Thinking of joining a fostering panel? Information for prospective new fostering panel members in England If you are thinking about joining, or are about to join, a fostering panel, then you may find this leaflet helpful. It provides an introduction to the role and remit of a fostering panel; it tells you about panel membership and practice and it gives advice on many of the things you need to consider when you join. Comments and advice are provided by new and experienced panel members.
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Thinking of Joining a Fostering Panel 2019 - Team Fostering: Your Local … · improve practice in your own agency. (INDEPENDENT PANEL MEMBER) 3 What does a panel do? Fostering panels
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Thinking of joining a fostering panel?
Information for prospective new fostering panel members in England
The satisfactions are about helping to maintain quality services for children and striving to act as their “voice” when making recommendations about foster carers. (INDEPENDENTPANELMEMBER)
2 Whyjoinapanel?Here’swhatsomepeoplehadtosay.
To make a difference to the lives of children and young people. (MEMBEROFFOSTERINGANDADOPTIONPANEL)
Joining a panel is a great way to keep up-to-date with practice changes and helps prevent you being “insular” in relation to the agency you work for by giving insight into how another organisation works, and so can feed back to improve practice in your own agency. (INDEPENDENTPANELMEMBER)
Whether foster carers, following an annual review of approval, should continue to be approved as foster carers.Eachfostercarerisrequiredbyregulationtohavetheirapprovalreviewedonanannualbasis.Thepanelconsidersthefirstannualreviewandanyotherthatthefosteringservicedecidestobringtothepanel.Thepanelwillbepresentedwithreportsandcommentsfromarangeofsources,thatmightincludethesupervisingsocialworker(thefostercarer’sworker);thefostercarers;fosteredchildrenandyoungpeople;socialworkersforthechildrenwhohavebeeninplacement;otherhouseholdmembers,includingbirthchildrenofthefostercarers;otherprofessionals;andchildren’sparentsandbirthfamily.Therewillalsousuallybeareportfromapersonwhohaschairedthereview,witharecommendationastowhetherthefostercarershouldcontinuetobeapproved,andwhethertheapprovalstatusshouldremainthesameorbechanged.CoramBAAFFormFRisdesignedforfosteringservicesthatwishtoundertakein-depthhighqualityfostercarerreviews.
Whether family members or friends should be approved as foster carers for specific children.Whereachildcannolongercontinuetolivewiththeirparent(s),thelocalauthorityhasadutyto
Amount of work.Inadditiontopanelmeetings,youneedtobeabletosetasidesufficienttimetoreadthepaperspreparedforpanel.Thepaperworkisconsiderable.Youwillalsoneedtosetasidetimeforappraisals,trainingdaysandotherrequirements.
Commitment to equality and diversity. Thefosteringserviceshouldhaveanequalityanddiversitypolicyandthiswillunderpintheworkofthepanel.Itisimportantthatyouareawareofyourownattitudesandprejudicesandthatyouarepreparedtolearnandbechallengedifnecessary.Youwillcomeacrossmanykindsoffamiliesincludingmarriedorunmarriedcouples,whetherheterosexualorlesbianorgay,andsinglepeople.Somepeoplemaybedisabled.Youwillalsoconsiderchildrenandfamiliesfromarangeofcultures,religionsandethnicities.Manyofthechildrenhavecomplexneeds.Trainingdaysondiversityareoftenprovidedforpanelmembersandtheseareusefularenasforlearningandreflectingonanti-discriminatoryandchild-centredpractice.
Observe a panel before you join.Thisgivesyouanindicationofhowthepaneloperates,thesortsofquestionsthatareasked,andtheframeworkforreachingarecommendation.Someofthebestpanelmembersbegincautiously,takingthetimetofullyunderstandhowthingsworkbeforeachievingfullparticipation.
Note anything you do not understandorarewonderingaboutasyoureadthepapers.If,afterreadingthedocuments,yourequirefurtherinformationorclarification,usethisasabasisforyourquestion.Itisperfectlyacceptabletoaskverybasicquestions.Often,asanewpanelmembertherewillbetimeswhenyouneedthisclarification,andthiswillbeacceptedbyyourcolleaguesonthepanel.
Make a checklistofthethingsyouwouldexpecttoseeinthereportsandkeepthisbyyou.Yourpanelmayprovideasheetonwhichthereareanumberofheadingsandwhereyoucanmakenotesofthiskind,andonewillbesuppliedforeachcase.
Refer to the headingsineachsectionofthereport.Theywillindicatewhatisexpected.Considerwhethertheworkhasaddressedtheseinfull.Isthereaclearanalysisofthereasonsfortheirrecommendation,andisitsupportedbyevidence?
The satisfaction is in being able to contribute to making a difference to the lives of children and young people. (PANELMEMBER)
Memoriesofpeople’sfirstpanel…Tremendous satisfaction that I got through the first panel without making any glaring errors! How welcoming other panel members were. What an important and onerous role panel plays in the lives of children and young people. How much I enjoyed it! (PANELMEMBER)
Somethingstothinkabout…Do I have time to do the preparatory reading? Do I have time to attend the panel on a regular basis? Do I have time to attend panel training? Do I really have the commitment to be a panel member? Do I have the confidence to contribute to panel discussions? (PANELMEMBER)
The main thing to think about is that it isn’t just the panel meetings but the mountains of paperwork involved. Have you the time and stamina to read through them all and be properly prepared? (PANELMEMBER)
Andfinally…If you really care about children and young people and have an overwhelming interest in being a panel member – then go for it!(PANELMEMBER)
Family and friends/kinship care/connected personsThisreferstocareprovidedbyfamilymembersorfriendsforachildwhocannotlivewiththeirparent(s).Somefamilyandfriends/kinshipcarearrangementsareinformalonesmadebetweenthefamilyorfriendandtheparent(s).Othersarearrangementsmadeforchildrenwhoareincareandwouldotherwisebeplacedwithapprovedfostercarers.
