Inclusion Lead - Early Identification

Closing date: 2 June 2026

Salary: Grade 9, ranging from £41,771 to £46,142 per annum

Join us on our mission to make a real difference in Somerset! As an Inclusion Lead, you’ll take the lead in transforming lives across Somerset?

Step into a role where your leadership will help to shape brighter futures for children and young people (CYP) with acute and complex special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

As an Inclusion Lead, you won’t just support change - you’ll drive it. You’ll champion inclusive practices, lead strategic initiatives, and empower teams to deliver meaningful educational outcomes. Your work will be central to fostering engagement, dismantling barriers, and unlocking the full potential of every child.

We are currently recruiting an Inclusion Lead within our Early Identification Team, where you will be supporting children from birth through to the end of Year 2.

Role summary

As an Inclusion Lead, you will be delivering an inclusive, locality‑based education system. You’ll support children and young people most at risk of falling behind, particularly at key transition points, tracking progress and championing flexible, inclusive practice.

Working collaboratively across services, you’ll help ensure no child with an identified need is lost from the system and that full‑time mainstream education remains an achievable goal wherever possible.

What you’ll do - key responsibilities

• Maintain oversight of risks to children and monitor changes over time.
• Work with parents, carers and partners to support children with SEND where progress or placements are difficult.
• Share effective strategies to address common barriers across the education phase.
• Work across teams and organisations to agree actions, challenge delay, and reduce risk.
• Coordinate annual phase transitions with clear communication and timescales.
• Lead and contribute to multi‑agency working at locality level, providing visible leadership and support.
• Support multi‑agency responses for individual children.

What we’re looking for – knowledge, experience & skills

Essential:

• Knowledge of common barriers to learning across different phases of education and strategies to address them
• Understanding of standard practices and operations in schools, settings or colleges
• Understanding of child and adolescent development, including the impact of disabilities and trauma
• Experience of identifying and supporting SEND needs
• Experience of working in or alongside a frontline role within a relevant educational phase
• Experience of working in a multi‑agency context to secure improvement and action for children
• Experience of working with parents, carers and children in emotive situations
• Ability to model ambition for children through challenging conversations and empathetic support
• Strong creativity and problem‑solving skills
• Effective communication, negotiation and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work collaboratively and influence a wide range of stakeholders

Desirable:

• Understanding of multi‑agency working and its value in supporting children and young people with SEND
• Understanding of national and local SEND models, frameworks, legislation and guidance
• Familiarity with local Somerset models of practice
• Experience of using systems and processes to track and report on risks, actions and outcomes
• Proficiency in using data monitoring and reporting tools

Additional Information  

• For an informal chat about the role, please contact Chelsey Oxley at chelsey.oxley@somerset.gov.uk
• Permanent Position. 37 Hours a week. 

• Hybrid working with a balance of home, locality and office working.

• 30 day’s annual leave (additional to bank holidays)
• Interviews will take 10th - 11th June 2026

• Regretfully, we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role. We are only able to proceed with candidates who already have the right to work in the UK without the need for visa sponsorship

A full job description will be provided to shortlisted candidates or on request.