Volume 5 of the Children Act Regulations and Guidance provides guidance to local authorities in England and their staff, about their functions under Parts 3 and 6-8 of the Children Act 1989. It is issued as guidance under section 7 of the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970 which requires local authorities in exercising their social services functions, to act under the general guidance of the Secretary of State. Local authorities should comply with this guidance when exercising these functions, unless local circumstances indicate exceptional reasons that justify a variation.

This guidance is addressed to:

• children’s services social workers;
• frontline managers with particular responsibilities in relation to looked after children;
• lead members in local authorities;
• directors of children’s services;
• managers of services for looked after children;
• commissioners of services for looked after children;
• virtual head teachers, independent reviewing officers (IROs) and other professionals with responsibilities in relation to looked after children.

It will also be relevant to:

• children’s services partner agencies as set out under section 10 of the Children Act 2004;
• registered providers and managers of children’s residential care, including private, voluntary and public sector providers;
• children who are in residential care and their families.

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The Protection of Children in England: A Progress Report

The Lord Laming

Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed on 12 March 2009

https://www.rights4me.org/reports.cfm

This is the website of the Children’s Rights Director for England (CRD)

“Important messages have been passed on and have helped to make a difference”

Roger Morgan, Children’s Rights Director, and his team carefully listen to what young people tell them about the way they are being looked after and the services they receive. Roger reports these views to Ofsted - Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills to take into account in the work it does on inspecting services. Reports are also sent to government to consider when they are making decisions about things that affect young people.

Do visit the website.

Watch this space – coming soon

What children say about IROs and what we do.

National Association of Independent Reviewing Officers

Constitution

 Name

The name of the association shall be “The National Association of Independent Reviewing Officers”

Membership

Full membership of the association shall be open to any person who is a practicing independent reviewing officer (IRO) in England, Wales, or the Channel Islands and who is currently registered with the Health and Care Professions Council, or equivalent national body. An IRO is taken to mean a person who chairs reviews for looked after children on more than an occasional basis, and is the named IRO for particular children.

Associate Membership

Associate membership of the association is available at the same subscription, to people who are not practicing IROs, but who share the aims and objectives of the association. Associate members will have most of the benefits of full membership. The only restrictions are these

• Associate members will not be able to sit on the NAIRO committee but may attend as observers/advisers, if the committee agrees
• Associate members will be able to attend and participate in AGMs and other meetings, but will not have  formal voting rights

Associate membership will be open to people living in other parts of the United Kingdom and beyond.

Purpose

The main purpose of the Association is to improve outcomes for looked after children by maximising the positive impact of the reviewing process. The ways that this purpose will be achieved may include

• Strengthening the understanding and recognition of the role of the IRO
• Influencing the legal and policy framework for looked after children and the reviewing process at national and local level.
• The development of a code of practice for IROs
• The promotion of high standards for the reviewing process for looked after children
• The development/commissioning/provision of high quality training for IROs

Refusal and Termination of membership

A member of the association may resign at any time by notification in writing to the secretary.

Where the secretary believes there are good and sufficient reasons for refusing admission to or to termination of association membership the matter shall be referred to the executive committee for determination

Governing Body

The governing body of the association shall be an executive committee elected at the inaugural or annual general meetings. The committee shall consist of two representative of each of the nine government regions in England.

The executive committee shall at its first meeting after each AGM, elect

• A chair
• 2 vice chairs
• A secretary
• A treasurer
• Any other officer it sees fit

The quorum for the executive committee shall be that at least half of all the regions (ie 5) are represented. If regions are unable to send members to particular meetings, regional committee members may delegate attendance to other IROs from their region.

The committee will meet at least 4 times a year. The committee will normally sit for 3 years. New committee members will be elected at annual general meetings.

The executive committee may invite members of the association to attend their meetings. Persons so invited shall be entitled to receive papers and take part in discussions but not to vote.

Special general meetings may be called at the written request of a minimum of five members, or following the written agreement of the majority of the committee.

Financial Matters

Membership of the association will require payment of an annual subscription. The executive committee will determine the level of the required subscription on an annual basis.

Alterations to the Constitution

No alteration to this constitution may be made except at annual general meetings or special general meetings. Alterations to the constitution must receive the assent of two thirds of the members present at an AGM or SGM.

Dissolution

The association may be dissolved by a resolution presented at a special general meeting called for the purpose. The resolution must have the assent of two thirds of those present.

September 13th 2012