SEN Caseworkers - please tell me about your job

[MonsteraAddict]

I'm thinking about potentially applying for a SEND caseworker role with my LA. I am currently a headteacher in a large primary school but am thinking of a change. I know the salary is approximately £15000 less pa, but money is not enough to keep me in this role. I have been a head for 5 years now and the pressure is beginning to break me.
However, I am very well aware of the stresses and strains of working in the SEND services but wanted to hear directly from Caseworkers.
I would very much appreciate some insight into how you manage your work day to day and if it is a rewarding role.

I don't know if you are looking at a different role from the caseworkers in my LA, but it would be a LOT less money than £15K less than a HT salary.

They are essentially administrators in our LA, so salary in the twenty something thousands.

I am not one, but have worked alongside them for many years.
Quite a big turn over of staff. Difficult to recruit to the positions.
Quite understandably (in my opinion) get a lot of aggravation from parents as they are the people the families get to speak to, so they tend to vent at caseworkers as their dc are not getting what they need (EHCPs, School places, and the like).

I have been reading through the posts and not commented so far. The bulling comments from parents and advocates are disgusting. Do you think that caseworkers never have any disabilities or SEND children within their families.

I am a caseworker who is ND and physically disabled. I agree with what @cleverbutscatty and @AliceinSlumberland have said, unfortunately there are caseworkers who genuinely care about the children and young people and others who do not. Funnily enough there was an advocate complaining recently too many caseworkers are ex-teachers (I am not an ex-teacher).

I never lie or mislead parents and in fact challenge education providers when they have behaved appallingly. To the point a placement has made a complaint about me; fortunately the parent had written a complaint where they said the LA attitude was outstanding and in no way blames the LA for the situation. It was the final straw for me though. I am currently off sick due to the stress of being a caseworker, I am burnt out at receiving abuse on a daily basis. I survived childabuse and worked hard to try and find happiness as an adult, yet what I experienced has been more abuse in the workplace as an adult. Had I known this was the reality 3 1/2 years ago I would never have entered the profession even though I am a SEND Policy specialist. I have never wanted to be a social worker, yet Caseworker are expected to be Social Workers for education without the welfare support in place.

To those directly bullying; no doubt you would have commented on the tragic death of the headteacher and called out OFSTEAD, how about looking in the mirror at your comments. Maybe there is a caseworker sat here feeling overwhelmed and reading all the negative accusations. You say get another job, it is not that easy when you have been burned out, bullied and vilified on a daily basis. Feeling as though you have nothing left to give an employer. I hope that you maybe take time to reflect upon your comment and think am I adding to another humans distress and possible harm to themselves.