NAIRO Annual Conference

The next Annual NAIRO Conference is going to be on Thursday 22nd October 2015 at the Resource for London, 356 Holloway Road, London N7 6PA. For further details please email enquiries@nairo.org.uk.

Members & Associate Members - £30

Non-Members - £70

NAIRO Members Notice

NAIRO WEBSITE FORUM MEMBERS AREA UPDATE

Dear Members,

As you know, NAIRO’s new website has a “members only” section, which has not yet been opened up to the membership. The reason is that we have been testing it to make sure it works properly.

We now are confident it is working well and will be opening it up at the end of next week, 20th or 21st August. You will all receive information about how it works and how to access it.  

An important aspect of this change is that our current online Googlegroup members’ forum will move onto the website. You will all have access to the new forum.

We will keep open the old Googlegroup forum for 2 weeks or so as a safety net, but, if things go well, will then close it down. If there are any documents or messages associated with the old forum that you want to keep, I suggest you extract them now.

Further information about the change will be provided next week.

NAIRO Launches IRO Toolkit

NAIRO has now launched the IRO toolkit. Please see press release below. 

NAIRO Press Release 30/07/15

THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT REVIEWING OFFICERS

www.nairo.org.uk

info@nairo.org.uk

Chair, Maggie Duggins

Vice Chair, Zoe Martin

Vice Chair, Jon Fayle

NAIRO Publishes IRO Toolkit

NAIRO has published an “IRO toolkit” which it has sent to all Directors of Childrens Services, and the Children’s Minister, Edward Timpson MP.

We think there is strong evidence (from Ofsted and research reports, as well as evidence from NAIRO members) that the IRO service in some Local Authorities areas is not always making the impact it should.

Over the last couple of years, we have developed a “toolkit” of various measures that we believe will help to raise standards and bring more consistency to the service across the country.

The measures may be used individually, or taken as a whole package. Local Authorities are welcome to amend our tools to suit local circumstances.

We encourage Local Authorities, IRO managers and practitioners to look at these measures and implement them where it looks like they could improve services for children in care.

Maggie Duggins Chair of NAIRO said “We are passionate about improving outcomes for children in care. We believe that the adoption of some or all of these measures by Local Authorities will help to support IROs and improve IRO practice, for the benefit of looked after children”

NAIRO

30.7.15

Notes for Editors

Independent Reviewing Officers

An Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) is a qualified social worker who has a responsibility to review the cases of children in care at regular intervals. A key element of the role is to scrutinise the local authority care plan for the child, in particular taking into account the child’s wishes and feelings, and being mindful of the child’s rights. If the IRO believes the LA plan is not in the best interests of the child, she/he has the duty to challenge the local authority to whatever level is necessary to resolve the matter.

NAIRO

NAIRO was founded in March 2009. It is the only national professional organisation for IROs in the country. We have a fast growing membership from England, Wales, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man.

NAIRO is devoted to improving outcomes for looked after children by maximising the positive impact of the reviewing process. 

NAIRO has recently registered as a charity with a view to obtaining more funding from charitable sources, to enable us to strengthen our organisation for the benefit of children in care.

We have the benefit of several leading academics in social work or related fields, amongst our associate membership. We also have a number of eminent patrons who support our work.

For more information see our website www.nairo.org.uk

IROs choose to remain based within councils

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NAIRO PRESS RELEASE 26/06/15

THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF INDEPENDENT REVIEWING OFFICERS

www.nairo.org.uk

info@nairo.org.uk

Chair, Maggie Duggins

Vice Chair, Zoe Martin

Vice Chair, Jon Fayle
 

IROs Vote to Stay Within Local Authorities

NAIRO has conducted a survey of its members views about the best location of the IRO service. Some people believe the independence of the IRO is compromised by being located within and employed by Local Authorities. Others believe that IROs can be most effective and influential from within Local Authorities. The results of the survey were collated in June 2015 and are summarised below.

Of the 56 NAIRO members who responded:

• 72%, thought IROs services were best placed within local authority management. 

• However 91%, thought there needed to be measures put in place to strengthen the independence of IROs within Local authorities.

• There was nothing in the responses which discouraged the piloting of other innovative models of provision of the service within the local authority ambit.

• A number of other issues were identified which NAIRO members thought would enhance the effectiveness of IROs. These included caseloads, access to independent legal advice, and training/support for IROs  

Maggie Duggins the Chair of NAIRO said

“We believe IRO services are best placed within local authorities, and we will not campaign for the removal of IRO services from local authorities.

However, we think that urgent and robust measures should be taken to enhance the genuine independence of IROs within local authorities.

We will also encourage and support the development and piloting of different models for provision of IRO services within local authorities which may enhance their  independence and effectiveness.

We continue to press for action on a number of other issues, including

• reasonable workloads for IROs, consistent with statutory guidance
• the availability of independent legal advice for IROs
• better training and support for IROs within Local Authorities

NAIRO is passionately committed to doing all it can to enhance the welfare and improve the outcomes for children in care”

NAIRO

26.6.15

Notes for Editors

Independent Reviewing Officers

An Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) is a qualified social worker who has a responsibility to review the cases of children in care at regular intervals. A key element of the role is to scrutinise the local authority care plan for the child, in particular taking into account the child’s wishes and feelings, and being mindful of the child’s rights. If the IRO believes the LA plan is not in the best interests of the child, she/he has the duty to challenge the local authority to whatever level is necessary to resolve the matter.

NAIRO

NAIRO was founded in March 2009. It is the only national professional organisation for IROs in the country. We have a fast growing membership from England, Wales, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man.

NAIRO is devoted to improving outcomes for looked after children by maximising the positive impact of the reviewing process. 

NAIRO has recently registered as a charity with a view to obtaining more funding from charitable sources, to enable us to strengthen our organisation for the benefit of children in care.

We have the benefit of several leading academics in social work or related fields, amongst our associate membership. We also have a number of eminent patrons who support our work.

For more information see our website www.nairo.org.uk