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282 <h2>
282 Fostering Panel
282 </h2>
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287 <div id="scope_box">
288 <h3>
288 SCOPE OF THIS CHAPTER
288 </h3>
289 <p>
289 This chapter explains the membership, purpose, functions and arrangements for meetings of the
Fostering Panel.
289 </p>
290 <h3>
290 AMENDMENT
290 </h3>
291 <p>
291 This chapter was reviewed in April 2017 and slightly amended by Bexley to reflect local procedure.
291 </p>
292 </div>
293 <div id="sections">
295 <h3 id="sections_list">
295 Contents
295 </h3>
296 <ol>
297 <li>
297 <a href="#purp_func">
297 Purpose and Function
297 </a>
297 </li>
298 <li>
298 <a href="#membership">
298 Membership
298 </a>
298 </li>
299 <li>
299 <a href="#meetings">
299 Meetings
299 </a>
299 </li>
300 </ol>
301 <h3 id="purp_func">
301 1. Purpose and Function
301 </h3>
302 <p>
302 The Fostering Panel monitors the range and type of foster carers available to the local authority
in comparison with the needs of children, and plays a key role in the improvement of standards
within the fostering service.
302 </p>
303 <p>
303 As part of this function, the Panel oversees the conduct of assessments and annual reviews of
approved foster carers, advises on any relevant matters in relation to the fostering service and
makes recommendations to Children's Services about quality issues and performance standards.
303 </p>
304 <p>
304 In particular, the Panel makes recommendations as to the following:
304 </p>
305 <ol style="list-style-type:lower-alpha">
306 <li>
306 The suitability of applicants to act as foster carers and terms of their approval (including
Connected Persons);
306 </li>
307 <li>
307 Exemptions from the limit to the number of children placed with foster carers;
307 </li>
308 <li>
308 The continued suitability of the foster carers and whether the terms of the approval remain
appropriate (after the first annual review of foster carers and any other review where
significant changes or termination of approval is recommended - see
308 <a href="p_review_fos_care.html">
308 Review and Termination of Approval of Foster Carers Procedure
308 </a>
308 );
308 </li>
309 <li>
309 Any other special mattes relevant to a foster carer which the Chair of the Panel considers
appropriate to be referred;
309 </li>
310 <li>
310 Referrals to the Independent Review Mechanism - see
310 <a href="p_ass_app_fost.html#representations_review">
310 Assessment and Approvals of Foster Carers Procedure, Representations / Independent Review
Procedure
310 </a>
310 .
310 </li>
311 </ol>
312 <p>
312 The Panel will also receive and consider any representations challenging a decision not to approve
an applicant as suitable, or to terminate or revise the terms of a foster carer's approval - see
312 <a href="p_ass_app_fost.html#representations_review">
312 Assessment and Approvals of Foster Carers Procedure, Representations / Independent Review
Procedure
312 </a>
312 .
312 </p>
313 <p>
313 The Panel will receive annually the Fostering Service Manager's annual report on the Panel's
business, including statistical information about approvals, reviews, termination of approvals,
the number of children in placement and complaints received about foster carers during the
preceding year.
313 </p>
314 <p>
314 The Chair will communicate any issues of concern to the Fostering Service Manager and take part in
quarterly meetings with him or her and the Vice Chair to review the Panel's functioning and report
on the quality of work being presented to Panel, to ensure good standards are maintained.
314 </p>
315 <p>
315 At the quarterly meetings, the Panel Administrator will provide statistical information in
relation to the Panel business, together with information on the numbers of foster carers used by
the local authority and the number of children looked after by the local authority. This will
enable an appraisal of the extent to which the fostering service is meeting the demand for
placements.
315 </p>
316 <h3 id="membership">
316 2. Membership
316 </h3>
317 <p>
317 There is no fixed panel membership or maximum number of members or maximum tenure of office.
317 </p>
318 <p>
318 The membership must be drawn from a Central List of persons with the appropriate qualifications
and/or experience, including one or more social workers who have at least three years' relevant
post-qualifying experience.
318 </p>
319 <p>
319 Where it is considered that someone is unsuitable to be on the Central List, they must be given
one months' notice in writing and reasons for the decision to end their inclusion on the list. The
Chair will be appointed by the Agency Decision Maker and an Independent Chair must be appointed.
319 </p>
320 <p>
320 The Designated Manager must also appoint up to two Vice Chairs, whose role is to chair the Panel
when the Chair is unavailable.
320 </p>
321 <p>
321 Reasonable expenses relating to attendance can be met, including travelling expenses and
childcare; there is an allowance for attending training sessions plus travel expenses.
321 </p>
322 <p>
322 All Panel members must have been the subjects of a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service
checks before taking up their appointment. These Disclosure and Barring Service checks should be
kept up to date and recorded, including the date when the checks were made. Personal and work
references will also be obtained in writing and must be satisfactory.
322 </p>
323 <p>
323 Each member must be provided with written information on appointment of their performance
objectives, including their participation in induction and other training and safeguarding the
confidentiality of records and information submitted to Panel. They will be asked to sign an
agreement with the fostering service, in relation to his or her membership, covering the service
expectations (including the requirement to report any involvement in criminal proceedings),
confidentiality issues and commitment to anti-discriminatory practice.
323 </p>
324 <p>
324 All Panel members will also be required to attend at least one Panel meeting as an observer before
taking up their membership. Panel members should complete induction training within 10 weeks of
joining the Central List, have access to appropriate training and skills development and have the
opportunity to attend joint training with fostering staff at least annually.
