Reviewing & Insights Service in Merton Children Services and Youth Inclusion are recruiting for Independent Reviewing Officers (IRO) to join our service.
It is an exciting time to join us in Merton Children’s Services. We have a strong Senior Leadership Team who are focused and have a clear vision to embed quality of practice. Children are at the heart of everything we do which is centred around our Relationship Based Practice Model in working collaboratively with families in Merton.
The role of the IRO includes:
Chair independently initial and review child protection conferences
Chair Children looked after reviews
Chair Contextual Harm Conferences and complex child in need meetings
Undertake thematic audits for quality assurance.
The role you would be coming to do:
To provide independent monitoring and scrutiny of the care plans for children in care, subject to child protection and contextual harm, ensuring appropriate and timely decision-making, the timely progression of plans and the provision of high quality care.
To work with children, families, social workers and other partners to achieve the best outcomes for children in care and in need of protection, bringing challenge and support to the work of social workers, managers and partners as required to raise the standard of care planning for all children in care.
To quality assure and, when required, challenge the work of the Local Authority and other agencies to drive improvements in practice.
We are looking for an experienced social worker, with management experience, and experience of chairing meetings and quality assuring the delivery of services to children in care, child protection and complex child in need. You need to ensure that the child/young person’s voice is heard and is listened to within our work. You need to be highly professional, offering high support and high challenge to the social work teams and partner agencies who provide services. You need to be highly organised; evidence a sound knowledge of local and national policies and procedures; and keep up to date with research and good practice.
Recognised Social Work Qualification
Registration with Social Work England
Enhanced DBS
For more information about the role please contact Tara Tweedie by email tara.tweedie@merton.gov.uk.
Merton is an outer borough in southwest London. Suburban in character, the borough has three main town centres: Wimbledon, Mitcham, and Morden. We want our to be a great place for every child to grow up in order to give them the best start in life. To do this, we need the best social work talent working with us.
We offer a full range of employment benefits to ensure every member of staff feels valued and able to progress:
If you like the sound of working in Merton, or want to know more about a specific role, please do not hesitate to contact recruitment@merton.gov.uk