Independent Reviewing Officer

3 Month Contract With A Local Authority

The Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) plays a critical role in ensuring that children and young people looked after by Islington Council are safe their needs are met and their plans are timely effective and legally compliant.

The post holder will chair statutory reviews for Children Looked After (CLA) ensure robust care planning and permanency planning promote the voice of the child and provide independent oversight and challenge to improve outcomes for children and families.

Key Responsibilities

• Chair statutory CLA reviews ensuring compliance with legislation statutory guidance and local procedures.
  

• Manage the full review process including preparation facilitation and follow-up actions.
  

• Maintain an allocated caseload of Children Looked After.
  

• Monitor track and scrutinise care and permanency plans ensuring drift and delay are challenged.
  

• Implement the Dispute Resolution and Conflict Resolution processes where required.
  

• Promote the meaningful participation of children young people and families in review processes including seeing children alone.
  

• Ensure review minutes and records (including LCS) are accurate timely and child-friendly.
  

• Monitor the implementation of care plans and escalate concerns appropriately.
  

• Provide professional advice and consultation on complex childcare matters and record this appropriately.
  

• Mediate and resolve conflict within Childrens Social Care and with partner agencies.
  

• Participate in and contribute to case audits identifying strengths gaps and areas for improvement.
  

• Chair secure accommodation reviews and other childcare meetings as required (excluding cases where the post holder is the IRO).
  

• Lead on service improvement projects related to childcare planning.
  

• Contribute to policy procedure and practice development in response to legislative and best practice changes.
  

• Support the development and delivery of departmental and multi-agency training.
  

• Promote high standards of professional competence across childrens services.
  

• Maintain high-quality records in line with statutory and organisational requirements.
  

• Undertake any other duties appropriate to the grade and role.
  

Requirements

• HCPC-recognised Social Work qualification.
  

• Significant post-qualifying experience in statutory childrens social care including high-risk case management and care planning.
  

• Proven experience of chairing complex multi-agency meetings involving children families and professionals.
  

• Experience of chairing Children Looked After (CLA) initial and review meetings in line with statutory and local requirements.
  

• Strong working knowledge of legislation statutory guidance and best practice relating to children and young people looked after.
  

• Experience of quality assurance activity including case audit and service improvement.
  

• Experience of providing professional challenge and advice to social workers and senior managers.
  

• Experience of delivering training and/or producing accessible guidance for professionals.
  

• Ability to identify assess and respond appropriately to safeguarding risks.
  

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with children families and professionals.
  

• Ability to chair meetings with authority and manage conflict effectively.
  

• Strong relationship-building skills with children young people carers and partner agencies.
  

• Ability to maintain accurate high-quality child-friendly records.
  

• Commitment to child-centred trauma-informed practice and childrens rights.
  

• Strong understanding of equality diversity and the impact of race gender disability and sexuality on children and young people.
  

• Ability to ensure childrens views wishes and feelings are central to planning and decision-making.
  

• Demonstrated commitment to the councils values of collaboration ambition resourcefulness and empowerment.
  

• Commitment to equality anti-racist practice and challenging discrimination and inequality.
  

• Ability to work in line with the Councils Dignity for All policy.
  

• Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance.
  

• Ability to work flexibly including attending face-to-face CLA reviews.