Independent social workers

[poundedskate7]

Hi, just a quick query regarding Independent social workers, how independent are they? they hole the LAC meetings etc but ours works for the same Local Authority we are in dispute with and have put our children under care orders, isn't it counter productive and a conflict of interest having one from the same LA??

We need to have a meeting with her but from previous she always is privy to favouring her paycheck company, is this normal?

[poundedskate7]

oops, also if we were to have another parental assessment in the future, would it be the LA independent or will it be private?

[poundedskate7]

Anyone??

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear poundedskate7

Thank you for your recent posts. I am sorry that I was not able to respond sooner. I will reply them all here.

You are querying the independence of the Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO). You may find this definition helpful as it explains that they are experienced social workers and that their role is to monitor the child’s care plan and chair the child’s Looked After Child reviews. However, they are employed by the local authority. Their independence relates to the fact that they don’t have case management responsibility or control the budget, and they have a power to challenge where they believe the local authority is not meeting the child’s needs.

An IRO is different to an independent social worker (ISW) who does not work for the local authority but may be commissioned by a local authority or court to do a specific piece of work or assessment. They would need to be funded to do so.

As you are going to have a meeting with the IRO then this is a useful opportunity to put across any concerns or questions that you have and to let them know your views. They are separate to the social worker and can challenge poor practice by them so it is a good idea to try to establish a positive working relationship with them, if you can.

Please see our guide to working with a social worker which may be useful.

If you are very unhappy and cannot resolve difficulties, you can consider making a complaint.

If you were to have a parenting assessment, in most cases this is carried out by your child’s social worker. However, some children’s services may have a specialist team or in certain situations they may agree to arrange an independent social work assessment. You could request their policy on parenting or reunification assessments.

If you would like to talk through your situation with an adviser, please call the freephone advice line or you can seek further advice via one of the options linked to here.

I hope this helps.

Best wishes

Suzie

[poundedskate7]

The positive working relationship with the IRO probably isn't going to happen, she constantly denies what the children have said to us about the foster carers even though if the shoe was on the other foot they would believe it

She makes out one of children looked relieved that he's stayed in foster care yet he's always maintained he wants to come home and has been acting out in his placement so that counters what she says, the fact she works for the LA in our area says it all really and I still have a complaint I am waiting for hear back from