SEN Keyworker (Case Worker)

 An exciting opportunity has arisen for a full time Special Educational Needs (SEND) Keyworkers in Pupil Services.  To be an Islington SEND Keyworker (Case Officer) you will be passionate about making a positive difference to the lives of children and young people.

You will be working as a key part of the 0-25 SEND structure for Islington, supporting children and young people with an educational need and/or disability (SEND) who are applying for or have an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and their families. The post is within the secondary team.

We are seeking motivated, and family focused SEND Keyworkers (Case Officers) to provide advice and support to parents and children aged 0-25 years with SEND.  You will be working with families and professionals to ensure children and young people have the right provision specified in their EHCP, so they are able to successfully progress in education and make the next steps ultimately into adulthood.  You will also play a crucial role in developing partnerships with our mainstream and specialist schools to ensure they can support our young people.

Main duties of the job

To act as Keyworker for children with special educational needs and their families. This will include:

• Coordinating EHC needs assessment processes for children and young people with complex needs and their annual reviews.
• Being responsible for the coproduction of Education Health and Care EHC needs assessment for children and young people with complex needs and their annual reviews ensuring provision is secured in line with the Children and Families Act 2014 and SEND Code of Practice.
• Ensuring the authority complies with the SEND Code of Practice including adhering to all statutory timeframes and processes for both new assessments and annual reviews of Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plans
• Writing and amending Education Health and Care (EHC) plans for children and young people with SEND
• Acting as a single point of regular and consistent contact for children, young people and their families, providing information in respect to education options and signposting towards sources of further support.
• Involvement in the Phase Transfer process for the Year 6 into Year 7 young people with EHCP’s.
• Supporting children and families through assessment and planning processes and empowering them to make informed decisions in respect to an appropriate school placements.
• Working in partnership with our mainstream and specialist schools and partner agencies to ensure children and young people have the appropriate provision to meet their needs to enable them to achieve their aspirations.
• Liaising with Education, Health, Social Care, and Voluntary Sector agencies.
• Coordinating different services, practitioners, and agencies, including organising, leading and participating in Team around the Child/Family meetings.
• Opportunities to be involved DfE’s change programme to test and refine national SEND and AP reforms.

Why work in Islington SEND Services?

• In February 2026 Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) conducted a joint inspection of the local area of Islington. Their report was exceptionally positive.
• The findings in the joint inspection identified that the local area partnership’s special educational needs and/or disability (SEND) arrangements typically lead to positive experiences and outcomes for children and young people with SEND. The local area partnership is taking action where improvements are needed.
• Children and young people with SEND are put at the centre of the partnership’s work. Their needs and starting points are known and prioritised. There is high ambition and commitment to providing high-quality services through an embedded culture of collaboration among professionals across education, health and social care.  
• The partnership is committed to delivering high-quality provision for children and young people with SEND and their families. There is a palpable dedication to improve the quality of identification and support. Reflective practice is championed and there is a shared responsibility. This means that the partnership builds on the high standards in place to ensure that children and young people’s interests are put first.
• We continue to be a DFe SEND sector led improvement partner and have been selected as one of the 24 Local Authorities to deliver the DfE’s change programme to test and refine national SEND and AP reforms.

The SEND Team in Islington are committed to delivering the best service possible to children and young people with SEND and their families and want to work closely with our educational settings and partner agencies to ensure special educational needs and disabilities are well supported.  Prior experience is not mandatory but exceptional verbal and written communication skills are.  Along this you should have experience within an education or care environment, be proactive, resilient and want to make a difference to our families.

Indicative Recruitment Timeline:

Closing date: Sunday 6th September 2026 at 23:59 Interview date: Week commencing Monday 14th September 2026

The interview will consist of the following:

1. Unseen task or presentation.
2. Panel Interview questions
3. Questions by Candidate

If you would like to find out more about these exciting roles, please contact:

Julia Foxcroft (SEND Operations Manager) [email removed] or [email removed] (Deputy SEND Operations Manager) for an informal discussion

Benefits

Islington is a place rich with diversity and culture. As a council our sense of purpose couldn’t be clearer: we serve. It’s in the logo. We are committed to challenging inequality in the borough and as one of the largest employers we know that to look after the place and the planet, we have to look after our people. Together we can change the future.

We are determined to create a more equal Islington, where everyone who lives here has an equal chance to thrive. 

To do this, everyone who works at Islington Council lives by a set of values which guide us in everything that we do: collaborative, ambitious, resourceful, and empowering. They spell out ‘CARE’, which is what we think public service is all about. 

Our offer to you We are committed to challenging inequality in the borough and as one of the largest employers we know that to look after the place and the planet, we have to look after our people. Our staff benefits include:

• Up to 31 days leave per year, increasing to 36 days after five years of local government service
• A range of flexible working arrangements to maintain a healthy work-life balance, as well as a 35-hour working week
• Learning and development opportunities to maximise your potential
• Competitive pay and a commitment to paying all staff the London Living Wage at minimum
• Excellent local government pension scheme
• Cycle to Work scheme and discounted gym memberships
• Local discounts from restaurants, shops, health and beauty therapists, and more!

Please note: Priority will be given to those at risk of redundancy within Islington Council. Current employees who are part of the redeployment pool must meet the essential criteria for shortlisting to be prioritised. Workforce Equality, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Statement We are dedicated to creating an inclusive and equitable workforce, where everyone is