NA18006 Head of Behaviour Support and Provisions (Post- Primary) Candidate Information Pack 1
Post Grade Functional Areas Responsible to Location Head of Behaviour Support and Provisions (Post- Primary) Children and Young People s Services Directorate Assistant Senior Education Officer (ASEO) Behaviour Support including anti-bullying, Education Otherwise Than At School (EOTAS) Assistant Director (Children and Young People s Services) Base will be negotiable and determined on appointment. The successful applicant will be required to work across all office areas Disclosure of Criminal Background If you have applied for a post that involves regulated activity under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (NI) Order 2007, the Education Authority will be required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure of Criminal Background. Please note that due to proposals set out in the Department of Education s Budget, you WILL be expected to meet the cost of an Enhanced Disclosure Certificate, which is 33. Further details in relation to legislative requirements can be accessed on www.nidirect.gov.uk/vetting or www.accessni.org.uk. EA Background and Context The Education Authority (the Authority) aspires to provide an outstanding education for every child. The Authority was established under the Education Act (Northern Ireland) 2014 and became operational on 1 April 2015. It is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department of Education and the Department for the Economy. The Authority is responsible for ensuring that high quality primary and secondary education services are available to meet the needs of children and young people and for support for the provision of efficient and effective youth services. The organisation is responsible for a budget of approximately 1.8 billion. The work we do impacts the lives of tens of thousands of children, young people and their families every day. The services we provide are essential in supporting, encouraging and 2
facilitating learning within our communities to develop generations of young people who are equipped to succeed in life and work in the modern world. As a public sector organisation, we must continue to deliver these vital services in a challenging environment of increasing financial pressure and under intense public scrutiny. Future Challenges and Opportunities Looking forward, the Education Authority is focused on equality of access to excellent education services so that every child can develop to his or her full potential. There is a strategic plan for the period 2017-2027 which provides a framework for the Authority s activities and provides the guidance for the organisation through its transformation journey. The Authority in all its activities will endeavour to support the Programme for Government to improve educational outcomes; reduce educational inequality; improve the quality of education and the skills profile of the population. These are exciting and challenging times for the Authority as we continue the process of transformation to maximise the impact of education on the life chances of young people and consequently benefit the economy. The Children and Young People s Services Directorate This is a complex multi-disciplinary Directorate which provides strategic and operational leadership in relation to supporting children and young people and schools. These frontline services fulfill key statutory functions on behalf of the Authority. In other instances they enable the Authority to discharge its functions in line with DE policy and guidance as well as wider statutory duties that relate to the rights and well-being of children and young people. The budget that is related to the delivery of these services currently constitutes around fifty percent of the EA centre budget. In this regard, the impact of service delivery on the EA budget is significant. The Children and Young People s Services Directorate provides at least five distinct areas of strategic leadership and development on behalf of the organisation. These include: early years; child protection and safeguarding; youth services; special education administration and special provision; and pupil support services. These are high risk, high profile, frontline services with significant operational challenges which are under frequent public scrutiny. The EA has commenced a major re-organisation and modernisation. A significant change programme is required to develop and implement a regional strategy and service delivery models. 3
As part of the transformation process the Authority is engaged in service reviews to improve services in the best interests of children. This will require development over time and will need to be balanced with ensuring the continued operation of the services during a period of major change. It is also important that schools, parents and other stakeholders have confidence in the change process. 4
Head of Behaviour Support and Provisions (Post- Primary Sector) Job Purpose In compliance with the requirements of the legislation and statutory guidance primarily arising from the Education and Libraries Order 1998, Article (6)&(86) and Circular 2014/24 the Education Authority has a duty to provide support and resources to ensure children with behavioural difficulties, children who are sick and children suspended or expelled from school, who, for a period of time may not receive suitable education unless arrangements are made for them. The Education Authority has a duty to make arrangements to: meet requests from schools for support and assistance in connection with the promotion of good behaviour and discipline on the part of their pupils; provide advice and resources to grant-aided schools; assist such schools to deal with general behavioural problems and the behavioural difficulties of individual pupils, including bullying; deal with the interaction between the arrangements made by the authority in relation to pupils who have special educational needs; assist children with behavioural difficulties to find places at suitable schools; ensure exceptional provision that is suitable to age, ability and aptitude. The EA must also take due regard of DE