Independent Reviewing Officer

This is a Gloucestershire County Council job.

• Job Title:
  
  Independent Reviewing Officer
• Job Location:
  
  Shire Hall, The Link, Ground Floor
• Salary: £54,143 - £56,293 per annum
• Hours per Week: 22.2
• Contract Type:
  Permanent
• Closing Date: 04/11/2026
• Job Requisition Number: 14908
• This post is not open to job share

We are currently recruiting for an Independent Reviewing Officer to join our Reviewing Service on a part-time basis, to champion the needs of children in the care of Gloucestershire County Council.

For all your hard work, you will receive the following:

• Between £54,143 - £56,293 per annum subject to experience (pro rata for part-time staff)
• £5,000 welcome payment* (pro rata for part-time staff)
• £2,000 retention payment* (pro rata for part-time staff)
• up to £8,000 relocation package**
• flexible and agile working opportunities
• 25.5 days annual leave rising to 30.5 days after 5 years continuous service (pro rata for part-time staff)
• option to purchase 10 days of additional leave per year (pro rata for part-time staff)
• family friendly policies and benefits to help support you and your family
• supportive and positive working environment with regular, robust supervision
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• access to our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) that provides free, confidential, counselling and advice for employees, available 24 hours a day, online and by telephone
• an in-house Occupational Health service
• employee discount scheme
• links to employee networks such as Prism (LGBT+) and the Young Employees Network
• career development and qualification opportunities
• access to our Social Work Academy
• Cycle to Work scheme (eligibility criteria and t&cs apply)
• Green Car Salary Sacrifice Scheme (eligibility criteria and t&cs apply)

* Please note that all our welcome and retention payments are subject to terms and conditions as well as tax and national insurance deductions

* Please note that our relocation policy is subject to terms and conditions

In our recent inspection in June 2025, our Children's Services have been officially judged as 'Good' with 'Outstanding' elements. Ofsted also said 'Leaders have set out a clear vision for delivering success for children, by modelling values and creating a culture where the workforce, children and families feel valued and heard; risk is managed confidently with bottom lines clearly set out.'

This marks an important step in our journey to improve outcomes for our children and young people, and we remain focused on our mission: to continue building on this success and ensure that every child and young person in our county has the opportunity to thrive.

Gloucestershire offers a range of opportunities to develop your career, supported by a phenomenal Social Work Academy offer, a developing systemic practice methodology, an ambitious leadership team and an award-winning workforce.

We are a local authority adopting, and training all colleagues in, systemic social work practice. If you would like to be part of an authority that takes a relational approach to working with families and focuses on what needs to change in the system around a child and family to enable children to thrive, then consider a role with GCC.

As an IRO, you can expect to:

• chair statutory reviews for children in care in line with IRO Regulations and national guidance
• ensure that reviews are timely, child-centred, and delivered to a high professional standard
• monitor the progress and quality of Care Plans, actively addressing any drift or delay
• provide robust challenge and elevate concerns to senior management and CAFCASS as needed
• ensure the meaningful involvement of children, young people, families, and carers
• collaborate with professionals across agencies and support improvements to practice
• promote equality and consider the individual needs of each child, including factors such as race, disability, religion, and identity

There are some things we require of you to be successfully appointed to this post:

• a full driving licence and willingness to drive
• DBS clearance (Enhanced Adults and Children's)
• to have completed your ASYE year (if you qualified after 2012)
• Social Work England registered
• at least 5 years post qualifying experience in Children's Social Work, including child protection and care proceedings
• experience in management and/or supervision within a Children's Social Work team
• experience chairing complex meetings and managing conflict
• strong understanding of…