Contract Type: Permanent
Salary: Grade J. Scale 40 - £51,356 to Scale 43 - £54,495 with a professional bar at SCP 41 £52,413**
Hours Per Week: 36 hours
Base Location: Tameside One
Assessment Date: 21st & 24th November 2025
The Role
Are you passionate about making a real difference in the lives of children and families? Do you bring compassion, curiosity, collaboration, conversation, and courage to your practice? If so, Tameside is looking for you.
We are seeking a dedicated Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) and Child Protection Conference Chair to join our evolving and ambitious Children’s Services. As part of your role, you will play a vital role in ensuring that children in Tameside are at the heart of planning and decision-making, and that their voices are heard, respected, and acted upon.
Our Heart of Support Practice Approach
At Tameside, we believe in:
* Compassion understanding the lived experiences of children and families.
* Curiosity asking questions that lead to deeper insight and better outcomes for children.
* Collaboration working together across services to deliver joined-up support.
* Conversation listening and engaging meaningfully with children, families and professionals.
* Courage challenging poor practice and advocating for what’s right.
About You
As an IRO, you will:
* Champion child-centred practice by ensuring reviews are meaningful, accessible, and tailored to each child’s needs.
* Maintain oversight of care planning, ensuring timely and effective reviews that reflect the child’s current aspirations.
* Promote independence and challenge delays or poor practice through our Practice Resolution Process.
* Build lasting relationships with children, offering continuity and consistency throughout their care journey. This will include undertaking visits to children and ensuring that their voice is central.
* Monitor the impact of decisions and contribute to service improvement through feedback and strategic oversight.
As a Child Protection Conference Chair, you will:
* Lead multi-agency child protection conferences with professionalism and empathy.
* Ensure that safeguarding concerns are addressed through robust planning and clear decision-making.
* Facilitate inclusive and respectful dialogue, ensuring the child’s voice is central to the process.
* Promote accountability and follow-through on agreed actions to protect and support children.
Why Join Us?
* Be part of a service that values your professional judgement and supports your development.
* Receive regular supervision and contribute to quality assurance and strategic planning.
* Work in a team that is committed to improving outcomes for children and families and delivering excellence.
Join us in shaping a future where every child in Tameside feels safe, heard, and supported.
About Us
Message from Jill Colbert, Director of Children’s Services
“I joined the council at the beginning of 2025 and was instantly charmed by the warmth, openness, and energy of colleagues.
“I came to Tameside for one reason; because I know we can do fantastic things for our families here.
“We’re a children’s service on a significant improvement journey. We know what needs to be different for our children and families and we’re ambitious to deliver that change.
“We have a growing range of specialist services for children, where you can test and grow your skills and practice. We have a Social Work Academy that is led by people who bring passion to learning and who know that the DCS’ of the future are right in front of them. We are working on our progression pathways so that staying in Tameside is rewarded and recognised. We have investment in innovation and improvement from the council so that we can grow services and support for families that we can sustain, from family hubs through to complex safeguarding.
“I am so certain that we can build a proud, inclusive and safe climate for great practice to flourish in Tameside. I’d love you to join me on the journey here at Team Tameside.”
** This post is classified as being in a professional job category. As such the grade for the job has a professional grade development bar which employees can progress through subject to meeting the following criteria:
1. Relevant professional qualification for the job role at Level 6 or above AND a management qualification, AND
2. Minimum of 2 years post qualification experience in the role, AND
3. Maintained membership of a regulated body where this is a requirement to practice in the role where applicable, AND
4. Professional standards practised to the highest expected level.
This position is subject to Enhanced Disclosure Procedures.
This post is a designated customer facing role under the fluency duty and requires a specified level of spoken English in the person specification.
If you have completed the GM Elevate (Leadership Development) Programme, please indicate this within the ‘About You’ or ‘Supporting Statement’ section of your application.
Unfortunately, at this time we are not able to offer sponsorship.
We are committed to developing a culture which respects individuals, appreciates difference and allows everyone regardless of background to reach their full potential. We are proud to be an accredited disability confident employer. Reasonable Adjustments will be considered in accordance with the Equality Act 2010 in relation to the Job Role Criteria.
Our rewards and benefits package can be viewed here
For further information about this role please contact Verity Chapman Service Lead Child Protection Conference Chairs verity.chapman@tameside.gov.uk
Or Linda Kelly Interim Service Lead for Independent Reviewing Officers Linda.Kelly@tameside.gov.uk
In line with the IRO handbook the IRO/Conference chair should be an authoritative professional with at least the equivalent status to an experienced children’s social work manager.