and take time off when you need it.
• We’ll help you to develop your career and grow your skills with opportunities for training and development.
• There’s so much happening in our thriving borough and your talent and skills will help us make Barnsley the place of possibilities .
• Key to our success is working with our residents, partners, businesses and organisations and building these partnerships to bring about change in Barnsley.
  
  

About The Post

The opportunity

We’re excited to be recruiting a SEND Participation Co-ordinator here in Barnsley, the place of possibilities.

Are you passionate about ensuring parents and carers of children and young people with SEND have a genuine voice in the decisions and services that affect their families?

We are looking for an enthusiastic, creative and proactive SEND Participation Co-ordinator to join our SEND Participation Team, with a particular focus on developing parent and carer participation across Barnsley.

This is an exciting opportunity to build strong relationships with families and create meaningful opportunities for parents and carers to share their experiences, influence decisions and work alongside services to co-produce positive change.

About The Role

You will plan, coordinate, deliver and evaluate participation activity, working with families, schools, health services, community organisations, council colleagues and decision-makers. You will help us reach a diverse range of families, including those who may experience barriers to participation, and ensure their experiences inform the development of SEND services, support and information in Barnsley.

While parent and carer participation will be a key focus of this post, you will also be expected to support the wider work of the SEND Participation Team. This may include participation activity with children and young people with SEND, team events, engagement events and other areas of work as required to respond flexibly to service demands.

In your role, you will

• Plan, coordinate, deliver and evaluate creative participation activity with parents and carers.
• Build trusted relationships with families and create accessible ways for them to share their experiences and ideas.
• Work with schools, health services, community organisations, council colleagues and decision-makers.
• Reach families whose voices may be less frequently heard or who experience barriers to participation.
• Turn feedback and lived experience into clear learning that supports service improvement and co-production.
• Support wider participation activity with children and young people with SEND, as well as team and engagement events.
  
  

About You

We are looking for someone who:

• Has experience of working directly with children and young people with SEND and their families.
• Has experience of planning, leading, delivering and evaluating creative engagement activities.
• Can build positive relationships with families, professionals, community organisations and decision-makers.
• Can engage, motivate and empower people to have their voices heard.
• Understands inclusive participation, co-production and the importance of reaching communities whose voices may be less frequently heard.
• Can develop networks and partnerships and work confidently using their own initiative.
• Is able to gather feedback, evaluate activity and use what families tell us to support continuous improvement.
• Is adaptable and willing to contribute to the wider work of the team in response to changing priorities and service needs.
  
  

You will need a relevant Level 3 qualification, for example Youth and Community Work, alongside knowledge of relevant legislation, safeguarding practice and policies relating to work with children, young people and families.

You may come from a background in community development, family support, participation, engagement, SEND, youth and community work or the voluntary and community sector.

About Our Team

Our SEND Participation Team brings together participation, co-production and the Barnsley SEND Local Offer, creating opportunities for lived experience to directly inform the information, support and services available to children, young people and families.

Some evening and occasional weekend working will be required to meet the needs of families and the service, and you will need to be able to travel in connection with the post.

Why it’s great to work at Barnsley Council

We’re an award-winning team and one of the biggest employers in the borough, supporting around 243,000 people. You will join a friendly and welcoming organisation where your work can make a real difference to children, young people and families in Barnsley.

• Great pay, generous holiday entitlement and an excellent pension scheme.
• Learning, development and progression opportunities.
• Flexible working and support to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
• An inclusive workplace where employees are encouraged to contribute ideas and help shape change.
• The opportunity to work alongside residents, partners, businesses and organisations to make Barnsley the place of possibilities.
  
  

Important information

Please make sure you view the job profile for this role, as you’ll need to demonstrate how you meet the required criteria in your application form.

In certain circumstances, Pensions Regulations may reduce pension payments for people who return to work within local government service. If you’re in receipt of a pension before starting your employment with Barnsley Council, this may affect your pension entitlements. Please contact the relevant Pensions Authority for advice.

Interested?

If you are passionate about working alongside families and helping parents and carers turn their lived experience into positive change, we would love to hear from you.

For An Informal Discussion About This Role, Please Contact

Alex Taylor, SEND Participation Manager

alextaylor@barnsley.gov.uk

Find out more about joining our team and get help with your application at barnsley.gov.uk/jobs

Please use the documents below to help support you with your application form.

Job Profile: SEND Participation Co-ordinator Job Profile.pdf

Vacancy Exposure Profile: Exposure Profile.pdf

Help with your application form

Why work for us?

Please ensure you view the job profile for this role, as you will need to demonstrate in your application form how you meet the required criteria.

We welcome the opportunity to have a chat about the role and are happy to address any questions you may have about flexible working arrangements, including as a result of caring responsibilities.

We're committed to creating a workplace where differences are valued and everyone truly feels able to be themselves. If you have any support needs during the recruitment process, please let us know.

CV's are not accepted for this role.

At Barnsley Council, we believe in second chances and value diversity. Our recruitment process is inclusive, and we welcome applicants with past convictions. We're committed to fairness and do not discriminate. Join us in building a future where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. #InclusiveHiring #SecondChances"

www.barnsley.gov.uk/jobs

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