We are currently recruiting for an Independent Reviewing Officer to join our Reviewing Service. Reward and Support For all your hard work, you will receive the following: between £50,788- £52,805 per annum (subject to experience) welcome payment of up to £5,000* retention payment of up to £2,000* flexible and agile working opportunities 25.5 days annual leave rising to 30.5 days after 5 years’ continuous service option to purchase 10 days of additional leave per year (pro rata for part-time staff) family-friendly policies and benefits to help support you and your family supportive and positive working environment with regular, robust supervision Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) access to our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) for 24/7 confidential support in-house Occupational Health service employee discount scheme cycle to work scheme links to employee networks including Prism (LGBT) and the Young Employees Network Career development and qualification opportunities access to our Social Work Academy Right child, right support, right time, every time We are working together to support families and communities to give every child the best chance of a happy and rewarding life, especially those who need more help. Gloucestershire offers a range of opportunities to develop your career, supported by a phenomenal Social Work Academy offer, a developing systemic practice methodology, an ambitious leadership team and an award-winning workforce. Gloucestershire Children’s Services are improving. Our latest Ofsted inspection (February 2022) identified that: ‘Significant progress has been made in many areas of Gloucestershire’s children’s services… significant financial investment and the backing of political leaders, has led to improved services that are now more effective in meeting the needs of children and families’. We are a local authority adopting, and training all colleagues in, systemic social work practice. If you would like to be part of an authority that takes a relational approach to working with families and focuses on what needs to change in the system around a child and family to enable children to thrive, then consider a role with GCC. About the role We are seeking a dedicated and experienced Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) to join our Reviewing Service and champion the needs of looked-after children in Gloucestershire. You will: chair statutory reviews for looked-after children in line with IRO Regulations and national guidance ensure that reviews are timely, child-centred, and delivered to a high professional standard monitor the progress and quality of Care Plans, actively addressing any drift or delay provide robust challenge and escalate concerns to senior management and CAFCASS as needed ensure the meaningful involvement of children, young people, families, and carers collaborate with professionals across agencies and support improvements to practice promote equality and consider the individual needs of each child, including factors such as race, disability, religion, and identity You will have: Social Work England registration and a recognised Social Work qualification (e.g. DipSW, CQSW) substantial post-qualifying experience in children’s social work, including child protection and care proceedings experience chairing complex meetings and managing conflict strong understanding of legislation, permanence planning, safeguarding, and quality assurance excellent communication, critical thinking, and record-keeping skills a full UK driving licence and willingness to travel How to apply For an informal chat about this role, please contact Sarah Leonard on Sarah.Leonard@gloucestershire.gov.uk