Job title: Designated Social Care Officer (DSCO) 

Salary: PO6 £51,356 - £54,495 

Hours: 37 

Contract: Permanent 

Location: Merrion House/Hybrid 

Are you passionate about improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND? Do you have the vision and leadership skills to embed social care within the SEND reforms agenda and drive positive change across services? 

We’re looking for a dynamic, strategic thinker with exceptional relationship‑building skills and a commitment to collaborative working. As a Designated Social Care Officer, you will lead on shaping and developing the social care elements of Leeds’ SEND strategy, ensuring compliance with statutory duties under the Children & Families Act 2014, Care Act 2014, and the SEND Code of Practice. 

This is a brand‑new role for Leeds, so we’re seeking someone with the drive, determination and resilience to shape it from day one. You will work closely and collaboratively with regional partners and key stakeholders across social care, health and education to forge how the DSCO function operates, always in the best interests of children, young people and families in our community. Through purposeful relationship‑building and co‑production, you’ll embed a consistent social care contribution across EHC processes and the wider SEND system. 

This is a high‑profile role where you’ll represent Leeds City Council regionally and nationally, acting as a source of expert advice on SEND reforms relating to social care. You’ll work closely with senior leaders, practitioners, and partners to influence policy, improve practice, and deliver integrated solutions that make a real difference to children and families. 

Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions. 

About you 

As a Designated Social Care Officer (DSCO) you will bring to the role: 

• A recognised social work qualification and registration with Social Work England. 

• In-depth knowledge of social care operations and how these underpin the SEND framework. 

• Proven experience of leading teams, managing change, and driving service improvement. 

• Strong analytical skills and the ability to interpret legislation and translate it into effective practice. 

• Excellent communication and influencing skills to build constructive partnerships across social care, health, and education. 

About the role  

As the Designated Social Care Officer, you will take a strategic lead in embedding the SEND reforms within social care practice across Leeds. Your work will focus on developing and implementing strategies that ensure compliance with statutory duties while driving cultural change and improving outcomes for children and young people. You will build and lead networks of SEND champions and link workers, fostering collaboration and sharing best practice across services. 

A key part of your role will be shaping the social care contribution to Education, Health and Care (EHC) processes and ensuring that the Local Offer meets all legislative requirements. You will analyse complex work strands to identify opportunities for integrated working and co-production between social care, health, and education, and you will prepare the authority for Ofsted and CQC SEND inspections. 

You will also lead on high-profile tribunal and mediation cases, ensuring robust preparation and risk mitigation, and contribute to workforce development by designing and delivering training programmes that strengthen social care’s role in the SEND framework. This is a role that combines strategic leadership with hands-on influence, requiring vision, resilience, and a commitment to partnership working. 

What we offer you 

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including: 

• a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays 

• membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions 

• flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements 

• a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities 
• a range of staff benefitsto help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further

How to apply 

Please complete the online application form. 

Read our guidance for further advice. Please check your information carefully and ensure you complete all sections before submitting your application.  

If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role, please contact Charlie Lowe, Head of SENSAP & SEND Funding (charlie.lowe@leeds.gov.uk). 

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check against the Children’s or Adults’ barred list as applicable will be carried out on preferred candidates. Read our recruitment of ex-offenders policy.

We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people. 

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visaroute before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job Description 

Job purpose Strategically lead in framing and developing social care elements of the SEND strategy across the local authority, in compliance with the SEN Regulations 2014, Children & Families Act 2014, Care Act 2014 and other legislative requirements referenced within the SEND Code of Practice 2015.  Act as regional and national interface, representing Leeds City Council at key regional and national events, and will be a source of expert professional advice on SEND reforms relating to social care within the Council. 

Responsibilities  

• Identify areas where social care is weak or non-compliant within the SEND Code of Practice - generating solutions and implementing strategies and plans to address this - aligning these to social care’s operational and business plans and statutory obligations. 

• Accountable for developing strategies, action plans and processes which support and enable the SEND reforms agenda to become embedded within social care operations and practice. 

• Contribute to and influence SEND organisational design and assisting in the development of 0-25 Children & Young People with Disabilities Service and its policies.  

• Interpret national strategy and local initiatives into protocols and practice at city-wide and locality levels, ensuring alignment with the local authority’s statutory role in assessing and monitoring children and young people with SEN. 

• Establish and lead a network of social care SEND ‘champions’ and link workers.  Facilitating and overseeing the implementation of the SEND agenda within social care through this network, and gathering insight and intelligence from them and other groups such as the parent carer forum to inform future planning. 

• Responsible for developing social care aspects of the Local Offer that provide relevant advice and information and meet all legislative requirements.  

