Job Title: Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO)
Salary: £40,578 - £44,624 per annum pro rata + relocation support
Grade: M
Location: Scarborough and/or Selby
We very much promote flexible working with the ability to work remotely from a variety of bases as well as from home, whatever makes sense and is suitable to provide the best service. However the post holders will be required to Chair complex meetings or Inspections across North Yorkshire as required and as set out below.
Contract: Permanent
Hours: We have 2 full time posts available
North Yorkshire County Council have a national reputation for excellence and we are looking for Independent Reviewing Officers with a variety of experience and skills. We also welcome those who are looking to relocate.
Are you looking for a challenging and exciting role in a dedicated team? Do you have a passion for ensuring that children and young people receive the best care and support possible? As an IRO in North Yorkshire you will have a key role in ensuring the safety and welfare of children and young people.
This is a great opportunity to become part of a well-established, very experienced team, who are determined to achieve the highest standards of care and safety for children and young people. The successful candidates will be required to work from other parts of North Yorkshire as required. The successful candidate may also be ask to support Regulation 44 Inspection work across North Yorkshire focussing on the 2 children’s homes and 3 Children’s Resource Centre’s on a monthly basis and writing the requisite reports.
As a council we are lucky to benefit from access to modern technology enabling staff to work from multiple locations, including working from home. We very much promote flexible working, providing it meet our service needs.
In North Yorkshire IROs are expected to deliver on all aspects of the Independent Reviewing Officer guidance, chairing reviews for looked after children and young people, chairing Child Protection Conferences, undertaking regulation 44 visits to our children’s homes and also annual reviews for Foster Carers. You will have a crucial quality assurance role and will have the opportunity to significantly contribute to improving outcomes for children and young people and promote high standards of care to those who are looked after by the Local Authority.
The IRO's in North Yorkshire are well known for their friendly and supportive culture. The majority of employees have been part of the service for several years and continue to thrive in their roles. One of our current IRO’s has explained their love for their position in the following words:
“The great thing about being an IRO in North Yorkshire is that I can still use my skills gained as a manager but work directly with children and young people and their families which is why I came into the profession in the first place – perfect!”
Applicants for this post must be a qualified Social Worker/ have a Diploma in Social Work (or equivalent) and be registered with Social Work England.
You must also have supervisory experience of supervising professionally qualified staff within a relevant professional setting.
We are seeking applicants with a good understanding of planning for children and excellent communication skills with children, families and professionals. You should have post-qualifying experience of children and family social work including substantial experience in child protection and planning for looked after children. Experience in chairing complex meetings and a good working knowledge of childcare legislation is also required.
As an NYCC employee, you will have access to our range of benefits. These include retail discounts, salary sacrifice schemes, generous annual leave entitlements – up to 33 days depending on length of continuous service and flexible working hours.
North Yorkshire as a county also benefits from excellent road and rail links, with easy access to bordering regions such as Yorkshire & Humber, Lincolnshire and East Riding, all of which are easily commutable to our great county, some members of our team travel from surrounding towns and cities including York, Beverley and Whitby.
For an informal discussion about this post, please contact Samantha Clayton (Head of Effective Practice PIP) on Samantha.Clayton@northyorks.gov.uk
We welcome individuals looking to relocate, for further information please see our Relocation Policy
Key dates
Close date: Sunday 21st August 2022
Interview dates: Interviews will be offered to candidates as and when we receive applications
Key documents
Job Description / Person Specification.pdf
Total Rewards Brochure.pdf
Enhanced Level DBS Disclosure is required for appointment to this post.
NYCC are committed to directly recruiting staff and will not accept applications nor services from agency suppliers in respect of our vacancies.
We are committed to meeting the needs of our diverse community and aim to have a workforce reflecting this diversity. We are also committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.