Job Introduction
Designated Social Care Officer – SEND
£55,607 - £60,114 per annum, plus a market allowance of £10,000 per annum
This is an exciting role aimed at strengthening collaborative working between Health, Education and Adult Social Care.
The Designated Social Care Officer (DSCO) will strategically lead in embedding the social care elements of the SEND strategy across the local authority and ensure compliance with legislative requirements of the SEND Code of Practice (2015), as well as meeting statutory responsibilities under the Children and Family Act (2014) and Care Act (2014).
The DSCO will have in-depth knowledge and understanding of both social care processes and the SEND reforms agenda and will look to strengthen practice and generate solutions, as well as strengthen our offer for disabled children in collaboration with Commissioning.
The DSCO will represent Medway Council Children’s social care at key regional and national events and will be a source of expert professional advice on SEND reforms relating to social care within Medway and will seek to learn nationally from the evidence base of best practice.
Interviews will be held 13/06/2025
Our Offer
In addition to the basic salary, we are proud to offer an excellent benefits package including –
- A basic salary of £55,607 - £60,114 per annum
- An annual market allowance of £10,000 per annum. Payable in monthly payments.
- A retention payment of £3,000. This is a fixed sum payable in April each year, following one years’ service in Medway.
- Generous annual leave entitlement of between 27 - 30 days plus bank holidays
- Excellent local government pension scheme
- Free car parking
- Hybrid working - enabling you to work from home/office (minimum of 2 days per week will be required in the office)
- Relocation package of up to £8,000
About You
You will hold a degree in Social Work – CQSW, DipSW or equivalent and be registered with Social Work England.
You must have post qualification experience of working with children and young people with SEND and their families.
Our organisation:
Medway is a unitary authority in the South East of England, made up of the towns of Strood, Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham and Rainham and more rural areas, including the Hoo Peninsula.
Situated in Kent in the South-East of England, the area has plenty of green spaces, excellent facilities and easy access to the national motorway and rail networks, facilitating superb transport links to London.
We provide all local Government services for a quarter of a million people, looking after education, environment, social care, housing, planning, business and much more - everything from frontline services such as rubbish collection and events like the Dickens Festival to work that goes on behind the scenes to ensure services in Medway run smoothly and cost effectively.
Working at Medway Council means that you get to be part of this journey working alongside talented, professional colleagues to drive forward change to transform the lives of our residents and the communities they live in.
Important Information:
Applicants must be able to demonstrate all essential requirements as listed in the job profile
Equal Opportunities Commitment Statement
Medway Council is committed to creating an inclusive work environment with a diverse workforce. All appropriately qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability or age
For further information please refer to the Medway information pack available as a download or to view online
Please be advised that if you are not contacted within 3 weeks of the advert closing date then you have not been shortlisted. All recruitment correspondence, including interview letters and contracts of employment will usually be sent out via email.
Please visit http://www.mindfulemployer.net/ for information on how Medway Council put good practices in place to ensure employees and job applicants who declare mental health issues receive the right level of support.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy at any time prior to the closing date.
If you are not contacted within 3 weeks of the advert closing date then you have not been shortlisted.
All recruitment correspondence, including interview letters and contracts of employment will usually be sent out via email, if you require documentation/correspondence in different format such as braille or large print, please contact the Resourcing Team on 01634 332878.
