Fostering Panel Chair

The Methodist Church in Britain; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 34,000 - 48,000; Part time

Job summary

The Fostering Panel Chair runs the Fostering Panel at Leicester City Council, which scrutinises fostering assessments and reviews and recommends on foster carers' suitability. The chair leads meetings, checks draft minutes and takes part in recruiting and appraising panel members.

The role is a casual, part-time post of around six hours a week, with panels meeting in person fortnightly. Candidates need prior experience of sitting on a fostering panel.

Qualifications

• Experience of sitting on a fostering panel as a member, vice-chair or chair.
• Experience of chairing complex meetings with attending members.
• Personal or professional experience of children placed in foster care.
• Experience processing, summarising and analysing large volumes of complex information.
• Knowledge of fostering regulations and safeguarding principles.

Responsibilities

• Prepare for each meeting by reading papers and spotting key issues.
• Chair fortnightly Fostering Panel meetings and ensure policy compliance.
• Encourage contributions from attendees and promote anti-discriminatory practice.
• Check electronic draft minutes for clarity before circulation.
• Participate in recruitment, appointment and annual appraisal of panel members.
• Collaborate to develop and monitor fostering policies and procedures.

Skills

Fostering panel experience

Chairing meetings

Anti-discriminatory practice

Trauma-informed understanding

Interpersonal communication

Job description

The Fostering Panel Chair runs the Fostering Panel at Leicester City Council, which scrutinises fostering assessments and reviews and recommends on foster carers' suitability. The chair leads meetings, checks draft minutes and takes part in recruiting and appraising panel members. The role is a casual, part-time post of around six hours a week, with panels meeting in person fortnightly. Candidates need prior experience of sitting on a fostering panel.

What the job involves

• Prepare for each meeting by reading papers, spotting key issues and alerting the Panel Adviser to cases that are not ready
• Chair fortnightly Fostering Panel meetings, covering business and ensuring the panel follows regulations, policies and procedures
• Make sure all attendees contribute and are treated with respect, promoting anti-discriminatory practice and a strengths-based (Signs of Safety) approach
• Check electronic draft minutes for clarity and accuracy before they go to the Agency Decision Maker and the next meeting
• Take part in the recruitment, appointment and termination of panel members, and their annual appraisals
• Work with panel members, foster carers, managers and supervising social workers to develop and monitor fostering policies and procedures
• Produce the Chair's Report

What's required

Experience

• Experience of sitting on a fostering panel as a member, vice-chair or chair
• Experience of chairing complex meetings, including welcoming attendees and letting members explore concerns
• Personal or professional experience of children placed in foster families or cared for away from their birth family
• Experience of processing, summarising and analysing large volumes of complex and sometimes distressing information

Skills & knowledge

• Knowledge of fostering regulations as they relate to approving foster carers
• Appreciation of the effects of trauma, separation and loss on children
• Understanding of how to safeguard and promote children's welfare in foster care
• Excellent interpersonal, listening, oral and written communication
• Rigorous quality assurance and analytical skills
• Authority and competence to chair a panel within regulations, policies and procedures