Inclusion Officer, SEND Complaints, Somerset

Inclusion Officer – SEND Complaints
Location: Somerset
Rate: £370 per day 
Contract: Locum
Hours: Full-time

Pertemps Social Care are currently recruiting for an experienced Inclusion Officer to join a Local Authority SEND service in Somerset.

This is an excellent opportunity for a professional with strong SEND knowledge and complaints-handling experience to play a key role in resolving concerns raised by children, young people and their families.
The successful candidate will take responsibility for managing Stage 1 SEND complaints, ensuring each complaint is investigated thoroughly, responded to within the required timescales and handled in line with statutory guidance, local authority policies and best practice.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate Stage 1 SEND complaints from receipt through to resolution.
• Acknowledge complaints and ensure investigations are completed within agreed statutory and local timescales.
• Gather, review and analyse information, records and evidence relevant to each complaint.
• Liaise with parents, carers, children and young people, schools and professionals throughout the investigation.
• Prepare detailed, professional and evidence-based Stage 1 complaint responses.
• Ensure SEND complaints are managed in accordance with relevant legislation, statutory guidance and local procedures.
• Escalate complex, sensitive or high-risk complaints to the Senior Inclusion Lead where appropriate.

The successful candidate will have:

• Strong knowledge of SEND legislation, statutory guidance and SEND processes.
• Previous experience investigating complaints, managing disputes or resolving complex concerns.
• Excellent written communication skills, with the ability to produce clear and well-structured reports and complaint responses.
• Strong verbal communication and interpersonal skills.
• Experience working with parents, carers, schools and multi-agency professionals.
• Strong analytical and investigative skills with the ability to consider evidence objectively.
• Excellent organisation skills and the ability to manage a varied caseload and competing deadlines.
• A good understanding of safeguarding and the needs of children and young people with SEND.
• The ability to work independently while knowing when matters need to be escalated.

Desirable Experience

• Previous experience working within a Local Authority SEND or education service.
• Experience managing statutory SEND complaints.
• Knowledge of SEND dispute resolution and escalation procedures.
• Experience working with families where concerns are complex or sensitive.
• Experience identifying service improvements and learning from complaints.
• Experience working across education, health and social care services.

Why work through Pertemps?
By applying through Pertemps, you’ll benefit from:

• A dedicated consultant with access to roles nationwide and available whenever you need support
• A simple online registration process
• Attractive referral schemes and incentives
• Ongoing compliance fully managed for you
• Prompt and reliable payroll
• …and much more!

📞 To discuss this role in more detail, please contact Freya Joseph on [phone removed] or email [email removed].