Agenda item

Independent Reviewing Officers undertake a critical role in their oversight of care planning and chairing reviews for all looked after children. Some Independent Reviewing Officers will attend the meeting to discuss the role and the challenges of the responsibilities vested in them.

At the last meeting of the Board, Members had asked that an Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) attend a future meeting in order that Members could get an understanding of their role. IROs undertake a critical role in care planning and chairing reviews for all looked after children. The IRO Manager and three further IROs were in attendance at the meeting to discuss their role and the challenges they face. The IRO Manager circulated a document which included the following information on the IRO service in York and the IROs responded to Members queries on information contained in the document.

·        To provide increased independence from line mgt and resource allocation within Children’s Social Care, it is proposed that the team be relocated within the City of York Safeguarding Board – this would allow improved scope for scrutiny of the wider multi agency corporate Parent Functions.

·        Team comprises a manager, who holds a caseload, and 3 FTE permanent staff and 5 peripatetic staff. Team are responsible for undertaking child care reviews for all looked after children, alongside other key role of chairing child protection conferences on behalf of the Safeguarding Board. The Children’s Rights and Advocacy Service is also part of the team.

·        Key objective over the last two years has been to fully implement the new Care Planning, Placement and Case Review Regulations 2010, implemented in April 2011 which enhanced the roles and responsibilities of Independent Reviewing Officers.

·        Childrens and Young Persons Act 2008 increase the role of the IRO and the IRO Handbook which came into force in April 2011 further strengthens the their role and function, with key changes in their role and responsibilities taking place since this time.

·        The IRO’s primary function is to quality assure the care planning and review process for each child and to ensure that his/her current wishes and feelings are given full consideration.

The IRO Manger and IROs made the following comments:

·        IROs perform the role of critical friend

·        They need to balance needs of young person - this requires cooperation of the young person while working alongside social workers, foster carers etc.

·        Important to challenge role of services – to drive up quality and ensure placements meet young person’s needs.

·        Based within the local authority (LA) we can more effectively step back and challenge the LA than we could externally, even though we are employed by them. Also it is far easier to resolve issues within the LA before they become big issues.

·        Charged with ensuring each child’s views and wishes are heard – have responsibility for each looked after child.

·        Young people can rate their reviewers via website

·        The Show Me That I Matter (SMTIM) Panel are due to launch a website with contact details and photos of IROs to make it easier for young people to get hold of them.

·        IROs try to visit as many young people as soon as possible after they become looked after to make introductions.

Members agreed that in addition to the information contained in annual report, it had been useful to see IROs as individuals and agreed that person to person contact is important to supplement the report, while keeping a professional distance. They expressed their support towards the independent role of IROs within the local authority. They acknowledged that the work of IROs was becoming increasingly important, noting that as young people become more aware of their rights, they will challenge the authority more. They noted that the IROs role was even more important due to increasing care in extended family groups. They welcomed the opportunity to speak to the IROs and thanked them for attending the meeting.

RESOLVED:       (i)      That the information provided by the IRO Team be noted.

(ii)      That the annual IRO report be presented to the Board at a future meeting.

REASON:           In order that the Board is informed on the role and responsibilities of the IRO Team.