324 </p>
325 <p>
325 The quorum is 5 provided that the following are present:
325 </p>
326 <ol style="list-style-type:lower-roman">
327 <li>
327 Either the Chair or one of the Vice Chairs (in the absence of the chair). If the meeting is
conducted by the vice chair who is not independent, there must be at least one other member of
the panel who is independent;
327 </li>
328 <li>
328 One of the social worker representatives with at least three years post qualifying experience;
328 </li>
329 <li>
329 Three (or in the case of a joint panel, four) other members.
329 </li>
330 </ol>
331 <p>
331 Panel members may request any relevant information or assistance they require, including medical
or legal advice, from the fostering agency and, if so requested, this must be provided by the
fostering agency.
331 </p>
332 <p>
332 There must be a process for review of the performance of Panel members (including of the Panel
chair by the agency decision maker) and for the performance management of members. Where necessary
the termination of the appointment must be considered.
332 </p>
333 <p>
333 Where there are concerns about a Panel member's behaviour either inside or outside the meetings,
and this cannot be dealt with by advice, training and/or information, this will raised by the
Chair with the Designated Manager (Fostering Panel Appointments).
333 </p>
334 <p>
334 The Designated Manager will decide whether someone is unsuitable to be on the Central List and
therefore to end the appointment and if so, will advise the member in writing giving one
month's notice and clear reasons for the decision.
334 </p>
335 <p>
335 Panel members may resign by giving one month's notice to the Designated Manager (Fostering Panel
Appointments).
335 </p>
336 <h3 id="meetings">
336 3. Meetings
336 </h3>
337 <p>
337 The Panel Administrator, with the Chair's authority, will arrange additional special meetings as
necessary.
337 </p>
338 <p>
338 The Panel Administrator will arrange for the Legal Adviser to attend the Panel if required by the
Chair or by the worker presenting a report.
338 </p>
339 <p>
339 The Panel's Medical Adviser will provide medical advice on matters to be brought to the Panel, by
attendance at Panel meetings or where this is not possible by telephone or an exchange of
correspondence on individual cases in advance of the meeting as considered appropriate.
339 </p>
340 <p>
340 The Panel Administrator may arrange for observers to attend meetings, in consultation with the
Chair, but no more than 2 observers may attend at any one time.
340 </p>
341 <p>
341 The Panel welcomes the attendance of prospective foster carers at meetings during consideration of
their applications for approval. Applicants can attend with a supporter and 'be heard' at
fostering panel meetings that consider their approval - for the assessment and approval process in
more detail - see
341 <a href="p_ass_app_fost.html">
341 Assessment and Approvals of Foster Carers Procedure
341 </a>
341 .
341 </p>
342 <p>
342 The Panel Administrator, in consultation with the Chair, prepares the agenda for each meeting and
sends out the agenda to Panel members five working days before the meeting.
342 </p>
343 <p>
343 Those presenting reports to the Panel must send their reports to the Panel Administrator at least
10 working days before the date of the Panel. The Panel Administrator will arrange for the
documentation to be distributed to Panel members.
343 </p>
344 <p>
344 The Chair's role is to ensure that all members participate fully in the meetings (unless an
interest has been declared - see below) and that each member has an opportunity to raise questions
or offer comments on each matter considered, that sensitive regard is paid to foster carers while
keeping the child's welfare paramount, that consensus is achieved wherever possible and that the
Panel has clear reasons for its recommendations.
344 </p>
345 <p>
345 Where there is a serious difference of opinion among members, the Chair may ask for more
information to be made available to the Panel before a recommendation is made. Serious
reservations expressed by individual Panel members about a particular recommendation must be
recorded in the Panel minutes for consideration by the
345 <a href="files/sod_decision_making.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
345 Agency Decision Maker (Fostering)
345 </a>
345 .
345 </p>
346 <p>
346 At the end of meetings, the Panel Administrator will collect all reports and agenda from members
(for shredding). Panel members who are unable to attend meetings will be asked to return papers to
the Panel Administrator (for shredding) as soon as practicable.
346 </p>
347 <p>
347 The Panel Administrator will prepare the minutes in which reasons for recommendations and any
disagreements or dissent will be fully recorded.
347 </p>
348 <p>
348 S/he will send the minutes to the Chair for approval of their accuracy, and then submit them to
the Agency Decision Maker (Fostering) for approval of the recommendations made.
348 </p>
349 <p>
349 The assessing social worker/supervising social worker will also ensure that applicants, foster
carers and social workers are notified of Panel recommendations within one working day of the
Panel. The Panel Administrator will provide social workers with a copy of the relevant minute
after a decision has been made by the Agency Decision Maker.
349 </p>
350 <h4>
350 Conflicts of Interest
350 </h4>
351 <p>
351 Panel members should consider any conflicts of interest in relation to Panel agenda items. A
potential conflict arises if an interest may be seen to adversely affect a Panel member's capacity
to act without prejudice or preference in a matter.
351 </p>
352 <p>
352 It is anticipated that in many circumstances there may be professional knowledge of a case which
should be notified to the Chair but which will not affect a member's capacity to participate in
the Panel. In other circumstances there may be a personal interest or connection which would
require the Panel member to refrain from participation. It may be less clear in some cases when
advice should be sought.
352 </p>
353 <p>
353 In the case of a potential conflict of interest where advice is required, Panel members should
consult the Chair or Legal Adviser, giving as much advance notice as possible particularly having
regard to the implications for the quorum.
353 </p>
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