guidance in line with the duties to provide support and intervention arising from the Children and Young People s Strategy 2017-2127 and any strategies that relate to future children and young people s services. The post-holder will: be responsible for the transformation, implementation and overall leadership and operational management of effective and efficient regional behaviour support, outreach behaviour support, anti-bullying and EOTAS services for pupils in the postprimary school sector at key stage 3 & 4; other children with SEN or additional needs; as well as children or young people detained in regional facilities under the aegis of the Youth Justice Agency and HSC trusts; be responsible for fulfilling the statutory duties of the EA with regard to supporting the identification, assessment and provision for pupils requiring behaviour support and/or EOTAS service provision, in taking the lead for policy and service development to ensure compliance with all aspects of DE guidance as applies to this functional area; ensure that the services are compliant with the new duties to co-operate under the Children's Services Co-operation Act (Northern Ireland) 2015 and those duties outlined in the SEND Act (Northern Ireland) 2016; be required to ensure that all functions are exercised having due regard to the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children; lead the service to engage in formal external partnerships by encouraging participation in school based corporate care teams and in multi-disciplinary assessments; 5
ensure that the ongoing professional development programmes for staff creates a workforce that is skilled and equipped to assess and give advice on the management of pupils across all areas of behaviour support, anti-bullying and EOTAS provision; exploit opportunities to broaden the skill base of the service in order to meet the diverse needs of the children and young people including the potential employment of other professionals as part of the EA team eg, cognitive behaviour therapists to address the growing number of children presenting with anxiety and emotional difficulties who require particular short term interventions in school; monitor the extent of the varying aspects of the work undertaken by the behaviour support service in schools and other settings, including systemic work with a view to the pupil outcomes relating to the training or interventions carried out; have full responsibility for equitable service delivery in all identified service areas, direct management of the Advisers, Heads of Service, all service budgets, physical resources, key stage 3&4 EOTAS learning/guidance centres across all office areas, including education provision to the children and young people in regional residential facilities under the aegis of the HSC Trusts and Youth Justice Agency; have full responsibility for the management of Education Training Inspectorate (ETI) reports in line with the ISEF 2017 EOTAS Framework; work in close conjunction with the other heads of service for ETA and behaviour support and EOTAS. Main Duties and Responsibilities The post-holder will be expected to: Strategic Planning and Policy Influence ensure that the EA s statutory obligations are met in relation to the identification, assessment and making suitable provision for children of compulsory school age, other children with SEN or additional needs, as well as children or young people detained in regional facilities under the aegis of the Youth Justice Agency and HSC trusts; act as the EA representative, the nominated senior officer, on multi-agency fora including the HSCT, CYPSP, its committees and panels; oversee and support the development of comprehensive and challenging service development plans, translating corporate and strategic objectives into realistic, achievable and time-bound targets; provide leadership in relation to the development of policies that impact on the delivery of services within the EA in line with overall strategic policy and objectives; delegate responsibilities and deploy staff in accordance with their skills and abilities, the needs of the EA and the service s identified priorities; ensure the effective management of information systems and provide reports that can inform policy and strategic direction using formative and summative information to guide future models of service delivery; contribute to business planning and organisational goals and produce reports for committees and others as required; 6
co-ordinate, plan and allocate work across the authority in a timely, equitable and efficient manner; Corporate Leadership and Management be accountable for direct delivery of statutory services; set clear standards, expectations and challenges in line with EA policies and professional competency standards to ensure mutual understanding and achievement of goals; through the leadership, management, development and promotion of the EA s postprimary behaviour support and EOTAS services, the post-holder will be expected to fulfill the requirements of any emerging agenda as directed by the forthcoming Northern Ireland Audit Office review of SEN support; contribute to the development of corporate culture, values and processes and ensure that officers in this functional area have an awareness of the corporate culture, values and processes which underpin organisational development; delegate responsibilities and deploy staff in accordance with their skills and abilities, to meet the needs of the EA and the Service s identified priorities; manage staff to perform to their potential, promote their development, give support and provide professional supervision; involve staff at all levels in service planning activities to improve operations, systems and processes, promote an understanding of their roles and responsibilities and raise the quality of their input; be responsible for initiating EA capability and/or disciplinary procedures of the service workforce; ensure that services are compliant with EA Child Protection and Safeguarding Policies; represent the interests of this functional area and the EA at internal and external meetings; Service Development and Quality Assurance lead in the ongoing