National Review Of The Independent Reviewing Officer Service In Wales

Main Category: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Article Date: 30 Jul 2009 - 2:00 PDT

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The Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW) published its report on the review of Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) service in Wales.

All local authorities in Wales are required to appoint IROs to chair the review of looked after children's cases. Their role is to monitor the authority's function in respect of the review and to refer cases to the Children and Families Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS CYMRU) if there is failure to implement the care plan that could be considered to breach the child's human rights.

The review found that the Independent Reviewing Officer service in Wales is generally operating to a good standard within the given environment. It found a growing confidence within the service and its operational independence. It also identified that the Independent Reviewing Officer service needs strengthening to ensure that planning for looked after children is of a consistently high standard and quality throughout Wales.

Gwenda Thomas, Deputy Minister for Social Services said: "I welcome this report of the Independent Reviewing Officer Services in Wales. I am pleased to see that children and young people who are looked after or have been in care confirm that things have got better for them, in part as a result of improvements encouraged by the IRO service.

"I intend to use the report's findings to consult on further improvements that we can make to strengthen the role of the Independent Reviewing Officer Service within local authorities later this year."

Rob Pickford, Chief Inspector, said: "I am encouraged to see that the Independent Reviewing Officer service is now embedded in the core arrangements for children who are looked after. It is important that local authorities and the Independent Reviewing Officers use this report to build on these good foundations, to improve outcomes for children who are looked after."

Notes

Section 118 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002 introduced a new statutory role of the Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) with responsibility for the process of reviewing looked after children's cases.

The Review of Children's Cases (Wales) Regulations 2007 set out the review of arrangements for the placement of children in Wales who are looked after by local authorities or accommodated by the local authority, voluntary organisations or private children's homes.

The Placement of Children (Wales) Regulations 2007 ; set out the arrangements for placement of children by local authorities, voluntary organisation or private children's homes

The report is available to download on the CSSIW website http://www.cssiw.org.uk

Source
Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales

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