Job Title

Independent Reviewing Officer Permanent, Full Time £46,574 to £56,027 Per Annum Location: Chelmsford Working Style:Anywhere worker Closing Date: 11th May 2025 Interview Date: 19th May 2025 Here in Essex, we continue to raise the bar about practice and our investment in our workforce is second to none. It’s an exciting time to join us, having received our 2nd Outstanding Ofsted rating in a row. The RoleIndependent Reviewing Officer for mid and north Essex. This is a home-based role with travel required to chair looked after child reviews and visit children. The purpose of the role is to provide an effective Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) service for children in care, in accordance with statutory regulation, guidance, and Essex County Council procedures. The IRO reviews cases of children who are looked after, as laid out in Volume 2 Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations (2021), and the IRO Handbook (2010). The statutory duties of the IRO include: Monitoring the local authority’s performance in relation to the child’s case. Participating in reviews of the child’s case. Ensuring the child’s wishes and feelings are given due consideration. Performing any other functions prescribed in regulations. The primary focus is to quality assure the care planning and review process for each looked after child, ensuring their needs, wishes, and feelings are fully considered. The review process should assess the child’s needs and progress, and agree on long-term and immediate plans to meet these needs and promote welfare. The overall aim is to safeguard and promote the child’s welfare while they are in care. The IRO should be a practice expert in children in care and care planning, driving Essex County Council’s commitment to better outcomes. The role involves scrutiny and challenge of practice at all levels within the organization. AccountabilitiesEnsure statutory review meetings are held on time, with all relevant parties invited or consulted, considering the child’s wishes and feelings. Monitor the child’s progress between reviews, ensuring the care plan remains appropriate, and convene reviews when necessary. Communicate with senior management if the Local Authority fails to meet statutory obligations, especially where poor practice increases risks. Contribute to strategic and corporate plans to improve outcomes for children in care. Arrange access to advocacy services where appropriate. Support children and young people in accessing complaints and compliments procedures. Ensure support for parents and carers to participate fully in reviews, including interpreters or advocates if needed. Facilitate child-centered review processes, mediating disagreements and challenging practice when plans do not meet needs. Provide expert advice, consultation, and mentoring within Family Operations. Produce review decisions and reports in line with statutory requirements. Follow administrative procedures, ensuring timely documentation and record updates. Monitor and recommend improvements for the Independent Reviewing Service. Stay informed on research affecting Children in Care and contribute to forums and service development. Work towards objectives outlined in the Multi Agency Children in Care Strategy 2012-2017. Undertake other duties reasonably required, commensurate with the grade. The Experience You Will BringEducated to Dip SW or degree level in Social Work. PQ Childcare Award or equivalent experience. Current Social Work England Registration. Ability to build relationships with children and young people, promoting their interests and wishes. Commitment to family time and relationships with children’s families. Knowledge and experience of working with children and families, including statutory obligations and research. Operational planning and service delivery experience within children’s services. Experience chairing meetings with children, parents, carers, and professionals. Ability to work constructively with senior managers and challenge practice appropriately. Understanding of leading change within a large organization. Experience providing social work supervision and support. Experience developing planning and performance frameworks in multi-disciplinary settings. Thorough knowledge of legal frameworks relating to looked after children and care leavers. Understanding of legal processes for local authority court applications. Knowledge of good practice standards in safeguarding and promoting welfare. For more about our work, visit:Children & Families Watch our‘No Magic’ Children & Families video Why Essex?Essex is a large, dynamic UK local authority committed to transformational change and efficiency. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we focus on innovation and career development. Recognized in the top three of the IMPOWER index for productivity, we value everyone inEveryone's Essex . In February 2025, Greater Essex joined the Government’s devolution priority programme, aiming to establish a Mayoral Combined County Authority by May 2026. Learn more aboutdevolution and LGR . We are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader, committed to fair recruitment practices, including adjustments for disabled applicants, veterans, and care leavers. Benefits include support for unpaid carers and flexible working. We uphold high standards of integrity and ethics, guided by the Nolan principles and our code of conduct. The role involves mobility across Essex, requiring a driving license or alternative means of meeting mobility needs. Employment may require a DBS check, with registration in the DBS update service. Further info at. We are committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff to share this commitment. JoinThe Essex Talent Communityfor updates on opportunities and news. For queries, . Follow us onFacebook ,Twitter ,Instagram , andLinkedIn . More info on ourcareers page . Downloads Pay and Reward|Our Ways of Working|About Us|Organisation Behaviours#J-18808-Ljbffr