Independent Reviewing Officer

Liquid Personnel is currently recruiting experienced Qualified Social Workers to join a busy team at a Bradford. To be successful in this role you must have Social Work England registration, be eligible to work in the UK, hold a qualification in Social Work at degree level, and have post-qualified experience.

As an IRO, you will:

• To co-ordinate and chair looked after children’s reviews within statutory timescales placing the child at the Centre of the reviewing process ensuring their thoughts and feelings are taken into account in the planning process.
• To review and monitor the effectiveness of care plans for looked after children.
• To ensure that Care plans are promptly implemented, that agreed actions are being progressed and that there is no drift in permanency planning.
• To ensure that there is appropriate preparation for LAC reviews and to follow up any concerns regarding Bradford MDC as a Corporate Parent.
• To liaise with operational staff across agencies to ensure the effectiveness of the Review and Care Planning process.
• To produce a timely, outcome focused report after each review that clearly sets out how the care plan is being implemented, the actions that are required to meet the child’s Care needs. Plans should be SMART.
• To identify poor practice and cases where children’s needs are not being met and to seek to resolve identified problems, through effective communication and negotiation, with relevant practitioners and managers across agencies.
• To contribute to the evaluation of and monitoring of standards of practice and to fulfil a quality assurance and audit role in services for looked after children.
• As well as reviewing those children placed within the district, to review care plans of those children placed out of the district, those in secure accommodation and those who are subject to Interim Supervision Orders.
• To review respite care arrangements for children with disabilities and/or complex needs.
• To meet separately with children to ensure their views and wishes are understood and taken into account at the review and where a child wishes to challenge their legal status, to assist the child in obtaining independent legal advice and assistance.
• To support parental participation and ensure that children have access to representation and advocacy services and ensure that children are aware of the complaints procedure.
• To collate information arising from reviews relating to practice, service development and inter-agency participation and collaboration, as requested by the Principal Care Manager.
• To contribute to performance management monitoring arrangement and reports submitted to senior management.
• To remain aware of developments in relation to relevant research, legislation, guidelines and regulations and departmental procedures.
• To be a member of the Children’s Safeguarding and Reviewing Unit and contribute to the development of the Unit and to the development of practise and policy in relation to safeguarding looked after children.
• To demonstrate and understanding of, ensure implementation of, Health and Safety and Equal Opportunities policies and procedures.
• To design and be involved in the facilitation of training programme for practitioners and managers from all agencies, involved in safeguarding, permanency planning and interventions for looked after children.
• To investigate complaints from children and families under the Children Act 1989 and
• Children’s Complaints Procedure and to undertaken independent management investigations in accordance with local procedures.

As an IRO, you are required to:

• A minimum of 5 years post qualification experience in a related field.
• Experience of all service user groups and with users from ethnic minorities
• Experience of residential and family placement services.
• Experience of child protection work.
• Professional Social Work qualification DipSW or equivalent.
• Registered with SWE

Why Liquid Personnel?

• ‘Faster Pay’ service getting you paid more quickly
• Twice weekly payroll and an internal ‘hours’ team
• Free DBS and compliance service
• Access to exclusive roles that aren’t available from other agencies
• Free access to Liquid’s exclusive social work training and CPD portal
• Your own personal consultant with extensive social work knowledge. Your consultant’s service will be personally tailored to you as an individual
• Access to a wide selection of social work positions across the UK
• “Refer a Friend” bonus – get £500 for each social worker you refer who we successfully place*
• “Find your own job” bonus – get £250 for bringing your own position to us *

Liquid Personnel is an equal opportunities employer. Liquid Personnel Ltd is acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy. * Terms and conditions apply to our bonus schemes.

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