An independent visitor’s role is to:
- Make friends with the child and establish a trusting relationship
- Promote the child’s educational, social and emotional development
- To encourage the child to play an active role in decisions that affect them
- Offer practical advice and support on a range of issues.
If social workers think a looked after child will benefit from it, then they have a duty to appoint someone to become the child’s ‘independent visitor’. This person must have no connection with the local authority. The decision to appoint an independent visitor is looked at as part discussions about the child’s the care plan. It should be discussed during looked after child reviews.
Most independent visitors are likely to be local volunteers.
Examples of when an independent visitor might be appointed include where a child:
- Does not get many visits from or contact with members of their family
- Is placed a long way from their home area
- Is unable to go out independently.
The duties in relation to independent visitors apply to all children looked after in the care system. So an independent visitor may be in place for child in care under a court order too.
Social workers visiting children looked after under voluntary arrangements