Senior Education Advocacy Officer (Blatchington Court Trust)

Salary: £38,000 per annum.
Contract type: Permanent.
Working pattern: Full-time (part-time hours will be considered)

Closing date: Sunday 18 October, 2026.

How to apply:

To apply, please fill out the application form here: Application Form: Senior Education Advocacy Officer (Page 1 of 7)

Who to contact if you have a query:

If you have any queries, please contact: info@blatchingtoncourt.org.uk.

We are looking for a Senior Education Advocacy Officer to join our team. As a Senior Education Advocacy Officer your main purpose will be to ensure children and young people with vision impairment (VI); and other disabilities; receive the educational support they need. Provide informed, compassionate advocacy for families navigating the SEND system, including support through First Tier SEND Tribunals.

Key responsibilities:

1. Advocacy and Family Support

• Advocate for children with vision impairments to secure appropriate educational provision in mainstream and specialist settings.
• Advise families on their rights under the Children & Families Act 2014 and SEND Code of Practice 2015.
• Support parents to understand and secure accurate, needs-led EHCPs.
• Act as a consistent point of contact, case managing, and attending multi-agency meetings.
• Support all aspects of EHCP processes: requests, Annual Reviews, Phase Transfers, and day-to-day issues.
• Provide information, signposting, and both emotional and practical support.
• Empower families and young people to make informed decisions, including use of personal budgets.

1. SEND tribunals support

• Provide emotional and practical support to families preparing for First Tier SEND Tribunals.

• Prepare and manage tribunal casework, ensuring deadlines and directions are met.

• Collate and submit evidence in a timely manner.

• Attend hearings to advocate or support and manage post-hearing follow-up.

1. Partnership Working

• Work collaboratively with schools, local authorities, and other professionals to coordinate support.

• Liaise with medical teams, VI specialists, and social care to ensure holistic provision.

• Build relationships with VI organisations and networks, including the Visionary CYP Forum.

1. Case management

• Manage a fluctuating caseload with regular communication and timely intervention.
• Maintain accurate and confidential case records using Charity Log Database, for which training will be given.
• Monitor and evaluate advocacy outcomes, adjusting approaches as needed.
• Follow up where outcomes are unmet and ensure smooth transitions at key education stages.

1. Training and Awareness Raisin

• Occasionally deliver training and workshops on SEND rights and navigating the system.

6. Policy and research

• Keep up to date with SEND and VI legislation and policy changes.

• Contribute to consultations and research to improve services.

1. Other Duties

• Support wider charity objectives as required.

• Support the development of a trainee or intern.

Person Specification

Essential:

• Strong practical knowledge of the Children & Families Act 2014, SEND Code of Practice 2015, Education Act 1996, and tribunal processes.

• Knowledge of Preparation for Adulthood and Post-16 pathways.

• Proven casework experience, at a senior level, in SEND, education, or related local authority services, and experience supporting or representing families at SEND tribunals.

• Highly effective IT skills using MS365 and databases

• Ability to analyse large volumes of information and communicate succinctly.

• Excellent interpersonal, organisational, and communication skills.

• Ability to support and empower families through complex processes.

• Strong judgement, analytical ability, and conflict-resolution skills.

• Ability to use data to inform decisions.

• Experience or ability to deliver training.

• Able to work on own initiative and work as part of a small and effective team.

Desirable:

• Experience working with children with vision impairments or multidisciplinary teams.

Qualifications

• Training in advocacy, SEND law, or vision impairment (desirable).

Office-based (Brighton and Hove); hybrid working considered.

Occasional flexibility required for tribunals or evening meetings.