Fostering Panel Chair

Fostering a child or young person is not just about offering a roof over their heads; it's about providing a safe haven, a guiding hand, and a supportive environment to help them thrive and someone to have ambitions and aspirations for them to enable them to reach their full potential. As the Chair of our Fostering Panel, you will be passionate about the positive difference foster carers can make for our children and young people. 

The role of Panel Chair is crucial to our success in improving outcomes for our Children in Care. You will need to have experience and confidence in effectively chairing complex meetings with a range of stakeholders, underpinned by a sound understanding of Fostering Panel processes and the legislative landscape within which the panel operates, including Safeguarding procedures. 

You will be responsible for ensuring our Fostering Panel is an inclusive, anti-discriminatory forum which promotes sound and responsible decision making with children at its heart. You will demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the legislative framework and National Standards for Fostering, current good practice initiatives, and an expertise in planning for Children in Care and child development. As Panel Chair you will have excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication skills, experience of managing complex dynamics within meetings and be able to put prospective and approved foster carers at ease.

Your role will extend to supporting the development of our Fostering Service through strong links to the Panel Advisor, Fostering Management Team and the Agency Decision Maker. The expectation is that you will provide leadership to the Panel by being well prepared; reading panel papers carefully, identifying key issues and alerting the Panel Advisor if necessary to any concerns. 

Effective time management, and the ability to identify and summarise key information will be skills needed to ensure an effective Panel which provides robust recommendations to the Agency Decision Maker. 

In addition to chairing the Fostering Panel, there will be Panel Chair Business Meetings and training events which will need to be attended during the year. The Chair will be expected to be available for at least 80% of panel meetings.

It is desirable that you hold a qualification in Social Work and are registered with Social Work England, with experience at a Senior level in a setting related to child development and/or working with vulnerable young people. 

The contract will be awarded for two years subject to annual review.

Panels are currently held virtually, but there is consideration to develop a hybrid model to include some face to face panels. Panels take place on Thursday at a rate of approximately 4 per month across the year. Each Panel generally operates from 9.00 a.m. – 13.00 p.m. The rate for this post includes preparation reading for the Panel, approval of minutes and travel costs.  
 

Main duties:

1. Chair Panel Meetings, ensuring that all items of business are covered and that the Panel operates in accordance with National Regulations as well as the policies and procedures of BCP Council.

2. In accordance with Regulations, the requirement is that the Chair attends at least 80% of Panels. The Chair will also attend Panel training events and relevant meetings, including twice yearly Fostering Team Managers Meeting, twice yearly Agency Decision Maker/Kinship Managers Meeting, and Legal and Medical Adviser’s Meeting.

3. Read all the relevant paperwork prior to the Panel meeting and inform the Panel Adviser as necessary on the quality and adequacy for submission to Panel.

4. Ensure all Panel members, and those attending, are able to contribute appropriately to Panel processes.

5. Ensure that Panel business is conducted in a timely, respectful, sensitive and non-discriminatory manner.

6. Provide quality assurance feedback to the Fostering Service provider on the quality of reports being presented to panel and any key themes arising.

7. Ensure the written minutes of Panel meetings are accurate, clearly cover the key issues and views expressed by Panel members and record the reasons for its recommendation.

9. Ensure Panel minutes are agreed, signed and shared with Agency Decision Makers within one week of the Panel date.

10. Ensure that the number, skills, knowledge and experience of persons on the central list of Panel Members are sufficient to enable competent recommendations from Panel Meetings to the Fostering Service provider, taking into account the nature of the children and carers that the service caters for.

11. Take part in an Annual Appraisal and undertake the Annual Appraisal of Panel Members with the Fostering Panel Adviser.

12. Meet at least six-monthly with the Vice Chairs and Fostering Panel Adviser to ensure that Panel function is appropriately reviewed and training issues for members identified.

13. Hold an overview of BCP Council’s Fostering Service provision, providing feedback on the quality of reports submitted and areas for development, which will be discussed either at Appraisal Meetings or at meetings with the Fostering Adviser and Fostering Service Manager.

14. Contribute to the production of the Annual Fostering Agency Report.

15. Attend meetings with relevant managers as required to discuss issues relating to policy, strategy and performance.

16. Ensure managers are aware of any issues of concern and liaise with the Agency Decision Maker.