Fostering Independent Reviewing Officer (FIRO)
Fostering Independent Reviewing Officer (FIRO)
At Cheshire East, we believe children thrive when they experience safe, stable and nurturing relationships. As a relational local authority, children, families and carers are at the heart of everything we do. Through our Family First approach, we are committed to working alongside families and carers to achieve the best possible outcomes for children and young people.
This is a rare opportunity to join a well-established, experienced and stable Safeguarding & Reviewing service within Cheshire East's Safeguarding and Review Service. As we continue to develop our practice within the Family First reform agenda, we are looking for an experienced and motivated Fostering Independent Reviewing Officer (FIRO) to make a significant contribution to the quality and effectiveness of our fostering service.
Foster carers play a vital role in the lives of children and young people, providing safe, nurturing and stable homes where children can thrive. As a FIRO, you will provide independent oversight and scrutiny of foster carer reviews, ensuring that fostering households are appropriately supported, challenged and enabled to deliver the highest standards of care.
We are seeking a practitioner who values the importance of relationships, understands the complexities and rewards of fostering, and is committed to supporting foster carers to develop and succeed in their role. You will bring professional curiosity, sound judgement and a strengths-based approach, working collaboratively with carers and professionals while maintaining the independence required of the role.
Purpose of the Role
To undertake the independent review of foster carers in accordance with fostering regulations, national minimum standards and local procedures, ensuring that carers continue to provide safe, nurturing and effective care to children and young people.
The role is responsible for providing independent oversight, evaluation and quality assurance of fostering arrangements, supporting high standards across the fostering service and promoting positive outcomes for children.
Working within Cheshire East's relational practice framework, the postholder will develop positive and productive relationships with foster carers and professionals while maintaining independence, objectivity and professional accountability.
Key Responsibilities
- Foster Carer Reviews
- Championing Quality Care
- Quality Assurance and Independent Scrutiny
- Partnership Working
- Reporting and Administration
The role is diverse with no one day the same, for more information on the role please view the 'In this job you will' section within the attached job description specification document.
What you'll bring to the role
- Professional Social Work qualification.
- Current registration with Social Work England
- Significant post-qualifying experience within Children's Social Care.
- Experience of working within fostering services, with foster carers or within looked after children's services.
- Experience of chairing meetings and managing complex professional discussions.
- Experience of multi-agency partnership working.
- Experience of quality assurance, service improvement or independent reviewing functions.
To find out more about the essential and desirable criteria for the role please view the attached job description specification document.
In return we are able to offer:
- Enhanced annual leave - Start with an impressive 34 days of annual leave (including bank holidays) from day one, and watch it grow to 39 days after just five years of service
- Purchase of annual leave – Want more time off? You can purchase up to 10 extra days of annual leave each year, giving you the flexibility to balance work and life just the way you want (Pro-rata for part-time staff)
- Flexible working pattern - Enjoy a 37-hour standard full-time work week with the added perks of flexi-time and hybrid/remote working arrangements where possible. Your work-life balance just got a whole lot better
- Salary sacrifice green car scheme - Drive green and save green! Lease a brand-new electric or hybrid car through our salary sacrifice scheme. There’s no credit checks, no deposits, just significant savings and exclusive offers on a three-year lease
- White goods salary sacrifice scheme - Upgrade your home with ease. Purchase home and electronic items through our salary sacrifice scheme, spreading the cost of big-ticket purchases like appliances, computers, and tech gadgets directly from your salary
- Enhanced public pension - Secure your future with our career average pension, where contributions are built at a rate of 1/49th of your yearly pensionable pay
- Cycle to work scheme - Save up to 25-39% on the retail price of bikes and safety equipment through Income Tax and National Insurance savings. Get fit and save money!
- Employee assistance programme - Access a completely free and confidential assistance service to help manage, reduce, and overcome life’s challenges, both at work and in your personal life
- Discounted gym membership - Stay active and healthy with corporate membership prices for Everybody Leisure, including:
- Gym, Swim and Group Fitness at all 16 facilities
- Off-Peak Racket Sports
- Athletics Tracks
- Sauna/Steam/Spa
Join us and experience a workplace that truly values and supports you!
Cheshire East is an amazing place to live and work. As one of the largest employers in the borough, we are able to offer you a wide range of challenging and rewarding career opportunities.
We are working for a brighter future – together and our commitment to you is that our workplace culture will provide a shared purpose, a well-led organisation with valued people succeeding together as one team and one council to deliver the best service for our customers and communities.
If you want to be part of our award-winning council and contribute to our ongoing success, have the flexibility and drive to enable us to innovate, are committed to working as part of a team and striving to deliver exceptional service wherever you can, we would especially like to hear from you.
As an equal opportunities employer, we welcome applicants from all backgrounds and want our workforce to reflect the diversity of our local communities so that we can all work for a brighter future - together.
Applicants should ensure all sections of the application form are completed as failure to do so will result in their application being rejected. Please ensure you check the email account (including junk/spam boxes) from which you apply regularly as we will use this to contact you regarding your application.
If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date then it is likely that you have not been shortlisted on this occasion, however, please do not be discouraged from applying again.
For any technical enquiries please email sourcingteam@ecwip.co.uk
Please quote job reference number in all correspondence.
If you would like to have a confidential informal conversation about this role, prior to application, please contact Lisa Cook email: lisa.cook@cheshireeast.gov.uk.
Cheshire East Council is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults across the Borough. As such, any cautions, convictions, reprimands or final warnings that are ‘not protected’ as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) order 1975 (as amended in 2013) relating to the non-disclosure of spent convictions do not apply to this job. You must therefore, disclose whether you have any previous convictions where prompted to do so within the application process.
Attachments
Salary range
- £49,658 - £56,809 per year