review of policies and procedures required for the delivery of a new regional service; ensure the continuing development of a range of specialist assessment tools, guidance for schools and behaviour support intervention models to promote equitable access to education for children and young people; develop guidance and procedures for consistent professional practice of the staff within this functional area; ensure the effective co-ordination of the work of the behaviour support and EOTAS services with external agencies in particular Youth Justice Agency, trust social workers, health professionals as well as other EA services across the region i.e. education psychology, education welfare, special education and SEN services; promote the sharing and dissemination of models of good professional practice throughout the EA; devise and implement effective systems to monitor, measure, control and report on the work of the services including the use of quality assurance tools; 7
promote an efficiency culture within the service and across areas of work ensuring systems and procedures are in place to evaluate the outcomes of resource allocation and utilisation and the effectiveness of the service; develop guidance and procedures for consistent professional practice of the behaviour support services on a regional basis; in partnership with other EA services develop and deliver in-service training programmes for schools and other agencies; encourage and develop partnerships with other Directorates, education partners, Health and Social Care Trusts, Youth Justice and other agencies to promote a coordinated service provision for children, young people and their families; provide guidance that will facilitate behaviour support staff to participate in multiagency decision making in schools in regard to individual pupils; review and develop strategies to provide support and advice to schools in relation to making referrals and seeking advice from the service; collaborate in EA responses to government consultations on relevant policy proposals relating to children and young people; prepare and deliver annual reports in relation to the continuum of work of the primary sector behaviour support services; identify funding sources, prepare bids and negotiate joint funding with other agencies in relation to the development of specific projects and new initiatives in the pursuit of innovative strategies for supporting children and young people with behaviour support difficulties; Training and Continuous Professional Development be responsible for the development and delivery of training resources, including any EA website and on-line content relating to this service area; be responsible for the selection, recruitment and retention of the staff within this functional area workforce; ensure that the delivery of induction, training and ongoing supervision of professional staff is in line with professional requirements; ensure the EA fulfills its employer responsibilities in relation to the provision of professional development for all registered professional staff within this service area and that appropriate records are maintained; be responsible for the selection, recruitment and retention of the administrative workforce; lead and make provision for the delivery of any post-qualifying training necessary for staff within this functional area; ensure the EA fulfills its employer responsibilities in relation to the provision of continuous registration requirements for all existing Team Teach trained staff and/or any future similar programmes; ensure that sufficient training and guidance is available for staff to fully utilise the information management systems within CYPS in particular the Capita One pupil database (EMS) ; 8
Managing Financial Resources ensure that robust corporate governance procedures and financial control frameworks are put in place for effective management of the budget for this functional are and monitor expenditure ensuring propriety, regularity and value for money within the allocated budget; facilitate reporting protocols that are required by the EA, in compliance with DE requirements; consider the financial implications relating to effective models of service delivery and ensure systems and procedures are in place to evaluate the outcomes of resource allocation; promote an efficiency culture within the service ensuring systems and procedures are in place to evaluate the outcomes of resource allocation and utilisation and the effectiveness of services; be the budget holder and authorised signatory in accordance with the EA s Scheme of Delegation; ensure the effective management, use and maintenance of all physical resources in the service. Partnership Working seek, identify and build productive partnerships with schools, the Department of Education, the Health and Social Care Trusts, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, Child and Family Services, parents, other statutory and voluntary organisations and the wider community for the benefit of children and young people; influence and negotiate with partners to secure and promote the effectiveness of the behaviour support services as they relate to the objectives of the EA; through engagement, create effective partnerships with parents and ensure staff are informed of parental views; facilitate parents who wish to seek advice and support for any difficulties that their child may be facing in school; liaise and work co-operatively with colleagues in the EA to ensure consistent and coherent approaches towards provision for children with SEN, the professional development of their teachers, support staff and parents, as part of a wider schools and pupil improvement agenda; ensure that effective systems are in place for communication and consultation with service users, both internally and externally and that the voice of the child is heard; assist in the implementation of the EA s Communication and Information Strategies as they relate to the work of the service. Other Duties Comply with EA policies and procedures in relation to the duties and responsibilities of the post. Any such other duties that the EA may from time to time require. 9
