SEN Success Stories: Behind Closed Doors With an EHCP Reviewing Officer

In this blog, you will learn:

• What to expect in a career as an EHCP Reviewing Officer.
• Ways to navigate the SEND industry and how to tackle stressful challenges.
• How to find and apply for the best SEND jobs.

Ever wondered about the role of an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) Reviewing Officer? Well, in this exclusive interview with an EHCP Reviewing Officer, we have uncovered the key attributes that make a great EHCP Reviewing Officer.

After three years as a Senior Support Officer for a Local Authority and as a Teacher, this individual, found her true passion as an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) Reviewing Officer. 

Five years on, she hasn’t looked back and has big plans for the future of EHCP reviews to ensure that those in need have the opportunity to grow.

Highly trained and skilled, this EHCP Reviewing Officer has a passion for working in the further education industry and the health & social care sector. From overcoming challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic, to ensuring that individual needs are met, she is determined to make EHCP reviews person-centred and career-focused.

Can you tell us about your career journey so far?

My first job when I left school was working for the Local Authority in the adult social care sector. I spent 5 years working with adults with special educational needs, learning disabilities, mental health issues and acquired brain injuries in their homes and in the community. 

Looking back at this amazing job, it really set me up for my role as an EHCP Reviewing Officer, as I became familiar with the social and health care side of things before I moved into education.

Twelve years ago, I started my role at a further educational establishment as a Support Officer where I supported students with SEND in class. Twelve months in, I was promoted to Senior Support Officer and started teaching classes, whilst on the side completing my Certificate in Education to become a Teacher. 

Five years ago, a job became available as an EHCP Reviewing Officer at the same educational establishment.

What does your role as an EHCP Reviewing Officer consist of?

My role as an EHCP Reviewing Officer includes organising and facilitating annual reviews for students with an EHCP, as well as emergency reviews and co-production meetings.

In our team (consisting of three Reviewing Officers), we do up to 6 reviews a day between us, gathering information for each review from all of the professionals they have involved. This includes gathering information from their Teachers and reports from health and social care professionals, and then when we plan the reviews.

The student decides who they would like to be invited to the review, and then we go through all of the feedback from professionals and discuss progress and next steps. 

My favourite part of the reviews is discussing the young person's ambitions and future plans as it is so lovely to see their passions and what they are striving to achieve.

How do you keep up to date with changes in the industry?

We attend training and liaise with Local Authorities where necessary and are always sharing best practises.

What accomplishments are you most proud of?

I think as a team our biggest accomplishment is how person-centred our reviews are. We are always striving to provide the best reviews we can offer so that the young people with SEND have access to the support they need, whether that is in education, social care or health care.

What’s the most valuable lesson that you’ve learned in your career so far?

I think the most valuable lesson I’ve learned from this role so far is to really listen to people and their experiences. Two people can have the same experience but it can affect them differently and it's important to listen and acknowledge how people feel.

Can you share some obstacles you faced in your role as an EHCP Reviewing Officer and how you overcame them?

I think the biggest hurdle that I’ve managed to overcome so far as an EHCP Reviewing Officer was working during the Covid-19 pandemic and having to quickly come up with a plan to remotely hold reviews from home.

Looking back, it's almost unbelievable how we managed to coordinate work and life, and ensure students were still getting the person-centred reviews they deserved. All this while the world was in lockdown!

What changes would you like to see to better support the needs of children and young people with SEND?

I would like to see more funding for social care and the NHS! The current wait times for mental health services, medical appointments and referrals to Speech and Language Therapists etc. is huge, and too much for some of our young people in need.

I think it is also important to acknowledge that I would like to see better support for parents and carers who have children or young adults with SEND.

What advice would you give to aspiring EHCP Reviewing Officers entering the field today?

I think the most important attribute for an EHCP Reviewing Officer is to be understanding. Every young person’s feelings and experiences are valid and it's important every single review is person centred.

What’s next for you?

I am planning on taking part in a careers guidance course so that the EHCP reviews can really focus on career development and each learner's journey throughout their time with us. 

It would also be great at some point to visit some of the social care settings that our young people attend so that we can learn more about these firsthand.

SEND jobs

If you’re searching for your next SEND job, why not take a look at the latest vacancies, or simply upload your CV to be notified when a relevant position becomes available.

Local authority recruitment services

As specialist local authority SEND recruiters, we support local authorities nationwide with their temporary, interim and permanent staffing needs. 

We can supply SEND staff for service redesign, tackling annual review backlogs and SEND/EHC Case workers to amend plans or hold annual review meetings. 

If you’re struggling to fill a vacancy, why not get in touch with one of our team to see how we can help?

South of the UK - Richard Shorrock

Midlands & North of the UK - Adam Zyda

Share your experience

Every individual brings a unique set of experiences, thoughts, and insights to the table. We believe in giving a voice to a community of professionals to inspire positive change and champion reform in the SEND sector.

If you work in the SEND sector and would like to share your own personal and professional experiences, we’d love to hear from you. Perhaps you have a different perspective, could offer a fresh angle, or want to challenge assumptions. 

Simply reach out to our Head of Content, Nicole Sherwood, to discuss a collaboration which makes your voice count.

Who is Spencer Clarke Group?

Established in 2017, we’re a vibrant and progressive recruitment agency based in the heart of the North West. 

We continually reimagine the recruitment process to challenge convention and defy expectations; from creating a better recruitment experience to remodelling employee engagement, we thrive off doing things differently and turning heads along the way. 

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