Agenda item

Carmel Murray, Operations Manager, presented the annual report of the Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) service, covering the period 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023 (for copy of report see file of minutes).

The manager explained that IROs have a dual role and work as Independent Reviewing Officers for children looked after and they also chair Child Protection Conferences. The annual report covered the work undertaken in relation to both roles.   

The report highlighted what is working well, areas for improvement and it identified priorities for 2023/24. During 2022/23, a high level of performance was maintained, including 85% of initial child protection conferences and 95% of review child protection conferences being held within timescales. Over 90% of young people participated in their reviews by attending themselves or through their social worker or carer. 

One of the primary roles of the IRO is to scrutinise care planning for young people, with regular meetings being held with social workers and young people to ensure that permanent plans are reached as soon as possible and that the plans are in the best interest of the young person. The IROs visit young people before their reviews to ensure the young person’s wishes are given appropriate weight in the care planning process. IROs are required to provide oversight and quality assurance and challenge the service, when it is appropriate to do so.

In the future the service will aim to increase pre-conference visits to young people and continue to promote the voice of each young person in their care experience. IROs have arranged to meet with a group of young people on a quarterly basis to ensure ongoing consultation, including discussions on how young people would like to contribute to their reviews. The IRO service will work with partners regionally and nationally in response to recommendations from the care review, to align with regional models.

The Vice-Chair referred to the reference in the report to an increasing volume of rearranged meeting requests and she asked the reason for this.

The  Operations Manager explained various reasons for rearrangements which may be at the request of the young people or practitioners and it was noted that some meetings are rearranged for reasons of good practice. The Head of Children’s Social Care added that whilst flexibility is required, the work is ongoing to reduce rearrangement of meetings, when avoidable.   

Resolved:

That the content of the report be noted.