SEND Preparing for Adulthood Lead

• Suffolk County Council
• Address
  :
  Endeavour House, Ipswich, IP1 2BX
  , Hybrid working
• Salary: £62,119 - £73,998 per annum (pro rata for part time)
• Hours: 37 hours per week, flexible working options available
• Status: Permanent

We're looking for a Strategic Preparing for Adulthood (PfA) Partnership Lead to bring together partners across Suffolk and lead our shared approach to improving how young people with SEND prepare for adulthood.

Preparing for adulthood is about much more than one service or transition point. It brings together education, health, social care, employment, independence and participation in the community. You'll take a holistic view across these areas, helping partners work together so young people experience a more joined-up approach as they move towards adult life.

You'll provide strategic leadership and coordination across the Preparing for Adulthood partnership, leading key priorities within Suffolk's SEND improvement work. You will:

• Lead and coordinate delivery of the Preparing for Adulthood priorities within the Local Area Inclusion Plan, providing oversight across the four PfA work streams.
• Build strong partnerships across young people's and parent/carer groups, education, children's and adults social care, health, employers, housing and the voluntary and community sector.
• Influence across organisational boundaries
  , bringing partners together around shared priorities without relying on direct authority.
• Make sure the different strands of Preparing for Adulthood connect
  , taking a holistic view of young people's journeys and outcomes.
• Put co-production at the heart of the work
  , ensuring young people and families help shape, deliver and evaluate improvement.

We're looking for someone who can take a strategic and holistic view of Preparing for Adulthood. You might bring particular expertise from one part of the system rather than all of it; what matters is your ability to see the bigger picture and understand how different parts of the system connect.

You will need:

• Strong strategic leadership and experience of driving complex improvement.
• A good understanding of SEND and Preparing for Adulthood.
• Excellent partnership-building and influencing skills, including working across organisational boundaries.
• Strong planning and delivery skills, with the ability to coordinate priorities and use evidence to understand progress and impact.
• A strong commitment to co-production with young people and parent/carer groups.

Preparing for Adulthood is complex, and bringing different parts of the system together won't always be straightforward. You'll need resilience and persistence, staying focused on what will make a difference for children and young people. In return, you'll have a real opportunity to improve their experiences and opportunities as they move into adulthood, working alongside supportive and committed people who want to make a difference too.

You can view a full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile (JPP), which you can find in the

How to apply

' section towards the bottom of this advert.

We're big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We're always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report () .

If you'd like to find out more about the role, please email and we'll arrange an informal conversation with the Assistant Director for SEND and Inclusion.

Closing date:11.30pm, 11 October 2026.

Interview…