CP Chair / Independent Reviewing Officers

The starting salary for this position is £46,634 - £52,625 per annum based on a 36 hour working week. We are also able to consider part time working on a 3- 4 day basis.

“In Surrey the Independent Reviewing Officer and Child Protection Chair roles are combined, and I think that can have a lot of benefits. If I’m working with a child in a family who are subject to a Child Protection Plan, and that child then becomes ‘Looked After’, I can stay with that child; that child stays with me. That continuity of care can be helpful, and if the child has built a trust in me, and there is a sense of safety, then I can travel with that child through their journey.” Jocelyn Reynolds, Independent Reviewing Officer and a Child Protection Chair

Surrey County Council has a fantastic opportunity for experienced Social Work managers to join our Quality and Performance Division as an Independent Chair.

As an Independent Chair you will have the opportunity to not only be involved in chairing Child Protection Conferences but also Children Looked After Reviews too. You will therefore have responsibility for ensuring that each child has an outcome focused plan that meets their needs and is effectively implemented within agreed timescales in line with relevant statutory requirements and departmental policies.

The role also carries various quality assurance functions in relation to departmental and partnership practice, identifying and following up concerns about practice standards, contributing to case auditing and service reviews as required.

The uniqueness of this role is that you get the breadth of experience not only with children directly but also with families, and with all staff. You can therefore share your knowledge and expertise, and coach people to ensure good outcomes for children.

We are therefore looking for committed and passionate people who are interested in the challenges of working in a busy, professional environment. We are driving forward improvements in practice across Surrey and Independent Chairs play a key role in improving outcomes for Surrey’s most vulnerable children.

How we will support your development:

Supporting your career development is a top priority for us. We have a comprehensive training programme and an "Academy" which supports the multi-agency partnership. The Council is invested in training staff in the Family Safeguarding model, Motivational Interviewing, as well as investing in support to develop systems thinking in practice in Surrey.  As an Independent Chair you will be supported to ensure that you are competently able to deliver in your role for both CP conferences and Looked After Reviews. Your development will also be supported by regular supervision and performance conversations as well as a range of coaching, e-learning and other reflection and learning opportunities.

To be shortlisted to interview for this position your application will clearly evidence:

• Experience of working within, and a broad knowledge of, social work practice and legislation, including safeguarding
• An ability to demonstrate excellent skills at applying threshold and reviewing standards of practice
• A passion for and experience of improving outcomes for children and young people
• Registered with Social Work England
• A Social Work degree or equivalent social work qualification
• You have capacity to travel extensively across surrey and surrounding areas.

So, if you want to work in a role that’s flexible, if you want to share your expertise and be a voice for the child, then this is a great place for you to come and work.

At Surrey, our values and behaviours are just as important as our skills and abilities. They shape who we are as an organisation. Find out more about the values we follow.

If you would like to speak to somebody for more information about a role you are interested in please contact the Children, Families and Learning Workforce Team by emailing cflworkforceteam@surreycc.gov.uk and we will direct you to a service manager or team manager.

Please note, we will be reviewing applications and contacting candidates on an on-going basis.

We offer £46,634 - £52,625 per annum for 36 hours per week based at one of our 4 office locations in Woking (North West), Redhill (South East) and Walton-On-Thames (South East). You will be asked to select your location preference on the application form.

Surrey County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.  We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer of first choice reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all under represented groups.

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.

Our values are what support our vision, shape the culture and are crucial in delivering our corporate strategy.