Independent Reviewing Officer

Permanent& Fixed Term Contract opportunities

Full Time, 37 hours per week

£48,205 to £57,988 per annum

Location:

Countywide

Closing Date: 28th October 2026

Please note that visa sponsorship is not available for this role. Applicants must have a current, unrestricted right to work in the UK.

The Independent Reviewing Service is looking for skilled and committed Independent Reviewing Officers to join our teams across Mid & North Essex and South & West Essex.

We have two opportunities available:

• Permanent post based in Mid & North Essex
• Fixed-term contract post based in South & West Essex

Candidates are welcome to indicate their preferred opportunity and/or location within their supporting statement. Any preferences can be discussed further at interview.

As an Independent Reviewing Officer, you will provide an effective service in line with statutory regulations, guidance, and Essex County Council procedures. You will be responsible for reviewing the cases of children in care, as set out in the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations (2021) and the IRO Handbook (2010).

Your statutory duties will include:

• Monitoring the local authority’s performance in relation to each child’s case.
• Participating in reviews of the child’s case.
• Ensuring the child’s wishes and feelings are considered.
• Carrying out any other functions prescribed by regulation.

The Independent Reviewing Officer’s primary focus is to quality assure the care planning and review process, ensuring that each child’s needs, wishes, and feelings are fully considered. Reviews will assess progress against the child’s needs and agree both long-term plans and immediate actions to promote their welfare.

This role requires practice expertise in care planning and children in care. You will play a key part in driving Essex County Council’s commitment to improving outcomes for children, providing scrutiny and challenge across all levels of practice, and helping the Council fulfil its responsibilities as a corporate parent.

Please note, this role requires regular travel to visit looked after children and chair statutory reviews in person. Visits and reviews take place where the child lives, both within Essex and beyond the county, and may involve travel across the UK.

• To ensure that statutory review meetings are held within the required timescales, and that all relevant family members, parents, carers and professionals are identified, invited to attend, and/or consulted fully in the process. This should take place in conjunction with the Social Worker responsible for the child and take into account the wishes and feelings of the child.
• To independently monitor the progress of the child between review meetings, ensuring the care plan continues to meet the assessed needs, and take action to convene a formal review when necessary.
• To communicate directly with the senior management team within Family Operations, when the Local Authority fails to meet its statutory obligations to children in care, especially where poor practice has contributed to, or increased, the risk to a child.
• To contribute to the development of strategic and corporate plans, ensuring effective representation of the issues relevant to looked after children, in order to secure better outcomes and continuous service improvement.
• To ensure that arrangements are made for children to access advocacy services, where this is considered appropriate and/or beneficial.
• To enable and support children and young people to access and make use of the authority’s complaints and compliments procedure, as appropriate.
• To ensure that the appropriate support is in place for parents and/or carers to participate fully in the review process…