ISWS | Policy Writing & Development

Clear, robust and practitioner‑friendly policies are essential for Local Authorities supporting separated migrant young people.

At ISWS, we specialise in developing policies and protocols that are not only legally sound and aligned with statutory guidance, but genuinely usable for the practitioners who rely on them every day.

We have extensive experience writing policies for Local Authorities across the UK, helping services strengthen consistency, reduce risk and embed high‑quality, trauma‑informed practice.

Our policies are written with a deep understanding of the realities of frontline work, ensuring they are practical, accessible and grounded in the lived experiences of young people.

Our approach is collaborative and practitioner‑led.

We work closely with teams to understand local pressures, strengths and challenges, ensuring each policy reflects both statutory requirements and the realities of day‑to‑day practice.

We firmly believe that a policy is only as effective as the people implementing it — so we prioritise clarity, accessibility and practical application.

We can develop or refresh policies and protocols on:

Age Assessment (including responding to spontaneous arrivals and Brief Enquiries)
Triple Planning
Human Rights Assessments and working with young people who are, or may become, Appeal Rights Exhausted (ARE)
Supporting separated migrant young people through care and into adulthood
Safeguarding and risk management for separated migrant young people
Local Authority frameworks for consistent, lawful decision‑making

There has been significant development in the support and guidance offered to unaccompanied asylum-seeking children through the ‘Child first, migrant second’ protocol. This is having a positive impact on the service they are receiving.

OFSTED INSPECTOR ON POLICY WRITTEN FOR BRADFORD CHILDREN’S SERVICES

Jo is rightly regarded as a leading expert in the field of children’s social care and age assessments specifically. Throughout my work, and discussions with other lawyers, she is consistently regarded as the go-to for complex legal claims as well as an expert in the fields of policy and social work practice. She is highly regarded for her broad field of knowledge and detailed and meticulous approach, alongside her drive for collaborative working to achieve best practice.

BARRISTER