1. MICHAEL MC GUIGAN – Curriculum Vitae
Professional Profile
A highly experienced (28 years plus) public sector manager, with particular expertise
in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.
I have a Post-graduate Certificate in Disability Studies and am passionate about
disability issues. I have extensive relevant professional experience including service
in the Special Education Branch in the Northern Ireland Department of Education, as
Secretary to Special Educational Needs Tribunal (N.I.), as Bill Officer for the SENDA
legislation (N.I.), as an Equality and Diversity Advisor in the Learning and Skills
Council, as a specialist Equality Policy Officer at Rotherham, as Commissioning
Manager (Disabilities) and then SEND Service Manager in Doncaster.
Objective
Following voluntary redundancy, I am seeking new challenges to use my existing
expertise and widen my knowledge.
Career Summary
Doncaster Council – Commissioning Manager (Disabilities) then SEND Service
Manager
April 2010 to January 2016
During my time in this post I oversaw the creation of an outsourced provider list for
both individual and group based short breaks for disabled children. I also led on the
creation of a system of personal budgets, expanding on and complementing systems
relating to direct payments.
I have managed the short breaks budget (£1.3m at time of leaving DMBC) as well as
the SAIDSEND team budget. (SAIDSEND (Support, Advice and Information,
Doncaster, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) service is a statutory service
(called SENDIASS in many localities) to provide impartial information, advice and
support to young people and their parents in relation to Education, Health and Care
issues across the age range 0-25.)
I was also the lead on parent participation regarding SEND and worked closely with
the recognised Parents' Forum. I was involved in the launch and embedding of a
Young Person's forum. I sat on DMBC's SEND Partnership Board, which includes
representatives from many agencies within the Borough. I also contract managed
the Young Carers’ Service for a number of years.
In overseeing both teams I was required to be expert in the Children and Families
Act 2014, the SEND Code of Practice 2015, the Short Breaks Regulations 2011 and
the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 plus statutory and non-statutory
guidance.

2. As many children receive support from more than one source, I have been directly
involved in jointly commissioning or aligning packages of care with Health colleagues
and in administering Education elements of personal budgets.
I wrote annual position statements for both the SAIDSEND and Aiming High teams,
providing both narrative and statistical information. I have used these to alter plans
for the future accordingly
I have also authored documents such as the statutory Short Breaks Statement and
the (co-authored with one other officer) Personal Budgets policy. I am confident in
giving presentations to explain our work and the legislative background - to both
large and small audiences.
Rotherham Council – Policy Officer, Commissioning Officer, Contracts Officer
December 2004 to April 2010
I began as a Policy and Research Officer in Strategic Social Services, with particular
responsibilities regarding Equality and Diversity. When reorganisation led to Social
Services being split between Adults and Children's services, I was placed in the
Children and Young People's Services Commissioning Team.
As Contracting Officer I was involved in negotiating the content of contracts and
undertaking monitoring of performance against specifications. Services I contract
managed included the Young Carers’ Service, Teenage Pregnancy Service and a
service relating to young sexual offenders. I provided other staff with advice on
preparing and interpreting contracts. I had a particular role in placing children in
independent fostering or residential placements. I sat on Resource Panel weekly,
which decided on suitable placements or services for Looked After Children. I also
represent Rotherham MBC on the Yorkshire and Humber regional consortium
steering group on contracting for residential and fostering placements.
Learning and Skills Council – Equality and Diversity Advisor.
April 2003- December 2004
I provided advice to learning providers and formal training to LSC staff on Equality
and Diversity Matters. I also managed a number of Equality and Diversity related
contracts.
Department of Education (Northern Ireland) – various posts
October 1988- March 2003
I was a Civil Servant in the Department of Education in Northern Ireland. My final
posting was as Staff Officer in the Equality, Rights and Social Inclusion unit, with
Project Management responsibilities for the introduction of the Special Educational

3. Needs and Disability Act. This involved drafting the consultation document and
leading presentations on the proposed legislation at public events and meetings of
invited professionals or community groups etc.
Previous postings included a four year informal secondment as secretary of the
Special Educational Needs Tribunal, a period in Development Branch (dealing with
Option Appraisals and consultations on new schools, school closures and
amalgamations), work on the growth of Integrated (ie combined Catholic and
Protestant) schools and office manager of the team introducing the Education
Reform Bill to Northern Ireland.
Education
Certificate in Commissioning and
Procurement for Public Care
Oxford Brookes University Ongoing Current
Post-Graduate Certificate Disability Studies Sheffield Hallam University Pass 2005
Master of Arts European Arts and Humanities De Montfort University Pass 1999
B.A. (Hons) Economic and Social History Queen's University of Belfast 2.1 1987
CMI Level 3 Management Park Lane College Leeds Pass 2008
NFCE Level 2 Equalities
Rotherham College of Arts and
Technologies
Pass 2005
A Levels, English, R.E., History Regent House School C, B, D 1981
Professional Development
My commitment to continued learning is evidenced by my current Oxford Brookes
University course.
In terms of training, I keep up to date with issues such as safeguarding, recruitment,
health and safety and with any legislative changes. The Aiming High team
administers a programme of e-learning and I take these courses myself to keep up to
date and quality assure the packages. I also attend events such as In Control
residential workshops and those organised by the Council for Disabled Children.
Personal Details
I work flexibly in terms of my time (attending meetings or events in the evening or
weekends when appropriate). Having had a grounding as a civil service "all-rounder"

4. I am happy to be flexible in terms of taking on new challenges not listed in my job
description or forward work plan where that will help the overall service objectives.
References Available on Request.