Independent Reviewing Officers (IROs) and Looked After Children (LAC) reviews
All young people who are looked after by their local authority will have an Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO). Although they work for Herefordshire they work in a different team and their role is to make sure that the right plan is agreed to meet your needs, that your views are listened to when the plan is made and that everyone does what is agreed in the plan.
All looked after young people have Looked after Child (LAC) reviews. These are regular meetings involving you and the people who are closely involved in your care, and where your progress is discussed. The first meeting will happen within four weeks of you becoming looked after; the second one will be three months after; reviews following this take place every six months.
Your IRO will want to meet with you before your LAC review so that they can make sure that they know what you want to happen, what you don’t want to happen, anything you want to change and what you want to achieve.
The review meeting will look at different aspects of your life and development which includes your health, education, training or work, contact with your family and plans for your future care. Your social worker will help you prepare for each meeting, and ask you who you would like to attend and where you would like it to be held. You can run your own LAC review if you would like to – just let your IRO or social worker know and they can help you plan this.
Contact your IRO
Your IRO may contact you between reviews to find out how you are, and you will have their telephone number so you can also contact them.
If you are unsure who your IRO is or are unable to contact them, you can call their team manager on 01432 383176.