About Us

Fostering Independent Reviewing Officer
£48,600 - £57,177 per annum
Permanent
Full Time (36 hours)
Wandsworth
The role will involve travelling to foster carers homes, office based working and some home working will be possible.

Are you an experienced Social Worker looking for an exciting and rare opportunity to support and develop foster carers?

The Fostering Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) sits within the Independent Reviewing Service overseen by the Service Manager for Safeguarding. In this role you will provide strategic advice and overview of the needs of the fostering service and would develop links with the Foster Carer Forum to build relationships and contribute to the development of our foster carers. You will work closely with the IROs for Children We Look After to understand the needs our children who our foster carers are taking care of.

Can you join us and maintain the very highest quality oversight of our foster carers’ development to ensure they provide the best care for our children and young people?

About the role 

Wandsworth Children’s Services is shaped by our Outstanding Practice Framework which places systemic practice at the centre of our work with Children and their Families.

As a Fostering IRO you will undertake foster carer annual household reviews and produce high quality reports that contribute to the development of our foster carers and fostering service. 

In preparation for annual reviews, you will review the quality of oversight from our fostering service and hear feedback from children, young people and other professionals. As part of the role, you will undertake practice assurance and on occasion support the service with other duties where required. 

Essential Qualifications, Skills and Experience

• You will be a qualified social worker and have experience of working with Children We Look After and Fostering, as well as social work practice leadership.
• Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of Children Act 1989 and 2004, Fostering Regulations and National Minimum Standards, care planning legislation, reviewing officer regulations.
• Awareness of current national policy, evidence-based research and best practice. 
• Ability to use systemic ideas and challenge foster families in a way that enhances the capacity to reflect and create change in practice and relationships with children in their care.

If you meet the required criteria and want to join a forward-thinking and progressive Social Work service, we encourage you to apply for this opportunity. 

For an informal conversation about the role, please contact Indeep Sethi at indeep.sethi@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk

Closing Date: 9th October 2024
Shortlisting Date: 11th October 2024
Interview Date: 25th October 2024
A presentation will form part of the interview process. 

Richmond & Wandsworth Better Service Partnership are committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds bring important and positive contributions to the Councils and can improve the way we deliver services. 

We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer. If you require any reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment and selection process, please let us know. 

We are also committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Some posts may be exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to these posts will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Richmond and Wandsworth Councils