Independent Reviewing Officer (iro) in Portsmouth, Hampshire

Job Title: Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO)
Specialism: Social Worker – Children
Location: Portsmouth, UK
Salary: £47.00 per hour
Type: Ongoing, Part Time / Full Time

Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) within Children's Social Care in Portsmouth, earning £47.00 per hour. This ongoing locum opportunity offers both part-time and full-time flexibility, including the option to work four days per week. This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced social work professional to play a pivotal role in ensuring that children and young people receive the highest standards of care, with their views, wishes, and best interests remaining central to all planning and decision-making.

Perks and benefits

• Part Time / Full Time: Choose a working pattern that suits your lifestyle and supports a healthy work-life balance.
• Hourly Pay: Earn a highly competitive rate of £47.00 per hour, rewarding your expertise and leadership.
• Flexible Working: Benefit from the option of a four-day working week while maintaining a meaningful and impactful role.
• Professional Development: Access opportunities for ongoing learning and development to further enhance your practice.
• Networking Opportunities: Work alongside a wide range of professionals across Children's Services and partner agencies.
• Meaningful Impact: Ensure children and young people receive high-quality care planning and positive outcomes.
• Quality Assurance Focus: Play a key role in driving service improvement and safeguarding standards across the service.

What you will do

• Chair Reviews: Chair statutory Looked After Children (LAC) Reviews, ensuring care plans remain effective, outcome-focused, and child-centred.
• Care Plan Monitoring: Monitor the progress and implementation of care plans, challenging delays and addressing barriers to achieving positive outcomes.
• Child Participation: Ensure children and young people actively participate in reviews, with their wishes and feelings informing all planning.
• Permanency Planning: Scrutinise and support permanency plans, including reunification, long-term foster care, special guardianship, adoption, and independent living arrangements.
• Dispute Resolution: Escalate concerns through the IRO dispute resolution process where care planning or service delivery falls below expected standards.
• Safeguarding Oversight: Identify safeguarding concerns and ensure appropriate action is taken to protect children and young people.
• Multi-Agency Working: Develop effective partnerships with social workers, carers, education providers, health professionals, and other agencies.
• Quality Assurance: Produce detailed review reports and recommendations that contribute to service improvement and quality assurance.
• Legislative Compliance: Ensure all practice aligns with current legislation, statutory guidance, and best practice frameworks within children's social care.

Qualifications / Requirements

• Social Work Qualification: Degree in Social Work or equivalent recognised qualification.
• Registration: Current Social Work England registration.
• Experience: Significant post-qualification experience within Children's Social Care.
• IRO Experience: Previous experience as an Independent Reviewing Officer, Child Protection Chair, Team Manager, or Senior Practitioner is highly desirable.
• Legislative Knowledge: Strong understanding of the Children Act 1989, Children Act 2004, IRO Handbook, Care Planning Regulations, and Working Together to Safeguard Children guidance.
• Child Protection Expertise: Extensive experience within safeguarding, child protection, and care planning services.
• Communication Skills: Excellent verbal, written, analytical, and report-writing abilities.
• Challenge and Influencing Skills: Confidence to appropriately challenge practice and advocate for children to achieve positive outcomes.
• Multi-Agency Experience: Proven ability to work effectively across a range of agencies and professional disciplines.

Why Portsmouth

Portsmouth combines rich maritime heritage with a vibrant modern lifestyle. Home to iconic attractions such as the Historic Dockyard, Spinnaker Tower, and Southsea seafront, the city offers a fantastic mix of culture, leisure, and community spirit. With excellent transport links, a thriving waterfront, and a welcoming atmosphere, Portsmouth is a fantastic place to develop your career while enjoying an exceptional quality of life.

Working with Sanctuary Personnel

Sanctuary Personnel is a trusted and award-winning agency for roles. With an ‘Excellent’ rating on Trustpilot from over 1,000 reviews and many prestigious industry awards, we are dedicated to finding you the best possible rates in roles that match your skills and experience.

Apply now

Take the next step in your social work career and join Children's Services in Portsmouth as an Independent Reviewing Officer with Sanctuary Personnel.