Research by the National Children’s Bureau (NCB) found that IROs often struggle to maintain ongoing scrutiny of how a child’s care plan is implemented.
Only half (49 per cent) said they were always or often able to continually monitor the care given to looked-after children, and 58 per cent said they rarely or never received relevant court papers about children they were supervising.
And between a fifth and a quarter were not able to follow up case reviews adequately, because they were unable to consult with everybody involved.
The survey, which involved 295 IROs, 65 IRO managers and 60 directors of children’s services, found that in two-thirds of local authorities IROs are burdened with caseloads exceeding the recommended limit, and nearly half (46 per cent) of officers have other duties outside their IRO remit.
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