Specialist Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children Independent Reviewing Officer

Role Responsibility

An innovative and trailblazing opportunity has arisen for a specialist Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children Independent Reviewing Officer.

The Specialist UASC IRO will provide independent quality assurance of the care and accommodation provided for UASC in Kent’s Reception and Safe Care Service (RaSCS). The RaSCS is responsible for the care and accommodation of newly arrived UASC until they can be transferred to another local authority under the National Transfer Scheme (NTS). These children are placed in a range of accommodation including Reception Centres, Foster Care and Semi-Independent provision.

The aim of the role is to ensure correct decisions and recommendations are made when planning, regulating and providing guidance in relation to UASC.  This role will look at the quality of service to the cohort of UASC in the RaSCS but also involve reviewing plans for individual children. 

The role is required to champion social work values by contributing to the continuous development and improvement of standards and outcomes for Children in Care, ensuring high quality social work intervention for those in need of protection. This will be achieved through applying the agreed model of intervention, multi-agency collaboration and focusing on the wider safeguarding agenda for Kent. The role will ensure legislative and statutory obligations, specifically those outlined in the IRO Handbook, directorate procedures and quality assurance are met, and Kent fulfils responsibilities as the Corporate Parent.

This is an exciting opportunity to influence the delivery of good social work practice by challenging the effectiveness and quality of service decisions where necessary and escalate to senior management where appropriate.

You will have the ability to work independently prioritising your own work and responding to tight deadlines whilst also being part of a large and supportive IRO service.

In order to apply for this post, you will have extensive experience of working within Children’s Services, with previous LAC experience and as a Team Manager or Senior Practitioner. You will have excellent communication skills both written and verbal as well as good IT skills. In addition, a high level of objectivity whilst developing effective working relationships with social workers, their managers and multi- agency partners will be imperative to promoting the safety and welfare of children in care.

Kent County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff to share this commitment.  Appointment is dependent on satisfactory and verifiable references.

This post is considered by KCC to be a customer-facing position. The Council therefore has a statutory duty under Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) to ensure that post holders have a command of spoken English/Welsh sufficient for the effective performance of the job requirements. The appropriate standards are set out in the Job Description/Person Specification.

This post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure application to the Disclosure and Barring service and registration as a qualified Social Worker with Social Work England.

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to an interview on 10/02/2022.

Contact Details

For further information on this role, please contact Leemya McKeown:

Email: leemya.mckeown@kent.gov.uk

Telephone: 03000 422 190

About the Company

KCC is committed to building a workforce which reflects the diversity of the county's working residents, encouraging applications from people of all ages, abilities, genders, sexual orientations, ethnic backgrounds and faiths, and aspires to create an inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves at work.

Please note – if you are interested, please apply as soon as possible as the closing date for this advert may be earlier than stated should a number of suitably qualified candidates apply.