What does it mean? – I
This page is part of our handy list of definitions and explanations of some of the terms that you might have come across but didn’t know what they meant. If you think we’ve missed something, let us know, and we’ll look at added it to the list.
These are the entries for I. You can see other entries by clicking the letters below.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
I
Independence / Independent Living
This is when you are working towards living on your own without adults around to look after you. You can start training for independence when you’re a teenager by learning useful skills like cooking and budgeting. Towards the end of being in care, you might go off to university or go into supported lodgings. These are both steps towards independence.
IRO/ISRO – Independent Safeguarding and Reviewing Officer
This is the person who manages your care, child protection or pathway plan and chairs your reviews. It’s the person who checks to see your social worker is doing what he/she said they were going to do, who can ask for changes to be made to your plan and who will try to make sure that you know what is happening. If you do not know who your IRO is, you should ask your key worker, foster carer or social worker.
IVs – Independent Visitors
Independent visitors are volunteers who form friendships with children in care who may not have much contact with their family. The independent visitor and the young person may go out and do things together. However, the independent visitor doesn’t normally get involved with anything to do with being in care. The hope is that every child and their visitor will go on to be friends after the child turns 18 and may be friends for life. You can request an Independent Visitor from your Social Worker or IRO.