Independent Fostering Panel Chair/Vice Panel Chair

FOSTER CARE ASSOCIATES (THE FCA)

Independent Fostering Panel Chair and Vice Panel Chair (Social Workers preferable)

Panel Locations: Milton Keynes, Bucks

Panel Rates of Pay: 

Panel Chair: £350 per panel attended, inclusive of reading & travel time

Vice Panel Chair:  £300 (when sitting as a panel member) per panel attended, inclusive of reading & travel time

Panel Frequency: Monthly

About Us

Set up by a former foster parent and former social worker in 1994, Foster Care Associates (FCA) is an established fostering agency, which forms part of the Polaris Community - one of the UK’s largest leading communities of children’s service providers.

Today, we’re one of the country’s largest and most experienced independent fostering agencies. But just because we’re large doesn’t mean we’re impersonal. At FCA we’re one big family, and we’re committed to supporting every single child and foster parent, every single minute of the day.

Many who enter our care have experienced a disrupted childhood and our aim is to break this cycle and provide more stability. We do this by carefully matching the right foster parents to the right children, and making sure we’re always on hand with support, guidance and help.

Our expertise helps ensure more successful placements – and that’s exactly the sort of continuity we want. This commitment is spelt out in our mission which is to ‘provide positive and stable family environments for the children and young people placed with our carers and ensure that, with the support of our carers, they can thrive emotionally and academically’.

We have an exciting opportunity for you join our team as an Independent Panel Chair or Vice Panel Chair. 

To complement our existing skill set, and to ensure we have well rounded panels for the benefit of those we look after, we are interested to hear from candidates with direct care experience, education, experience of being a foster parent or adopter/adoptee, or a background with the Police, Education, Health, Law or Social Work/Social care sectors.

What does a Fostering Panel Do?

• We consider applications for approval and recommend whether or not a person is suitable to be approved as a foster parent
• We monitor and advise on the procedures for undertaking reviews of foster parents
• We make recommendations on other matters relating to fostering regulations
• We hold bi-annual panel business meetings.

Independent Panel Member’s Responsibilities:

• To attend and participate in Panel meetings in accordance with the regulations, policies and procedures of FCA, helping to determine the most appropriate outcomes for prospective Foster Parent applications.

• To prepare for Panel meetings, reading Panel papers carefully, identifying key issues and alerting the chair as appropriate.
• To contribute to the Panel’s consideration of cases and to the making of clear and well evidenced recommendations.
• To ensure that all those attending Panel are treated with respect and courtesy.
• To address diversity issues and promote anti-discriminatory practice at all times.
• To ensure that issues of concern, in relation both to individual cases and to more general matters are raised as appropriate.
• To safeguard the confidentiality of all Panel papers and Panel discussions. 

Independent Panel Chair responsibilities:

• Chair panel meetings, ensuring that all items of business are covered and that the panel operates in accordance with regulations and the policies and procedures of the agency.
• Prepare for panel meetings, reading panel papers carefully, identifying key issues and alerting the agency adviser if necessary to ensure, as far as possible, that the case is adequate for submission to panel.
• Attend quarterly quality assurance meetings with the management team.
• Offer and participate in consultation regarding service delivery and the development of the agency.
• Maintain confidentiality and panel documents and panel discussions.
• Maintain oversight of panel items with a view to ensuring high standards of practice and adherence to regulatory timescales.
• In conjunction with the Agency Panel advisor, conduct Panel members annual appraisals    

What we offer:

• Full induction
• Annual training, On-line training and Development Days
• Annual Appraisal of Independent Panel Chair and Vice Panel Chair
• Panel Chair £350 per day, inclusive of reading time
• Panel Vice Chair £300 per day, inclusive of reading time

For an informal discussion about this post please contact, Lisa Turney– Fostering Service Manager on 01296 628300.

To be considered for this position please submit an application and we will be in touch.

The successful candidate will be required to complete an enhanced DBS Check, cost of which will be met by FCA. 

FCA is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates.