Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) & Child Protection Chair

Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) & Child Protection Chair

• Location: Durham, County Durham

• Authority: Durham County Council (Children & Young People's Services)

• Pay Rate:£35.45 per hour (Umbrella)

• Contract: Full-Time Locum Assignment

• Working Pattern: Hybrid / Flexible working arrangements

Durham County Council is recruiting a skilled Independent Reviewing Officer / Child Protection Conference Chair to join their Quality Assurance & Safeguarding Service. Offering £35.45 per hour, this pivotal role is responsible for independent oversight, chairing statutory reviews, and providing constructive challenge across Children & Young People's Services.

• Independent Chairing: Act as an independent Chairperson for Looked After Children (LAC/CLA) Reviews, Child Protection Conferences, Foster Carer Reviews, Private Fostering Reviews, Secure Accommodation Reviews, and complex disruption/planning meetings.

• Child Advocacy: Engage directly with children, young people, and their families to ensure the child's views, wishes, and feelings directly shape all local authority decision-making.

• Permanency & Care Planning: Implement robust systems to ensure every child within the Looked After system has an appropriate, timely Permanency Plan in place.

• Constructive Challenge & Advice: Work constructively alongside senior managers and frontline teams, offering specialist legislative advice, a critical perspective, and appropriate professional challenge.

• Quality Assurance & Audit: Develop quality assurance mechanisms, participate in service audits, and monitor compliance with Care Planning Regulations, LSCB procedures, and DfE requirements.

• Multi-Agency Leadership: Play an active role in Safeguarding Board processes, building effective multi-agency partnerships across health, education, and partner services.

• Qualifications & Registration: Recognised Social Work qualification and active registration with Social Work England (SWE).

• Extensive Experience: Significant post-qualifying social work experience in statutory Children's Social Care, including prior IRO, CP Chair, or Senior Management experience.

• Legislative Mastery: Deep, working knowledge of Care Planning Regulations, Working Together to Safeguard Children, Fostering Regulations, Adoption Agencies Regulations, and Public Law Outline (PLO) care proceedings.

• Communication & Assurance: Outstanding communication skills with the ability to build rapport with children while maintaining rigorous quality control across teams.

• Competitive Rate:£35.45 per hour.

• High-Impact Role: Play a central, independent role in shaping positive outcomes and practice improvement across County Durham.

• Hybrid Flexibility: Modern blended working model combining remote practice with essential on-site chairing commitments.

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