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NAIRO urges Josh MacAlister to retract recommendation to abolish IROs

2 mins read Social Care
The National Association of Independent Reviewing Officers (NAIRO) has urged Care Review chair Josh MacAlister to reconsider his proposal to abolish the role in favour of an alternative youth advocacy system for children in care.
Abolishing IROs would be 'unwise and dangerous' for children in care, NAIRO argues. Picture: Adobe Stock/Synthexua
Abolishing IROs would be 'unwise and dangerous' for children in care, NAIRO argues. Picture: Adobe Stock/Synthexua

The recommendation, proposed in the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care’s final report to government, pushes for IROs to be scrapped and replaced with an “opt-out” independent advocacy service for looked-after children.

The new service would replace the two roles of IRO and regulation 44 visitors for children in residential care with one child advocate position.

The recommendation was met with mixed responses from the sector, with some leaders welcoming the proposal and others expressing concerns.

In a letter, NAIRO urges MacAlister to reconsider the recommendation as author of the Care Review’s final report, and to advise government ministers accordingly.

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