Independent Review Officer

We are committed to the development of our workforce. This position is only available to applicants who already work for Surrey County Council. We thank you for your interest in our roles and would encourage you to review our vacancies which are open to all.  

"Be the voice that drives permanence. Challenge drift, champion children and help shape lasting outcomes for Surrey's children in care."

The starting salary for this role is £33,863.40 per annum, based on a 21.6-hour working week (3 days) pro rata to £56,439 per annum for full time working and is based in Weybridge, Surrey.

At Surrey, we are committed to ensuring that every child in our care experiences safety, stability, belonging and the opportunity to achieve their potential. We are looking for an experienced and highly skilled social work professional to join our Independent Reviewing Service as an Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO).

This is a unique opportunity to influence the lives of children and young people at a pivotal time, ensuring their voices are heard and their plans for permanence progress with ambition, purpose and pace.

• 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
• Refer a friend payment of £1,000 as a thank you for finding the right Social Worker
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
• An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
• Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, and shopping
• A chance to make a real difference to the lives of our residents

As an Independent Reviewing Officer, you will provide expert permanence leadership, professional challenge and quality assurance for children who are looked after by Surrey County Council. You will play a vital role in ensuring that children's care plans are ambitious, child-centred and delivered within statutory timescales.

You will chair Looked After Children Reviews and facilitate professional discussions that support effective decision-making, permanence planning and positive outcomes. Working independently of operational case management, you will provide oversight and scrutiny of care planning arrangements, ensuring drift and delay are identified and addressed.

The role requires confident relationship-based practice, strong professional curiosity and the ability to challenge constructively when children's plans are not progressing as required. You will work closely with social workers, managers and partner agencies to strengthen practice, resolve barriers and maintain a relentless focus on achieving permanence for children.

You will also contribute to service improvement by identifying learning, supporting quality assurance activity, sharing best practice and providing informal coaching, mentoring and reflective consultation to colleagues across the service.

We're looking for experienced social workers who are passionate about improving outcomes for children in care and who bring credibility, resilience and a strong child-centred focus.

In order to be considered for shortlisting, your application will clearly evidence the following skills, experience and align with our behaviours:  

 Most importantly, you'll be someone who believes that effective safeguarding is built through collaboration, professional curiosity and a relentless focus on improving children's lives.

To apply, we request that you submit a CV and you will be asked the following 4 questions:  

Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description & Our Life at Surrey handbook to get an insight into working at Surrey.

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.

The job advert closes at 23:59 on the 1st December 2026 with interviews provisionally planned for the 15th December 2026 in person, at our Dakota office in Weybridge.

If shortlisted, you will be asked to deliver a 10-minute presentation as part of the assessment process for this role. The topic to be shared with you if your application is shortlisted. 

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 Stella Odeleye or Suzanne Hinkson-Marks by e-mail at stella.odeleye@surreycc.gov.uk or suzanne.hinksonmarks@surreycc.gov.uk.

Surrey County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation and will move to new authorities in April 2027. This role is currently employed by Surrey County Council and will remain so until then. If you are employed by Surrey County Council on 1 April 2027, your employment will transfer under TUPE arrangements to one of the new councils, with your current terms and conditions protected. The provisional allocation for this post is East Surrey Council subject to final confirmation through the wider transition process later this year. 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 shortlisting criteria, as displayed on the advert, 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. 

Contract: Permanent N/A

Your Application   

1. What professional experience can you bring to this role?

2. What does professional curiosity mean to you and why is it important in safeguarding children and young people?

3. How do you remain calm and work with others who may not agree with your view?

4. What qualities do you believe make an effective leader, and how would you demonstrate these in the role of an IRO?

• BM-2026-322 - PS11 - Independent Reviewing Officer (Updated).pdf - Independent Reviewing Officer- Job Description