Independent Reviewing Officer in Wiltshire, Wiltshire

Job Title: Independent Reviewing Officer
Specialism: Social Worker – Children
Location: Wiltshire, UK
Salary: £42.00 per hour
Type: Ongoing, Part Time / Full Time

Independent Reviewing Officer within Children's Services in Wiltshire, earning £42.00 per hour. This ongoing locum opportunity offers both part-time and full-time flexibility, providing an excellent chance for an experienced social work professional to join Wiltshire Council's Safeguarding and Quality Assurance Service. In this influential role, you will play a key part in ensuring children in care receive high-quality, child-centred services that promote safety, stability, permanence, and positive life outcomes.

Perks and benefits

• Part Time / Full Time: Choose a working pattern that supports your lifestyle and work-life balance.
• Hourly Pay: Earn a competitive rate of £42.00 per hour, rewarding your expertise and professional judgement.
• Flexible Locum Working: Enjoy the variety and freedom that locum work offers while broadening your experience.
• Professional Development: Enhance your safeguarding, quality assurance, and leadership skills within a specialist service.
• Networking Opportunities: Collaborate with professionals across social care, health, education, fostering, and partner agencies.
• Meaningful Impact: Influence care planning and decision-making to improve outcomes for children and young people.
• Supportive Environment: Work within a dedicated service focused on best practice, quality assurance, and continuous improvement.

What you will do

• Chair Reviews: Independently chair statutory reviews for children in care in accordance with the Children Act 1989, the IRO Handbook, and relevant legislation.
• Monitor Care Planning: Oversee and scrutinise the quality and effectiveness of care planning and decision-making processes.
• Promote Children's Voice: Ensure children's wishes, feelings, and views are heard, respected, and central to decision-making.
• Challenge Practice: Identify delays, poor practice, or decisions that are not in the child's best interests, escalating concerns where appropriate.
• Track Progress: Monitor the implementation of care plans and ensure agreed actions are completed within required timescales.
• Multi-Agency Working: Work collaboratively with social workers, managers, foster carers, residential providers, health professionals, education services, and partner organisations.
• Quality Assurance: Contribute to service improvement by identifying trends, themes, and areas for development.
• Permanence Planning: Support plans for reunification, long-term fostering, special guardianship, and adoption where appropriate.
• Record Keeping: Maintain accurate, comprehensive, and timely records of reviews, recommendations, and decisions.
• Promote Inclusion: Champion equality, diversity, inclusion, and anti-discriminatory practice across all areas of service delivery.

Qualifications / Requirements

• Social Work Qualification: Degree in Social Work, DipSW, CQSW, or equivalent recognised qualification.
• Registration: Current Social Work England registration.
• Experience: Significant post-qualification experience working with children and families within statutory Children's Social Care.
• Safeguarding Knowledge: Strong understanding of legislation, statutory guidance, and safeguarding frameworks relating to looked after children.
• Chairing Experience: Experience chairing complex meetings, reviews, conferences, or multi-agency discussions.
• Analytical Skills: Excellent assessment, analysis, and decision-making abilities.
• Professional Challenge: Ability to challenge practice constructively while maintaining positive professional relationships.
• Communication Skills: Excellent communication, negotiation, and conflict-resolution skills.
• IT Skills: Competent in electronic case management systems and digital record-keeping.

Desirable Requirements

• IRO Experience: Previous experience as an Independent Reviewing Officer or within a Safeguarding and Quality Assurance Service.
• Leadership Qualifications: Practice Educator, management, leadership, or equivalent professional qualification.
• Practice Knowledge: Understanding of restorative and relationship-based practice models.
• Complex Case Experience: Experience working with children subject to complex safeguarding concerns, permanence planning, or court proceedings.

Why Wiltshire

Wiltshire offers an exceptional quality of life, combining beautiful countryside, historic market towns, and thriving local communities. Home to world-renowned landmarks, excellent outdoor spaces, and a rich cultural heritage, the county provides a welcoming environment for both professional development and personal wellbeing. Whether enjoying rural landscapes, exploring historic sites, or becoming part of a close-knit community, Wiltshire is a fantastic place to live and work.

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 Wiltshire Council's Safeguarding and Quality Assurance Service as an Independent Reviewing Officer with Sanctuary Personnel.