Fostering Panel Chair

Job Description - Fostering Panel Member 

•    To read Fostering Panel papers in advance of the Panel meeting and be fully prepared with questions or identified quality assurance matters to be raised with the agency.
•    To read the panel papers carefully ahead of Fostering Panel, contribute to Panel discussions and raise any matters in advance with the Panel Advisor, Panel Chair or Team Manager as appropriate in order to progress Panel business.
•    To participate fully in Panel discussions and recommendations to the agency on the cases brought to the Panel.
•    To contribute to Panel minutes, ensuring they are recorded accurately with any recommendations and determinations made at the panel. 

•    To attend all the agreed Fostering Panel meetings. Giving sufficient notice to the Panel Advisor, Panel Chair or Team Manager in the event you are unable to attend (or when an emergency arises).

•    To attend additional panels as requested by the Agency.

•    To promote diversity issues and  anti-discriminatory practice at all times and in any Panel discussions and your conduct at Panel Meetings.

•    To safeguard confidentiality in Panel papers and Panel discussions in conjunction with the confidentiality statement for Panel Members.

•    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 any 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. 

•    To declare any conflict of interest on cases when this is known and discuss this with the Panel Advisor, Panel Chair or Team Manager as appropriate 

   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 a Panel Member.

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 in any 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 apply, and for an informal discussion please send an email request to Randhiraj.bilan@luton.gov.uk