The IRO Team undertakes statutory quality assurance of the Local Authority’s support to children in care, those on child protection plans and supervision orders.
What you will do: You would have your own caseload of children and be responsible for chairing their statutory childcare reviews, child protection conferences and supervision order reviews ensuring the Local Authority is fulfilling their statutory obligations. You will travel to meet children in care in their homes/placement to build a relationship and ascertain their wishes and feelings. You will also undertake continued quality assurance of children’s plans through midpoint reviews. You will support wider learning within children’s services through undertaking learning conversations.
Who you are: Ideally you will have at least 3 years statutory social work experience in children’s services and experience of management or supervising social workers. You must be driven by wanting the best outcomes for children and be motivated to manage your own work. You will have confident knowledge of looked after and child protection policy and practice; the ability to chair and manage meetings which can be highly complex; the ability to effectively work with, and professionally challenge children’s services colleagues/partners and have a high standard of written work.
The Council is committed to investing in the talent and wellbeing of our staff and can offer a generous annual leave allowance, access to the Local Government Pension Scheme, comprehensive Health & Wellbeing initiatives and a reward package which recognises your contribution. We can offer flexible working practices, community engagement and volunteer activities and, as part of our commitment to you, promote continuous Learning & Development. In addition we also offer a growing range of discounts, rewards and savings.
Hybrid working arrangements are available for this role. Each role at CYC is different and your working arrangements will be determined based on the requirements of the role and in collaboration with you and your needs as part of the recruitment process. Your contractual location will be the designated council office for your team.
City of York Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment. We require the successful candidate to undertake an enhanced Criminal Record check via the Disclosure and Barring Service.
As this role is public facing, applicants will need to demonstrate, at interview, their competency to converse and provide advice and guidance to members of the public, in spoken English to CEFR level C1: Can express themselves fluently and spontaneously, almost effortlessly. Only a conceptually difficult subject can hinder a natural, smooth flow of language.
For further information or an informal discussion please contact sophie.keeble@york.gov.uk IRO Service Manager
Closing date: Monday 15 December 2025 at 12 midnight
Interview date: Friday 9 January 2026
Please note, we do not have a sponsorship licence to sponsor individuals for visas to work in the UK, therefore we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.