Job Category: Social Care Qualified Location: Civic Offices, 2 Watling Street, Bexleyheath, Kent, DA6 7AT, London Borough of Bexley Hours Per Week :36 Salary: £29.83 per hour Most of the time will be in children's placements Job Description Management group: Children�s Social Care and Education Department: Professional Standards & Quality Assurance / Safeguarding Service Job title: Conference Chair / Independent Reviewing Officer Main Purpose of Job � The role of the IRO is to chair statutory review meetings for children who become Looked After in accordance with the IRO Handbook Regulations (2010). � The post-holder will hold a caseload of children as the named IRO in line with the statutory regulations, they will be expected to attend meetings for their allocated children when possible. � Constructively challenge actions and interventions that are not delivering the required outcomes for children and young people. � Contribute to the auditing of care plans and other themed audits relating to looked after children; facilitate training and provide advice and consultation both internally or with our external colleagues in health and education Principal Accountabilities Direction � To provide consistent standards in the chairing of Looked After Reviews and the monitoring of Looked After Children�s Care Plans, ensuring the voice of the child is the focus of the review process. � To develop effective liaison with Children's Social Work Teams. Implementation � To promote the participation of children and their family in care planning and service development. � To develop consistency of practice and interpretation in the implementation of childcare and safeguarding procedures. � To provide specialised professional support and advice to departmental staff and other agencies in work relating looked after children. � Support the continual development of children�s social care services by actively contributing to quality assurance activity and the implementation of new statutory requirements and guidance, as well as sharing learning from evidence-based practice and reviews in relation to looked after children issues. � To act as a point of liaison in relation to other agencies to ensure that a multi-disciplinary approach is maintained in respect of children�s welfare involved in the looked after children�s journey through care. � Chair, and manage looked after reviews and held under looked after children procedures as directed by the Service Manager. To ensure good practice arises from reviews in respect of childcare planning. � Produce written records of the decision or recommendations made, within 5 working days of the completion of the review and a full record of the review within 15 working days of the completion of the review. � Ensure that all midpoint reviews are completed within time scale on all allocated cases. � Quality assure the care planning and review process for each allocated child and ensure that their wishes and feelings are given full consideration. � Meet with the child in private prior to the first meeting and before every subsequent review. � Meet with or observe children in their placement so that full consideration is given to the suitability of the placement to meet the child�s needs(IRO Handbook, page 19,3.33-3.36) � Establish links with all relevant social work staff/ teams and effective lines of communication. � Contribute to the auditing of care plans and other themed audits relating to looked after children; facilitate training sessions, presentations and provide advice and consultation both internally or with our external colleagues in health and education. � Undertake audit activity on a service by service basis to monitor process and identify opportunities for improvement. � Provide input and contribute to the decision making on platforms such as the resource, permanency and the 16 plus panels. � Liaise with other agencies as necessary to facilitate the development of standards and practice in work relating to child care planning. � Keep abreast of research and developments in work relating to safeguarding children and looked after children to inform relevant professionals. � Assist the Service Manager (CSC) in identifying trends in looked after children in Bexley. To identify service strengths and weaknesses and contribute to the Service Improvement Plan. � To ensure compliance with statutory obligations towards looked after children, safeguarding children and children in need arising from DfE regulations and guidance.