Gateshead Council is seeking a passionate and experienced Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) to join our dedicated Children's Social Care team. This is a vital role, central to our commitment to achieving the best possible outcomes for children and young people in our care.
As an IRO, you will be a champion for children's rights and well-being. You will provide independent oversight and challenge to ensure care plans are robust, child-centred, and in line with all statutory requirements and the IRO Handbook.
Key Responsibilities
Chairing Reviews: You will chair statutory reviews for children in our care, ensuring their views and wishes are at the heart of the decision-making process.
Quality Assurance: You will scrutinise care planning, identifying and challenging any drift or delay to promote stability and permanence for children.
Advocacy: You will build positive relationships with children and young people, acting as a consistent and trusted point of support and advocating for their best interests.
Multi-Agency Liaison: You will hold partner agencies accountable for their corporate parenting and safeguarding responsibilities, providing robust challenge when necessary.
Documentation: You will maintain clear, comprehensive, and analytic records on our IT systems, providing a thorough account of a child's journey in care.
Child Protection Conferences: You may also be asked to act as a Conference Chair for Child Protection Conferences, ensuring plans to protect children are realistic, timely, and effective.
Requirements
A recognised Social Work qualification and current registration with Social Work England (SWE).
Significant post-qualifying experience in children's services, particularly in child protection and looked-after children.
An in-depth understanding of relevant legislation, statutory frameworks, and current practice models, including the IRO Handbook.
Proven experience in chairing complex multi-agency meetings.
Excellent communication, analytical, and negotiation skills.
The ability to work independently with authority and resilience.
If you are a highly motivated and experienced social work professional looking to make a significant and lasting difference, we encourage you to apply.
Randstad Care acts as an employment business when supplying temporary staff and as an employment agency when introducing candidates for permanent employment with a client. Randstad Care is an equal opportunities employer and decisions are made on merits alone.
Did you know that Randstad Care have been awarded a place on the National Clinical Staffing Framework for the NHS? This means we will be able to bring you more opportunities within nursing & midwifery and clinical staffing.
...
