Head of Children with Disabilities

London Borough of Brent
£74,868 - £87,389
Hackney

Brent is brimming with ambition and opportunity, and we celebrate our status as one of the most diverse boroughs in the UK. This is a newly created and strategically important role for the council, developed in response to growing demand and complexity.

THE ROLE

We’re looking for an exceptional leader to head up Brent’s Children with Disabilities Service, overseeing a £16m budget and a dedicated team supporting over 800 children and young people aged 0–25.

Reporting to the Director of Early Help and Social Care, you’ll lead services including social work teams, occupational therapy, the short break team and our Short Breaks Centre, ensuring that children with disabilities are safeguarded, supported and given the best opportunities to thrive.

You’ll be a strategic thinker with proven experience managing complex services, budgets, and partnerships, and a passion for improving outcomes for vulnerable children. This is a role for someone who can inspire high performance, drive service improvement, and work collaboratively across agencies.

INFORMATION

For further details, please click on the role profile and useful links below, or for more information please contact Sunita Patel on 07561 708023 / sunita.patel@starfishsearch.com or Emily Lockwood on 0113 3607612 / emily.lockwood@starfishsearch.com.

Role Profile     Structure Chart    
Timeline

Closing date: 17th September 2025

Shortlist meeting: 25th September

Final interviews: 1st, 2nd, 3rd October 2025

Useful Links
Children's services Ofsted inspection report 2023 VIEW
Area SEND inspection of Brent Local Area Partnership VIEW
Brent Youth Strategy 2025-2028 VIEW
London Borough of Brent School Place Planning Strategy 2024-2028 VIEW
SEND Support in Brent VIEW
Special Educational Needs 0-25 Team VIEW
Disabled Children and Young People's Service (0-25) VIEW
The Local Offer for Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) VIEW
Identifying special education needs and disabilities (SEND) VIEW
Early help service VIEW
Ways of working VIEW
How to apply

To make an application, please click on the apply now button below, with the following prepared:

  • Your CV (no more than three sides of A4).
  • A supporting statement (no more than three sides of A4) that sets out why you think this role is the right move for you and how you meet the knowledge and experience criteria.

If our client is a member of the Disability Confident Scheme and you would like to apply under the scheme, please state that clearly at the top of your supporting statement, along with any adjustments you require to be made if invited for interview.

Apply