Contract type Permanent

Hours Full-time

Department Quality Assurance (Safeguarding Unit)

Salary Grade 14, £58,190 to £62,531 per annum

Contact Kay Jones at kay.jones@iow.gov.uk

Reference 2026_1688

Location County Hall, Newport, Isle of Wight

Closing date 25 January 2026

Download Job Summary

37 hours per week

This is a site-based role at County Hall, Newport, Isle of Wight, with agile and flexible work practices.

Join Us in Making a Difference

Lead Independent Reviewing and Quality Assurance Officer - Children's Social Care

Are you passionate about driving excellence in children's social care? Do you want to be part of a bold and ambitious journey to transform services for children and families? If so, we invite you to bring your expertise and leadership to the Isle of Wight.

About Us - A Service on the Rise

We are 2 years into building a new Children's Services on the Isle of Wight, following the conclusion of our 10-year partnership with Hampshire County Council. Since then, we've made significant progress, recognised through:

• Ofsted focused visits (October 2024)
• Peer reviews
• Support and recognition from the Local Government Association
• We've introduced a new IOW MASH (Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub) and a Referral & Intervention Service, creating space for Social Workers to deliver timely interventions and achieve long-lasting change for families.

Support & Protection Teams have been redesigned: Our service has been restructured with a strong focus on:

• Reduced caseloads for better work-life balance.
• High level of management support & oversight
• Reflective supervision to support your professional growth.
• Comprehensive training to help you thrive.
• Innovative Leadership: Our newly appointed Principal Social Worker is driving system improvements and implementing the Family First programme, ensuring families are at the heart of everything we do.
• Collaborative Culture: We believe in "Creating Change Together" - with regular all-staff briefings and an ethos of teamwork and shared learning

Our new senior leadership team is committed to creating a connected, child-centred directorate, where Children's Social Care works hand-in-hand with Education, Inclusion, and Access services to improve outcomes for every child.

About the Role

As Lead Independent Reviewing and Quality Assurance Officer, you'll lead our quality assurance function, ensuring high standards of safeguarding, practice, and service delivery. You'll drive audit activity, performance analysis, and continuous improvement-embedding a culture of learning, accountability, and excellence.

You'll manage:

• The Independent Reviewing Service

This is a pivotal role for someone with a strong background in children's social care, a sharp analytical mind, and a deep commitment to improving lives through robust quality assurance.

Why Join Us?

• Our Vision: Creating Change Together
• Our Practice Model: Relational | Strengths-Based | Solution-Focused | Restorative
• Our Culture: Inclusive, supportive, and ambitious

We believe that our staff thrive when they are valued, supported, and empowered. That's why we invest in the right tools, conditions, and professional development to help you be your best.

The Isle of Wight - A Great Place to Work and Live

Whether you're relocating or already local, the Island offers a unique lifestyle-stunning natural beauty, a strong sense of community, and a real opportunity to make a difference in a place where your work truly matters.

Ready to Lead Change?

If you're a Qualified and Experienced Social Worker registered with Social Work England, and ready to take the next step in your leadership journey, we'd love to hear from you.

Be part of something special. Join us in shaping the future of children's services on the Isle of Wight.

We embody this model in all our relationships. We embrace an inclusive culture and will support you in your role and challenge you to be your best.

Join us in making a real difference in the lives of children on the Isle of Wight!
For further information or an informal discussion, please contact Kay Jones at kay.jones@iow.gov.uk

Join #TeamIWC and you'll receive our staff benefits package, including:

• Annual leave entitlement of 32 days p/a PLUS public holidays!
• Local Government pension scheme
• Discounted Solent ferry travel
• Island bus network discount
• Cycle to work scheme
• Staff parking permit scheme
• Discounted island sports & leisure gym membership
• National and local discounts & benefits schemes
• Relocation scheme of up to £8,000 may be available for some roles (subject to criteria)
• Travel allowance may be available if commuting from the mainland (subject to criteria)

Find out more about working for the Isle of Wight Council and living on the Island .

The Isle of Wight Council currently does not have a license to sponsor overseas workers.

We actively promote the diversity of our workforce, and provide flexible working options (where appropriate) to support the different needs of our employees. We are an equal opportunities employer, proud to encourage applications from all cultures, backgrounds and abilities to better reflect the diversity within our local community.

We are a Disability Confident employer . Along with a number of commitments, this means, providing you meet the basic essential requirements of the advertised role and have declared yourself as disabled, you will be offered an opportunity for an interview within the council.

The Isle of Wight Council protects its employees from discrimination, and this is supported by;

unacceptable behaviour policy

employee code of conduct

our values, culture and inclusivity

The Isle of Wight Council's Terms & Conditions of employment are available upon request. Please contact our recruitment team via adverts@iow.gov.uk if you would like to receive a copy.

The Isle of Wight Council reserve the right to close vacancies earlier than stated, if required. To ensure your application is considered, it is recommended to submit your application promptly.

This council and its schools recruit according to the council's Recruitment, Policy and Procedure and are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share in this commitment.

For support completing your online application or for further information on how to apply, phone 01983 823134 or email callcentre@iow.gov.uk . Only applications submitted online by the closing date will be accepted.

We often receive a high volume of applicants for our vacancies. If you do not hear from the recruiting manager within three weeks of the closing date, we regret that your application will not have been successful on this occasion. Please revisit our job page for alternate posts that may be suitable.

Please read the Application Guidance Notes before applying. If you are unable to complete this application, email us at careers@iow.gov.uk or telephone us on 01983 823113

Apply now