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Who's who and what do they do?

There are many people involved in your care and many people that, we as the Children in Care Council, work with. These include:

  • Social Worker - When children and young people come into the care of the local authority, they are allocated a social worker. The social worker acts and exercises the local authority’s corporate parental responsibility. Their responsibilities include ensuring that the child/young person’s needs are met, they act in the best interest of the child and encourages them to develop to their full potential.
  • Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) - The Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) provides a general oversight on the decisions made concerning the child, and ensures that they are in the best interest of the child. The IRO has a quality assurance responsibility to ensure that the wishes and feelings of the child/young person’s is taken into full consideration within the care planning and review process. It is important for the IRO to develop a consistent relationship with the child/young person to achieve this.
  • Foster Carer - The Foster Carers play the role in promoting a stable home environment, and supporting the child in care's education by encouraging them to participate and succeed.
  • Designated Teacher (DT) - The Designated Teacher is a skilled and experienced professional who understands the specific educational needs of a looked after child within the school environment.
  • Director of Children’s Services - The Director for Children’s Services has the main responsibility of maintaining and promoting a high quality service, and corporate parenting for looked after children.
  • Advocates - This person helps you get information about your rights and makes sure your views are heard in meetings. They will listen to what you have to say and will only do what you ask.Contact the Gloucestershire Advocacy Service (run by the children’s charity, Barnardo's):
  • Independent Visitor (IV) - Independent Visitors are for looked after children and young people who have little or no family contact, and who would like to have a friendship with an adult who is outside the care system.
  • The Virtual School - a team of education professionals who monitor the education of children in care and work closely with foster carers, designated teachers and social workers to ensure you have the right and best support in education
  • Corporate Parents - When you become ‘looked after’, Gloucestershire County Council becomes your ‘Corporate Parent’. Professionals like your social worker are expected to look after you and to do things to keep you safe and happy.
  • Designated Nurse for Children in Care - A nurse who works with looked after children to help keep them healthy.
  • Health professionals - Doctors, nurses, consultants, therapists, psychologists and other qualified staff who provide medical care or information. Their job it is to make sure that children and young people are healthy and well.