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Designated Social Care Officer
Kate is a Family Support Officer. She works across Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and social care.
Her work involves completing the social care advices (Section D) for the EHCP’s, for all children not open to a social worker or Early Help practitioner. She signposts families to support available in the community and identifies social care needs.
Her work also involves:
- looking at social care in Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), assessments and requests
- contributing to discussions with the Youth Justice service, and other local authorities.
What does a DSCO do?
- Encouraging constant improvement for SEND in our city and beyond
- Engaging with other DSCO's and social care networks
- Helping create and maintain partnerships with information, advice and support services
- Working with others so that children and young people 'not known' to social care can access support
- Representing Newcastle City Council SEND at events across the country
- Giving professional advice on changes to SEND that relates to social care in our city
- Building and nurturing effective partnerships
- Maximising opportunities for different people to come together to shape how a service is designed and delivered
- Giving quality assurance in social work and early help advice for SEND support and the EHCP process
- Working with services to develop social care support in our Local Offer so that it is useful and meets legal requirements
- Taking an active part in the short breaks working group
- Attending and taking an active part in SEND panel and improvement groups as needed
- Approving Social Care advice as part of the EHCP process
- Identifying areas for improvement and development for the social care workforce
- Encouraging every person connected to social care to get involved sharing their views and experiences when reviewing and designing social care services
Information from https://childrenandfamiliesnewcastle.org.uk/
Printed on May 25th 2026
Printed on May 25th 2026
Page last updated