The list of duties is not intended to be exhaustive or exclusive. The post-holder may be required to undertake various other duties as deemed necessary and commensurate with the level of responsibility of the post. The Authority reserves the right to update the Job Description to reflect the changing needs of the Service in consultation with the post-holder. 10
Personal Specification Qualifications and Experience Applicants for this post must, at the closing date: Essential hold a degree or equivalent or higher level qualification; have a minimum of 5 years management experience* within children and young people s services or a service supporting children with additional needs. This must include responsibilities for business planning and the management of financial resources; and have a minimum of 2 years experience in the management and supervision of staff. Desirable Hold a recognised teaching qualification Experience in the use of ICT systems. *management experience is defined as at Assistant Principal Officer level in an education authority (or other multi-disciplinary organisation) with a salary within the range 37,306-40,057. The Selection Panel reserves the right to enhance the criteria in order to facilitate a manageable shortlist. Please note the onus is on candidates to provide sufficient detailed information on their application forms in order to demonstrate how they meet each of the criteria. Failure to do so may result in a candidate not being shortlisted since Selection Panels cannot make assumptions in the absence of essential information. Applicants should have access to a car. A motor mileage allowance is payable in respect of authorised journeys undertaken in carrying out the duties of this post. KNOWLEDGE Candidates must be able to demonstrate knowledge of: - The main strategic education and Children and Young People s Services (CYPS) issues and major current and anticipated issues for behaviour support and education otherwise than at school(eotas) - Sound understanding of government policy and legislation in Special Education in particular for children and young people who require behaviour support including EOTAS - Key areas of legislative change in relation to CYPS - Specific strategies and methods for capacity building, assessment, support and intervention for schools - The Code of Practice on the Identification and Assessment of Special Educational Needs 11
- Needs of children and young people with special educational needs in particular social, emotional and behaviour difficulties ( SEBD ) SKILLS Candidates must demonstrate highly developed skills in order to: - Lead and mange staff, give direction to and inspire confidence in staff/schools and other stakeholders - Create and foster change - Ensure efficient and effective service delivery including effective budget and resource management - Plan the organisation and development of the Service in line with legislation and CYPS needs - Set and achieve targets through service development planning - Possess excellent oral, written and presentation skills - Work effectively and in partnership with stakeholders and colleagues from other areas/agencies - Engage constructively with other professionals - Investigate problems, analyse information and make decisions - Think creatively and imaginatively - Communicate effectively, orally and in writing, with a wide audience - Direct and co-ordinate the work of others - Prioritise, organise, work under pressure and to deadlines PERSONAL QUALITIES Candidates must demonstrate: - Leadership, motivation and communication - Commitment to professional development and equality of opportunity for staff - An open inclusive and facilitative approach to service delivery - Creativity and openness to change - Flexibility, confident and enthusiasm - Initiative - Resilience The Selection Panel reserves the right to enhance the criteria in order to facilitate a manageable shortlist. Please note the onus is on candidates to provide sufficient detailed information on their application forms in order to demonstrate how they meet each of the criteria. Failure to do so may result in a candidate not being shortlisted since Selection Panels cannot make assumptions in the absence of essential information. Applicants should have access to a car. A motor mileage allowance is payable in respect of authorised journeys undertaken in carrying out the duties of this post. Terms and Conditions of Service The main terms and conditions of employment are those for Officers as laid down by the Joint Negotiating Council for the Education Authority (NI) and are drawn mainly from the conditions of service of the National Joint Council for Local Authorities staff. 12
Hours 36 hours per week. Salary NJC Pts 64-67 ( 57,321-60,106) Annual Leave Entitlement Entitlement to annual leave is 27 days in a full holiday year in addition to 12 public and extra statutory holidays. Entitlement to leave in the first year of employment is pro-rata to the number of months completed. General Conditions of Appointment Appointments are subject to (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) the Contracts of Employment and Redundancy Payments Act 1965 as amended and in particular the statutory provisions relating to termination of employment and the period of notice; the provisions of the Local Government Superannuation Act (NI) for the time being in force; production of satisfactory evidence of health; probationary period of six months; sickness and maternity benefit regulations as incorporated in the EA s Scheme for Sickness Allowance, details of which are available on request from the Human Resources Department; the condition that no other employment is entered into during the period of employment by EA and that no employment by or in the service of another person or body should be undertaken except with express approval of the EA. Canvassing and Referees Canvassing directly or indirectly will entail disqualification. Referees should not include any officer or member of the Recruitment and Selection Panel. Posts involving work in educational institutions are subject to the provisions of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (NI) Order 2007 JAN 2018 13