• Analyse complex and varied work strands across functions, services and agencies in order to identify and exploit opportunities for co-production and integrated working between social care, health and education to progress SEND reforms agenda. 

• Work collaboratively with social care directors and service managers to ensure social care meet statutory responsibilities under the Children & Families Act (2014) and Care Act (2014), and drive forward organisational culture change aligned to the SEND reforms.  

• Constructively challenging practice, systems, processes and protocols to enhance SEND reform compliance as part of this collaboration.   

• Responsible for framing social care elements of the local authority’s self-evaluation process to ensure readiness for SEND Ofsted & CQC Inspections. 

• Involvement in and initiation of varied multi-stakeholder projects and work streams.  Themes include: participation and engagement, person-centred approaches, joint working initiatives, outcomes frameworks, operational function design, IT systems connectivity, EHC processes, quality assurance, joint commissioning, Early Years, Preparing for Adulthood, the Local Offer. 

• Contribute to social care workforce development by formulating programme of blended learning/training relating to the SEND reforms across varied audience profile and functions. 

• The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post. 

• Deputise for the SENSAP Team Manager as required, contributing to the strategic leadership of the service. 

• Take ownership of specific areas within the Service Development Plan, particularly those linked to improving social care integration within the EHC process. 

• Lead the preparation and representation of Leeds City Council in high-profile and high-risk Tribunal & Mediation cases, ensuring robust case preparation and risk mitigation. 

• Lead all aspects of people management for a team of named officers, fostering a culture of high performance, shared accountability, and continuous improvement. 

Qualifications Appropriate professional qualification (Degree, DipSW, CQSW or equivalent) Registration with Social Work England upon commencement in post and maintain yearly registration.   

Essential requirements Candidates will only be shortlisted if they can demonstrate that they meet all the following essential requirements. 

• Able to and experience of managing, leading, mentoring, and supervising staff, and contributing to their development through appraisal, supervision and training  

• Able to and experience of working effectively as part of a team and to demonstrate organisational and time management skills prioritising own and team’s work to meet conflicting deadlines  

• Able to develop constructive working relationships and work in partnership with others  

• Able to work within and interpret financial policies and procedures ensuring value for money 

• Able to understand, analyse and accurately enter and retrieve data and information from digital and manual systems preparing and presenting complex reports and data to a wide range of audiences 

• Able to communicate appropriately and effectively with a wide range of people including internal and external partners and customers, through a variety of different methods, influencing views and behaviour. 

• Able to use initiative to manage competing priorities whilst delivering on a range of service objectives and adapting to changing circumstances 

• Able to challenge the norms of existing practice, process, protocols and lead and develop training to improve social care practice and assessment contributions for C&YP with SEND. 

• Able to use and experience of the use of information technology e.g. word, spreadsheet, database etc. 

• In-depth knowledge and understanding of social care operations and how this underpins the SEND framework  

• Evidence of knowledge, understanding and practice in relation to the implementation of SEND legislation, particularly within social care 

• Knowledge of relevant financial regulations to carry out financial transactions 

• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of diversity issues within local communities. 

• Knowledge of relevant legislation, guidance, policies with ability to interpret and apply them consistently. 

• Understand responsibilities in terms of Health, Safety, Wellbeing, security, confidentiality and data protection 

• Understand the importance of confidentiality and the needs and wishes of individuals, families and carers  

• Knowledge and understanding of good social work practice to inform decision-making and assessments of need 

• Experience of working in social care sector with relevant experience working with children and young people with complex needs and their families in a social care context. 

• Experience working with a wide range of stakeholders including children and young people, parents and carers, and those within social care, education and health (including the voluntary sector) 

• Successful experience of implementing organisational change by identifying issues/ barriers, generating solutions, and planning and developing how these will be implemented in a cross-function, cross-organisation environment 

Essential Behavioural & other Characteristics  

• Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct 

• Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Leeds Ambitions of health and wellbeing, inclusive growth, thriving strong communities and a resilient sustainable city 

• Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council policies and procedures. 

• Carry out duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health, Safety and Wellbeing 

• Participate in appraisal, training and development activities to ensure up, to date knowledge and skills. 

• Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding equality & diversity of Leeds City Council.  

• Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person 

• Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.  

• The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters. 

Desirable requirements Candidates are not required to meet all the following desirable requirements however these may be used to distinguish between candidates.  

• Evidence of effectively and sensitively dealing with a wide range of people regarding difficult and complex issues including the use of effective negotiation 

• Understanding and responding to differing perspectives and taking a cross organisational view 

• Problem solving across a range of issues and across organisational and agency divides 

• Strong influencing and confident interpersonal skills to achieve best outcomes for children and families whilst balancing Social Care and the local authority’s interest 

• Experience of working in education and/or health sectors for C&YP with SEND.