Form CThisCoramBAAFdocumentisthereportoftheassessmentforprospectivefamilyandfriendsfostercarers.
Form FThisCoramBAAFdocumentisthereportoftheassessmentofprospectivefostercarers.Itisaveryimportantdocument,representingacomprehensiveassessmentofapplicants’suitabilitytobecomefostercarers.TheFormFiscirculatedtopanelmembersinadvanceoftheirconsiderationofapproval.
Form FRThisisthesetofformsthatCoramBAAFhasdevelopedtoundertakefostercarerreviews.
Independent Review Mechanism for FosteringThisisareviewprocessconductedbyanindependentreviewpanel.Itisopentofostercareapplicantsorapprovedfostercarerswhereadeterminationhasbeenmadethattheyarenotsuitabletofosterornolongersuitable.Thepanelconsidersthecaseandgivesafreshrecommendationtotheserviceforconsideration.
Parent and child foster careWhereachildissubjecttocareproceedings,thecourtmayrequestaresidentialparentingassessmentandthiscanbeundertakeninafosterhome.Fostercarerscanprovideanarrangementorplacementfortheparentandchild(usuallyababy),offersupportandguidancetotheparent,andarepartoftheassessmentprocess.Carersshouldbespeciallytrainedandsupportedtocarryoutthiswork.
Short break careShortbreakcareisaservicedesignedtosupportchildrenwithintheirownfamilies.Shortbreakcarersproviderespiteplacementsforchildrenatregularintervals,forexample,oneweekendeachmonthoraweekatatimeduringschoolholidays.Someshortbreakcareservicesaredesignedspecificallyfordisabledchildren.Othersincludeprovidingrespiteforfull-timefostercarers.Thisserviceissometimesreferredtoasrespitefostering.
Special guardianshipThisisanorderintroducedbytheAdoptionandChildrenAct2002(EnglandandWales),offeringanalternativelegalstatusforchildren.Itgivesaspecialguardianparentalresponsibilityforachildwhichheorshecanexercisetotheexclusionofothers.Thebirthparentretainsparentalresponsibilityandthechildisnotlookedafterbythelocalauthority.Supportservices,includingfinancialsupport,aresimilartothoseforadoptivefamilies.
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THINKINGOFJOININGAFOSTERINGPANEL?
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THINKING OF JOINING A FOSTERING PANEL?
Effective Fostering Panels: Guidance for local authorities, fostering agencies and panel members in EnglandSarahBorthwickwithJeniferLordFosteringpanelshaveacrucialroletoplayintheprovisionandmonitoringoffostercare.Thisguidebringstogetherthekeymessagesinregulations,standardsandinspectionsaboutfosteringpanelsformembersofpanelsaswellasfostercarers,managersandworkersinfosteringagencies.Itoffersgoodpracticepointstoagenciesintheoperationofeffectivepanelsandisapplicabletoallfosteringserviceproviders.
Thinking about fostering?HenriettaBondThisguideexplainswhatfosteringmeansandhowtogoaboutit,coveringthekindsofchildrenneedingtobefosteredandwhy;thereasonswhypeoplefoster;whatsortofpeoplefosteringagenciesarelookingfor;andthelegalaspectsandremuneration.
Effective Adoption and Fostering Panels in ScotlandMarjorieMorrisonThisistheonlycomprehensiveguideonadoptionandfosteringpanelsinScotland,andavaluableresourceforsocialworkersandpanelmembers.Coveringtherolesandresponsibilitiesofpanelmembers,thelegislationinvolvedandadviceonhowpanelscanimprovetheirwork,thisbookisidealforallnewandexistingpanelmembers.
Undertaking a Fostering Assessment – EnglandRogerChapmanThisguideisdesignedtohelpsocialworkerstoplanandcarryoutacomprehensiveandevidence-basedassessmentofprospectivefostercarers,usingtheCoramBAAFFormF(forEngland).Theguideprovidesassistanceincollectingtheinformationandconsidersbestpractice.
Undertaking a Foster Carer ReviewPaulAdamsThisguideisdesignedtohelpsocialworkerstoplanandcarryoutacomprehensiveandevidence-basedreviewoffostercarers,usingtheCoramBAAFFormFR(England).Theguideprovidesassistanceincollectingtheinformationandconsidersbestpractice.
Undertaking a Connected Person/Family and Friends AssessmentPaulAdamsThisguideisdesignedtohelpsocialworkerstoplanandcarryoutacomprehensiveandevidence-basedassessmentofconnectedpeople/familyandfriendswhowishtofosterorbespecialguardianstoaknownchild/children.ItisdesignedtobeusedwiththeCoramBAAFFormC(forEngland).
To order, contact CoramBAAF Publications on 020 7520 7517 or visit www.corambaaf.org.uk/bookshop
Usefulreading
THINKINGOFJOININGAFOSTERINGPANEL?
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Written by Pat BeesleyPatBeesleyisanexperiencedsocialworkerandmanagerinfosteringandadoption.Shehastrainedfosteringandadoptionstaffandpanelmembers.Shealsochairsafosteringpanel.