Fostering Panel Chair and Vice Chair

Job Description

Our Service Commitment

Luton Borough Council Fostering Service is committed to providing outstanding services to every child living away in foster care. Luton Borough Council values its Fostering Service and the contribution each carer can make in supporting the children who live away from birth carers and families.

Foster care offers a secure base for many of our children and each child’s voice is important their journey whilst they are taken care of by our Foster Carers.

Luton Fostering Service is committed to listening to the voices of every child and young person during the Annual Household Review cycle and Fostering Assessment processes. Luton Borough Council’s is striving to deliver the best possible care to all of our children by offering our carers excellent training support and development.
The Person

The post holder will be able to demonstrate expertise and up to date knowledge of the legislative framework for Fostering and bring a comprehensive understanding of current legislation in Fostering and know the Fostering and National Minimum Standards, and relevant up to date national qualitative research.

You will have relevant experience of Fostering Panels, have been a Panel Member, Vice or Chair of Fostering Panels who is competent or brings the relevant lived experience of Fostering. You should demonstrate your empathy and evidence your ability to ensure Panels functions smoothly and within an equality and anti-discriminatory practice framework.

Job Description – Desired


1 To Chair Fostering Panel Meetings, ensuring that all items of business are covered and that the panel operates in accordance with Fostering regulations, relevant Fostering Legislation and the organisations agreed policies and procedures.
2 To prepare for panel meetings, reading panel papers carefully, identifying key issues and agreeing with the Panel/Agency Adviser if, cases are panel ready and can progress to panels.

3 To facilitate active participation of all panel members in contributing to the panel’s consideration of cases and to the making of clear and well-evidenced recommendations with the reasons for these.

4 To ensure that all those attending panel are treated with respect and courtesy and offered the opportunity speak and share their experiences.

5 To address diversity issues and promote anti-discriminatory practice at all times and offer curiosity and appreciative enquiry to cases presented.

6 To ensure that the written minutes are clear and accurate, and record relevant discussions. The Chair will agree the final set of approved minutes and check and agree their accuracy with the Panel/Agency Advisor. Sharing the minutes with other panel members in accordance with Fostering Regulations and Legislation.

7 To offer the Agency Decision-Maker safe recommendations in accordance with Fostering Regulation’s and Legislation pertaining to the role and function of Fostering Panels. To work with the senior managers of Fostering and over scrutiny and oversight on cases taken to panels.

8 To ensure, along with the Panel/Agency Adviser, that senior managers are aware of any issues that concern panel, and to escalate these concerns to the Agency Decision Maker.

9 To be involved in the recruitment and appointment of the central list of panel members and work closely with the Panel / Agency Advisor on all appointments to panel.
10 To review and appraise panel members performance each year with the Panel/Agency adviser, at least annually. To have a 360 appraisal yearly.

11 To assist in developing, promoting and monitoring policies and procedures for the Fostering services and agency if needed.
12 To assist in planning training for members and to participate in yearly training for the Panel and Fostering Service.
13 To safeguard the confidentiality of all panel papers and panel discussions.
14 To agree with the Panel/Agency Advisor:
• deciding whether a case is adequate for submission to panel;
• deciding on the attendance of observers at panel;
• deciding on the participation of a panel member who declares an conflict /interest in a case;
• agreeing to extra panels when these are required by the agency;
• the preparation and completion of an annual report on the panel’s work on a yearly basis.


Person Specification

Experience and qualifications:
• Experience, either professionally or personally or both, of the placement of children in foster families and of children being cared for away from their birth family.
• Experience of chairing complex meetings.

Knowledge:
• An appreciation of the effect of separation and loss on children.
• Equality and diversity and anti-discriminatory practices.
• An understanding of the purpose and function of the panel and of the agency which the panel is serving.
• An understanding of the fostering process and practice and of the legislative framework that governs the function of panel.

Abilities:
• The authority and competence to Chair any panel, ensuring that the business is covered and that the panel operates in accordance with regulations and the agreed policies and procedures of the agency.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and listening skills.
• The ability to communicate well and clearly both verbally and in writing.
• The ability to identify key issues and possible solutions and to communicate these clearly.
• The ability to facilitate the active participation of all panel members in contributing to the panel’s consideration of cases and recommendations.
• The ability to manage the expression of strongly held but possibly conflicting views by panel members and to help the panel to reach a recommendation which takes account of all these views.
• The ability to take up issues as required with the agency, liaising with the Agency Decision-Maker and other senior managers. To attend the 1/4ly panel business meeting and produce a report for meetings.

• The ability, working with the Panel/Agency Adviser, to review each panel member’s performance when required, and st annually, ensuring that this is a helpful and constructive process for both the panel member and the panel as a whole.

Attitudes:
• A commitment to Fostering and it meeting the holistic needs of each child when they are living away from birth families and carers. When this has been deemed in the child’s best interests and in accordance with their permanence needs.
• A commitment to safeguarding all children who live in Fostering Households and promoting each child’s welfare within that Foster Carers home.
• To Value diversity and Social Graces; Cultural Competence, anti-discriminatory practice and an appreciation of the many form unconscious bias takes in roles of power. The 'social graces' is a framework to help us understand parts of our identity; who we are and how this impacts how we think, and how others might think about us. The 'social graces' help us think about the power we might hold within relationships due to parts of our identity.
• An understanding and commitment to confidentiality.
• A willingness to share knowledge, research and training.
• A willingness to contribute to a 360 degree yearly appraisal as an Independent Panel Chair.

Accountability:
• To complete the Panel induction and undertake any subsequent reading to enhance your understanding of the function and role of an effective panel and any identified policies and practice to further support your role as a Panel Member.

• All new appointments will be subject to a 3-month review.

• To attend and contribute to the identified Panel training 1-2 days a year. (1 day will be joint training with the Fostering Service).

• To participate constructively in the annual review process and review of your Panel membership.

• The ability to ask questions that are relevant, sensitive, diplomatic and appropriate;

• Ownership of the shared responsibility for making a recommendation and commitment to providing clear reasons for these recommendations.

On your application, evidence how you meet the criteria above and why you are interested in this position

To arrange an informal discussion email Cristina Istrati Interim Head of Service email:  Cristina.Istrati@luton.gov.uk

Or send an email request to Randhiraj.bilan@luton.gov.uk