A child's wishes and feelings should be ascertained before making decisions affecting them and their care, and a written record of their wishes and feelings should be maintained - as stipulated in section 22 of the 1989 Children's Act.
The guidance and regulations available in the associated resources on this page, are to help ensure local authorities consider this at a strategic level - both through the directors for children's services and council lead members for corporate parenting and through high quality Independent Reviewing Services.
The Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) handbook has been developed to provide information on the local authority's responsibility for managing their IRO service. The enhanced role of the IRO needs to tackle the every day practice elements of ensuring a child’s wishes and feelings are taken into account during their review.
This guidance clarifies the role of the IRO in providing constructive challenge to local authorities to ensure actions agreed as part of care plans are carried out, and a child’s wishes and feelings are taken in to account during case reviews.
Training materials on taking the voice of the child into account can be downloaded from the associated resources on this page.
