Independent Reviewing Officer

Coventry City Council; Coventry; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 52,000; Part time

Job summary

Coventry City Council's Quality Assurance Service is seeking an experienced Child Protection Conference Chair to lead multi‑agency safeguarding work and ensure child-centered practice across Coventry.

You will chair statutory conferences, provide professional independence, and support partners to develop effective protection plans. This role requires strong leadership, analytical skills and a commitment to listening to children and families.

Qualifications

• Qualified social worker with SW England registration.
• Extensive post-qualification experience in children’s social care and safeguarding.
• Experience in management, supervision, mentoring or quality assurance oversight.
• Strong communication and relationship-building across multiple services and partners.
• Ability to analyse complex information, assess risk and make sound decisions.
• Skilled in providing constructive challenge and accountability.
• Experience in monitoring, reviewing and tracking safeguarding plans.
• Committed to hearing and promoting the voice of the child and family involvement.

Responsibilities

• Chair statutory multi‑agency Child Protection Conferences with independence.
• Ensure timely, evidence‑based decision-making focused on children's needs.
• Provide robust analysis and effective challenge to discussions.
• Monitor and ensure Child Protection Plans are developed and implemented.
• Collaborate with managers, practitioners and partner agencies to improve practice.

Skills

Social Work England registration

Child safeguarding experience

Management & QA oversight

Communication & relationship-building

Risk assessment & decision-making

Constructive challenge

Plan monitoring & tracking

Voice of the child

Education

Social work qualification & registration with Social Work England

Job description

One Friargate, Station Square, Coventry. , CV1 2GN| Smithford Way, Coventry, West Midlands. , CV1 1FY

In line with our One Coventry Values, we want to ensure that our communities are represented across our workforce. A vital part of this is ensuring we are a truly inclusive organisation that encourages diversity in all respects, including diversity of thinking. We particularly welcome applicants from minority ethnic, LGBT+, disabled and neurodiverse communities to make a real difference to our residents so that equity and respect remains at the heart of everything we do.

Our Values are:

• Open and fair: We are fair, open, and transparent.
• Nurture and develop: We help and encourage everyone to be their best and do their best.
• Engage and empower: We talk and listen to others, working together as one.
• Create and innovate: We embrace new ways of working to continuously improve.
• Own and be accountable: We work together to deliver the best services for our residents.
• Value and respect: We put diversity and inclusion at the heart of all we do.

We value diverse perspectives and experiences and are striving to create a workplace culture that is inclusive, is accepting of all and is free from discrimination and bias.

At Coventry City Council, we are embarking on an incredible journey to create a brighter future for Coventry's children. As a 'Good' Local Authority, we believe in pushing boundaries and delivering excellence for children and families. Our vision is clear, and our social workers are unwavering in their commitment to putting children and families at the centre of their practice.

Be part of our inspiring team, making a meaningful difference in the lives of Coventry's children. Together, let's create a nurturing environment where every child's potential can flourish.

What is the job role?

Are you an experienced social work professional with a passion for safeguarding children and championing high-quality practice? Do you thrive in a role where you can provide leadership, challenge, and oversight to help achieve the very best outcomes for children and families? If so, we would love to hear from you.

We are seeking a suitably qualified and experienced professional to join Coventry City Council's Quality Assurance Service as a Child Protection Conference Chair. This is a rewarding and influential role where you will work collaboratively with children, families, practitioners, and partner agencies to ensure that children at risk of significant harm receive the protection, support, and intervention they need.

As a Child Protection Conference Chair, you will be responsible for chairing statutory multi‑agency Child Protection Conferences, ensuring that decision‑making is timely, evidence‑based, and firmly focused on the needs and experiences of children. You will bring professional independence, robust analysis, and effective challenge to discussions, enabling partner agencies to work together to identify risks, build on family strengths, and develop effective plans that safeguard children and improve outcomes.

You will play a pivotal role in ensuring that Child Protection Plans are developed, reviewed, and implemented to a consistently high standard. Through effective scrutiny and quality assurance oversight, you will monitor practice across the safeguarding partnership, ensuring statutory responsibilities are met, plans progress without unnecessary delay, and children remain at the centre of all decision‑making.

Working as part of Coventry's Quality Assurance Service, you will contribute to the continuous improvement of safeguarding practice by identifying themes, highlighting areas of good practice, and providing constructive challenge when required. You will work closely with managers and practitioners across Children's Services and partner organisations to promote a culture of learning, accountability, and excellent practice.

At Coventry, our Family Valued approach underpins everything we do. We are committed to working with families in a collaborative, strengths‑based way. As a Child Protection Conference Chair, you will be central to ensuring that children, young people, and families are meaningfully involved in the child protection process. You will actively promote participation and engagement, making every reasonable effort to ensure that children and families feel listened to, respected, and empowered to contribute to decisions that affect their lives.

Joining Coventry means becoming part of a service that is ambitious for its children and committed to delivering high-quality practice. You will have the opportunity to work within a supportive and forward‑thinking organisation that values innovation, learning, and continuous improvement, while making a real difference to the lives of children and families across the city.

This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

The successful applicant will need a relevant social work qualification and be registered with Social Work England.

This is a 30 hour a week post.

Who are we looking for?

• A recognised social work qualification and registration with Social Work England.
• Significant post‑qualifying experience within children's social care and safeguarding services.
• Experience of providing management, supervisory, mentoring, or quality assurance oversight.
• Strong communication and relationship‑building skills, with the ability to work effectively across a range of services and partner agencies.
• The ability to analyse complex information, assess risk, and make sound professional decisions.
• Confidence in providing constructive challenge and holding professionals accountable for delivering positive outcomes for children.
• Experience of monitoring, reviewing, and tracking plans to ensure progress is achieved and children's needs remain the focus.
• A commitment to hearing and promoting the voice of the child and ensuring children and families are actively involved in decision‑making.

At Coventry, our family valued approach and relational practice are central to everything we do. We believe that meaningful relationships, collaboration, and a strengths‑based approach help families create lasting change. We are looking for someone who shares this.

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a supportive and ambitious Quality Assurance Service, where your expertise, leadership, and professional judgement will help continue to shape excellent safeguarding practice and improve outcomes for children and young people across Coventry.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme - As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role and identify with one of the below criteria:

• Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
• Are currently in care or have previously been in care
• If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long‑term health condition

If you would like to have an informal discussion or have ask any questions regarding this opportunity, please contact Joshua Burnall - Quality Assurance Service Manager. [e-mail]

Interview date(s): 24th of September 2026

About Coventry

Coventry has a proud, innovative and creative spirit that throughout its history has seen communities come together to tackle problems and bring about real social change.

We are cutting‑edge, challenging, youthful, vibrant and diverse.
At Coventry we are committed to excellence in everything we do. With around 5100 staff from a range of different backgrounds, our aim is to recruit and develop talented people who will focus on our customers, take responsibility, work together and find better ways of doing things.

To deliver the best services to our residents, we need the best people working for us to make a difference to our communities.

The following content displays a map of the jobs location - One Friargate, Station Square, Coventry.

Location
One Friargate, Station Square, Coventry., Smithford Way, Coventry, West Midlands.