Independent Reviewing Officer

Grade J SCP 35 £46,142- SCP 39 £50,269 plus Essential Car User Allowance up to £963pa
Contract: 12 month Fixed Term Contract.
Essential Requirement: Driving License, DBS, Registered with SW England
Essential Qualification: Social Work Degree/DipSW/CQSW or equivalent Minimum 5 years’ post qualification experience within a childcare setting.
Interview date: TBC
For further information about this role, contact Nick Libell Nick.libell@bolton.gov.uk

Unfortunately, we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)
We embrace AI to enhance our operations and to innovate our services. However, we value human talent and are looking for passionate individuals to join our organisation. Please ensure you personally complete your application and read all the instructions carefully to maximise your chances of success.

Applications that rely too heavily on AI may be rejected during shortlisting, however we understand that AI may be used as a reasonable adjustment, if using AI to support your application, please give a brief explanation why to help ensure fair selection process.
Ask us about flexible working options to fit with your work/life balance - #HappytoTalkFlexible

The Role
We are recruiting an Independent Reviewing Officer who will act as a Child Protection Conference Chair. The post will see you act as an Independent Reviewing Officer children subject to a child protection plan. You will chair child protection conferences and will offer specialist advice and guidance to social work teams to ensure that the plans for children are effective and good quality.

Child Protection Conference Chairs work with children, families, social workers and other partners to achieve the best outcomes for children, bringing challenge and support to the work of social workers, managers and partners as required to raise the standard of care planning for all children at risk of significant harm.

If this sounds like an opportunity you’d like to know more about, we’d love to hear from you. For an informal conversation, please contact Nick Libell, Head of Service- nick.libell@bolton.gov.uk.

About You
You must be a qualified Social Worker, registered with Social Work England and have substantial experience within a statutory social work setting. Given the fixed term nature of the role, we are looking for someone who has significant experience in the child protection conference environment.

You will have a comprehensive knowledge of the IRO role and its responsibilities, as well as an ability to work successfully with internal colleagues and external partners.

You will have a positive outlook, be ambitious and creative but most of all be caring and aspire to successful outcomes for children in Bolton.

About Us
This is your opportunity to join us at an exciting time as we have strong ambitions for the borough.

Bolton is a great place to work. We are a welcoming organisation that wants to contribute to a place where people feel active, connected and prosperous. We are passionate about improving the outcomes and experience of Bolton people. We want Bolton to be a vibrant place built on strong cohesive communities, successful businesses and healthy, engaged residents.

As an employer we want to thank our employees for their hard work and commitment, by giving them the opportunity to access a range of exclusive rewards and benefits, including discounts and exclusive gym membership prices and salary sacrifice schemes. In addition, we offer a generous annual leave allowance, flexible work opportunities, access to a Pension Scheme, as well as a range of employee wellbeing and support services.

Our Values are really important to us, read all about them below, along with all our great staff benefits, the job description/person specification for the role and the important legal bits, and our Top Tips too.
Ready to apply? Then please click Apply and upload your anonymised CV and supporting statement discussing your relevant skills and experience and explain how you believe they make you a strong fit for this role.

Within Greater Manchester, local authorities have made a commitment to improve the employment opportunities for people with disabilities, care leavers, carers, and ex-military personnel. Please see greater.jobs for further information before you apply.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable adults and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) clearance - this post is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (amended in 2013). Employment offers are conditional subject to satisfactory clearances. For roles where a criminal records check from the DBS is required, this includes satisfactory clearance of this check. The possession of a criminal record will not necessarily bar an individual from working with us. This will depend on the nature of the position and the circumstances and background of an individual’s offence/s. Information provided by you or the DBS will be dealt with in a confidential manner and in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice which can be viewed here. Bolton Council’s policy on the Employment of Ex-Offenders is available here.

This post is a designated customer facing role under the fluency duty and requires a specified level of spoken English as per the person specification.

This organisation has signed up to the Greater Manchester Continuous Service Commitment. That means we will recognise your continuous or ‘unbroken’ service in any Greater Manchester local authority or NHS organisation that has signed the commitment, Transport for Greater Manchester, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service or Greater Manchester Combined Authority, giving you access to our service-related benefits. Please see the home page of greater.jobs for more information.

For more information about working for Bolton Council, please see greater.jobs; for advice and support with your application, contact recruitment@bolton.gov.uk