Job Introduction This permanent role has a starting salary of £56,439 per annum , based on a 36-hour working week. We have a fantastic opportunity in our Independent Reviewing Service . You will join our Safeguarding and Quality Assurance service as a Child Protection Chair / Independent Review Officer , with the role becoming predominantly Independent Reviewing Officer focused as part of our transformation under the Families First Partnership programme . We are proud to have a stable, fully permanent team. We support hybrid working with the right balance; as a team, we come together in person at least every other week for team and service meetings, alongside additional in-person days when chairing conferences or attending reviews where children live. The office base for this role is Weybridge. The remainder of your time can be worked flexibly from home. This role will involve working across Surrey, and you will be required to travel both within and occasionally beyond Surrey for meetings and reviews. Our Offer to You We pay your Social Worker England Registration fee Access to bespoke learning programmes via our dedicated Children's Services Academy to empower and enrich your practice 28 days annual leave, rising to 31 days after 5 years' service (plus bank holidays) Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave An extensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing Up to 5 days of carer's leave per year Paternity, adoption and dependants leave A generous local government salary related pension Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping and many more 2 paid volunteering days per year Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources Refer a friend payment of £1,000 as a thank you for finding the right Social Worker About the Role You’ll be joining our team of established CP (Child Protection) Chairs / IRO’s (Independent Reviewing Officers) where you will have the chance to share your knowledge and expertise gained as a social work practitioner and manager, to provide invaluable insight and accountability for monitoring the progress of outcome focused plans for our children and young people, which are effective and reflective of their needs and wishes and timely; in line with our statutory requirements. In this role, you will predominately act as an Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) for children looked after, playing a vital part in ensuring every child receives the care, stability and opportunities they deserve. You will chair statutory reviews with confidence and compassion, providing independent oversight and constructive challenge to ensure plans truly meet children’s needs. As we transition to a predominantly IRO-focused model for this post, you will continue to contribute to chairing child protection conferencing while championing high-quality, timely care planning. You will be a strong advocate for children, ensuring their voices are heard, respected and central to every decision, while working in partnership with colleagues and families to achieve meaningful and lasting change. This is an opportunity to play a pivotal role within Surrey’s safeguarding system, where your professional curiosity and integrity will help drive continuous improvement. You will influence care planning for some of the most vulnerable children, helping to remove barriers and prevent delay so that permanence and stability are achieved without unnecessary drift. At a time of significant transformation, you will help shape the future of reviewing services and contribute to building a system that is ambitious for children, rooted in relationships, and aligned with the principles of the Families First Partnership and Local Government Reorganisation. Your Application In order to be considered for shortlisting, your application will clearly evidence the following skills, experience and align with our behaviours : Significant experience in children’s social care, particularly with looked after children and/or child protection, at manager level Strong knowledge of statutory frameworks, including IRO responsibilities Ability to provide robust independent challenge and influence practice Excellent chairing, communication and analytical skills A commitment to achieving the best outcomes for children and young people To apply, please submit your CV and respond to the application questions below: What attracts you to the Independent Chair / IRO role, and how does your experience prepare you to independently oversee care planning for children looked after? Describe how you ensure that care planning for children looked after remains timely, outcome-focused, and free from drift. (Include examples of how you have monitored or improved plans.) How do you ensure the voice and lived experience of children meaningfully influence reviews and care planning decisions? Give an example of when you have challenged practice in the best interests of a child. What was your approach and what was the outcome? An enhanced DBS ‘Disclosure and Barring Service’ check for regulated activity (formerly known as CRB) and the Children’s and Adults’ Barred List checks will be required for this role. Surrey has both urban and rural areas and you will be expected to have a valid driving licence to drive in the UK and access to a vehicle and be willing to travel across a wide geographical area. Reasonable adjustments where needed will be made for successful applicants who have a disability or long term health condition to enable them to fulfil the requirements of the job. Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description & Our Life at Surrey handbook to get an insight into working at Surrey. The job advert closes at 23:59 on the 2nd of July 2026 with interviews provisionally planned for the 10th or 13th July 2026 in person, at our Dakota office in Weybridge. If shortlisted, you will be asked to do a presentation as part of the assessment process for this role. The topic to be shared with you if your application is shortlisted. Contact Us Please contact us for any questions relating to the role, including flexible working requests, transferable skills or any barriers to employment. For an informal discussion please contact Jocelyn Reynolds or Stella Odeleye by e-mail at jocelyn.reynolds@surreycc.gov.uk or stella.odeleye@surreycc.gov.uk . Local Government Organisation (LGR) Surrey County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation, moving from a two-tier system to new unitary councils in April 2027. Your role will transfer with current terms and conditions to one of these new councils, supporting local devolution and greater powers for our communities. Join our dynamic team and shape the future of local government. Make a lasting impact with innovative solutions and improved services for our community. Help us build a brighter future for our residents! Please see more information here: Information for applicants on Local Government Reorganisation - Surrey County Council Our Commitment We are a disability confident employer which means if you have shared a disability on your application form and have evidenced you meet the minimum criteria, we guarantee you an interview. Your skills and experience truly matter to us. From application to your first day, we’re committed to supporting you with any adjustments you need, we value inclusion and warmly welcome you to join and help build a workplace where everyone belongs.

Attachments