Quality & Standards Service Help us shape the future of high‑quality practice in Lincolnshire Across Lincolnshire, great social work is built on curiosity, collaboration, and a deep belief in children’s potential. Our frontline teams live this every day, often in challenging and complex circumstances, and our Quality & Standards Service exists to stand alongside them. We strengthen practice, offer reflective challenge, and champion the high‑quality work taking place across the county. This year, we are growing our service and bringing together passionate, reflective practitioners who want to influence practice across the whole system. Whether your strengths lie in assurance of care planning, delivering learning, practice oversight, or child protection leadership, there is a place for you here. One of the roles we are recruiting to is Independent Reviewing Officer, this is detailed below. It is a post for a social work qualified individual who holds a current Social Work England Registration and substantial post qualifying experience in social work with children and families and specifically with children in care. Please read on if this is you! The role we are recruiting to Independent Reviewing Officers (IROs) IROs are the independent champions for children in care. In this role, you’ll build meaningful relationships with children and young people, ensuring their voices shape every decision affecting their lives. You’ll chair Child in Care Reviews, scrutinise care plans, challenge drift and delay, and hold the local authority to the highest standards of corporate parenting. This is perfect for a practitioner who wants to step away from direct caseholding but still make a deep and lasting impact on children’s futures. Your independence, your voice and your advocacy truly matter here. What joining the Quality & Standards Service will give you: A new kind of professional impact, using your skills and experience to influence practice across whole teams, services and systems. A strong, supportive professional community, you will work alongside passionate colleagues who are committed to thoughtful, reflective, high‑quality social work. Opportunities to grow and specialise: -whether your strengths lie in coaching, safeguarding, learning, research, or oversight, the service offers pathways to develop and refine your expertise. A service built around purpose and quality:-Everything we do is about improving outcomes for children and strengthening social work practice across Lincolnshire. Balance, reflection and purpose: Work in a space that prioritises thoughtfulness, learning and independent challenge, while still keeping children at the centre. Is This the Right Step for You? If you’re passionate about good practice… If you value learning, improvement and thoughtful social work… If you want to make a difference beyond frontline caseloads… …then you’ll find a rewarding and meaningful home in the Quality & Standards Service. About Our Offer: Along with a competitive salary of ££47,181 - 52,413 (G11) we are offering: A Contributory pension Comprehensive benefits package including excellent discount schemes and cycle to work Flexible working policies Career progression opportunities A generous annual leave entitlement plus the option to buy more Further details can be found in our rewards and benefits brochure Next steps If this sounds like the role for you, then please read through the full Job Description, to help you do the best application possible, before clicking apply! If you would like an open and informal discussion regards this role then please contact Richard.Stone@lincolnshire.gov.uk or Julie.Vincent@lincolnshire.gov.uk via email in the first instance. The closing date for applications is Sunday 22nd February 2026 with interviews being scheduled for 2nd and 3rd March 2026 PLEASE NOTE: It is imperative that your personal statement clearly states why you have applied, how you meet the essential and desirable criteria for the role as set out in the Job Description (attached on LCC jobs Site) and what you feel you can bring to this role, the team and the wider County Council. Please refer to our Job Information Pack here to support you in your application. On occasion we receive significantly more applications than expected for some vacancies and under such circumstances we reserve the right to bring forward the closing date of the advertisement. We therefore strongly advise you to apply for the role promptly to avoid disappointment should the closing date be brought forward. We operate a talent pool scheme whereby candidates who are not successful on this occasion may be considered for a period of up to 3 months for equal positions. Lincolnshire County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. A Smarter Working Employer We have embraced new ways of working and hybrid working will be a feature of this role. You will be given a nominated contractual work base and you will be required to commute to this work base when necessary. Working arrangements regarding hybrid working will be discussed as part of the appointment process. Our technology platform and equipment is very good enabling you to connect and collaborate remotely. We require that you have in place good connectivity, and we will discuss during the recruitment process if support with this is needed. Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme Disability Confident About Disability Confident A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident .