SEND Tribunal Manager

Kent County Council

Ref: 1647

Posted: 16/02/2026 Start Date: TBC

Interview Date: TBC

Pay: KSJ (£52,716 - £60,246)

Close Date: 15/03/2026 at 23:30

Job Description

Purpose of the Job:

The SEND Tribunals Manager is responsible for leading and managing the local authority’s response to appeals made to the First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability). This includes overseeing all case preparation, ensuring legal compliance, coordinating multi-agency contributions, and representing the local authority at hearings where appropriate.

The role ensures that the local authority delivers timely, high‑quality, child‑centred responses to appeals, resolves disputes wherever possible, and promotes early resolution to improve outcomes for children and young people with SEND and their families.

 

Main duties and responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Compliance

• Lead and manage the SEND Tribunals function, ensuring compliance with the Children and Families Act 2014, SEND Code of Practice 2015, Equality Act 2010, and all relevant statutory requirements.
• Develop, implement, and monitor effective policies, procedures, and quality standards for the Tribunals service.
• Provide strategic advice to senior leaders on trends, risks, outcomes, and areas for service improvement.
• Monitor legal developments, national guidance, and case law to ensure the local authority’s practice remains up to date.

Case Management & Preparation

• Oversee the end‑to‑end management of all SEND appeals, ensuring timely registration, allocation, and processing.
• Ensure that all case statements, bundles, and evidence are prepared to a high standard, are legally compliant, and clearly set out the authority’s position.
• Review draft Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), proposed amendments, and assessments linked to appeals to ensure quality and legal accuracy.
• Lead complex case discussions, including cases with significant risk, high parental dispute, or complex multi-agency factors.

Representation & Advocacy

• Represent the local authority at SEND Tribunal hearings where appropriate, providing clear, balanced, and evidence‑based submissions.
• Coordinate expert witnesses, schools, health partners, social care, and other professionals to ensure consistent and coordinated representation.
• Provide coaching and preparation for staff and partners attending hearings.

Early Resolution & Family Engagement

• Promote and oversee early resolution approaches, including Mediation, Disagreement Resolution Services, and collaborative meetings with families.
• Ensure that communication with parents and carers is child-centred, timely, and empathetic.
• Analyse reasons for disputes and work with teams to reduce future areas of appeal.

Line Management & Team Development

• Manage staff within the Tribunals team, including Tribunal officers, senior tribunal officers and administrative support.
• Provide leadership, supervision, and support to develop expertise in SEND law, case management, and family engagement.
• Foster a culture of high performance, continuous improvement, and reflective practice.

Data, Reporting & Quality Assurance

• Maintain accurate data on appeals, outcomes, timescales, and Tribunal directions.
• Produce performance reports for senior leadership, including analysis of trends and service pressures.
• Use appeal outcomes and learning to drive improvements in EHCP assessment, review processes, and decision‑making.

Partnership Working

• Work closely with educational settings, health partners, social care teams, and external specialists to gather robust evidence and ensure coordinated submissions.
• Build constructive relationships with parent/carer forums, advocacy services, and mediation providers.
• Represent the local authority at regional SEND networks and contribute to cross‑authority benchmarking.
• Promote and contribute to oversight of early resolution approaches, including Mediation, Disagreement Resolution Services, and collaborative meetings with families.

Contact Information

Telephone: 03000 421923

Email: Georgette.Williams@kent.gov.uk

Website: jobsearch.kent.gov.uk

Documents

• Job Description and Person Specification - Microsoft Word 2007 document, 34.7KB