3.8.1 Fostering Panel |
AMENDMENTS
This chapter was significantly amended in August 2011 to reflect the changes in the Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011, Associated Guidance and National Minimum Standards and should be read in its entirety.
Contents
1. Introduction
This document sets out the remit, terms of reference and some of the procedures for the Fostering Panel of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The complete procedures can be found in the separate volume “Fostering Panel Procedures”.
The Panel composition sets out to reflect the community that it serves and aims to operate in a way that promotes equal opportunities and anti discriminatory practices.
The Panel is established firstly because of a legislative need but also as the basis for good decision-making and practice in this important area of children and families social work. The primary responsibility of the Panel is to act in the best interests of children and young people placed in foster care by the authority.
The following sets out to establish a clear and understandable guide to the Fostering Panel and its work.
2. Regulations and Standards
The work of the Fostering Panel is governed by:
3. Time of Meetings and Distribution of Papers
The Fostering Panel convenes on the 3rd Monday of each month normally between 2.00 PM and 5.00 PM in Committee Room 5. Panel papers should be ready for distribution two Fridays before the Panel Monday (6 working days inclusive) allowing up to 6 reading days. See Appendix 1: Fostering Panel Administrative Flow Chart for the Administrative Flow Chart.
4. Membership
There is no fixed panel membership or maximum number of members or maximum tenure of office.
The membership must be drawn from a Central List of persons with the appropriate qualification and/pr experience including one or more social workers who have at least three years' relevant post-qualifying experience.
The chair will be appointed by the Designated Manager (Fostering Panel Appointments) and will be a senior manager with responsibility for the fostering service or an independent person. (As from 1st October 2011 and Independent Chair must be appointed.)
The Designated Manager must also appoint up to two Vice Chair's whose role is to chair the panel when the chair is unavailable.
5. Fostering Panel Recommendations and Decision Maker
5.1 Recommendations
The Fostering Panel will make recommendations to an Agency Decision Maker following careful examination of each case presented to it.
The Fostering Panel should try to come to a consensus about any recommendation that it will make to the Decision Maker. Where it is not possible to reach a consensus the Chair or Vice Chair reporting to the decision maker should notify the Decision Maker on the Recommendation Form.
In cases where there is a serious disagreement about a matter being recommended then the name of the person/s disagreeing with the recommendation shall have their name/s recorded on the minutes as in disagreement. This should only happen in the most serious of cases, for instance a recommendation to de-register or not. More minor matters do not need to be recorded in this way, for instance a disagreement about the age range a carer is approved for.
Where a consensus is unable to be reached between Panel Members the Decision Maker will be informed about this in the way outlined above. The Decision Maker will then make his/her decision seeking any other information as required and from whom as necessary.
The Fostering Panel will be informed by the Chair or Vice Chair of any disagreement by the Decision Maker from a Fostering Panel recommendation at the next Fostering Panel meeting. The Fostering Panel Business Support Officer will record this on the Minutes of the Meeting at which the recommendation was made and in the subsequent minutes.
5.2 Decision Maker
The Head of Service will act as the Agency Decision Maker/Designated Manager (Foster Carer Approval) for the recommendations made to him or her by the Fostering Panel.
It is the responsibility of the Fostering Panel Business Support Officer to inform the Decision Maker of the Fostering Panel recommendations using the Recommendation Form FPRec. This will be sent to the Agency Decision Maker(Adoption)/Designated Manager (Foster Carer Approval) with draft letters so that they can be returned and sent to the relevant foster carer or agency within 7 days.
6. Advisers to the Fostering Panel
The Fostering Team Manager and in his or her absence the Fostering Team Senior Social Worker will act as an adviser to the Panel on issues of regulation and good practice. The adviser will not act as a full recommending member of the Panel but may be consulted by the Head of Service in his or her decision-making.
Other specialist advice or consultation will be sought as required by the Fostering Panel. Other specialist advisers or consultants may be invited to attend the Panel as temporary non-recommending members. In the case of recommendations for de-registration or serious disputes a legal adviser should be invited to attend the Panel to give advice to the Fostering Panel on any recommendation it may wish to make to the Decision Maker.
A representative from the legal section should be invited to panels where disputed de-registrations are being heard. Reports may also be sent to them in any other case where legal advise is required.
Five members must be present including:
- Chair or Vice Chair;
- 1 RBKC SW with at least three years post qualifying experience;
- 2 Independent members.
See Appendix 2: Fostering Panel Membership for the Panel composition
8. New Members
Fostering Panel composition should reflect the community that it serves. Those new members on the Central List to the Panel should be recruited from a broad range of people with vacancies advertised where possible to enable a reasonable cross section of applicants. 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.
Those new to the Central List should be interviewed by one of the Panel Chair/Vice Chair/Head of Service Care Resources and the Panel Adviser to ascertain suitability. References should be sought from 2 independent sources and the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) using the appropriate forms contained in the Fostering Panel Procedures Manual.
All those on the Central List must have a current Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check (renewable 3 yearly). These CRB checks should be kept up to date and recorded, including the date when the checks were made. Fostering Panel Members must notify the Head of Service at the first available opportunity if they are arrested on any matter during their time of service on the Fostering Panel.
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
9. Confidentiality
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.
The work undertaken by the Fostering Panel is of a highly confidential nature. All non Departmental Members should sign a Confidentiality Agreement. See Form in the Fostering Panel Procedures Manual.
The Fostering Panel Business Support Officer will maintain a secure file of documentation relating to Fostering Panel Members.
10. Payments to Panel Members/Chair
Panel Members who are not allowed paid time from their employer to attend Fostering Panel can claim payment for attending Panel as follows.
10.1 Payments
An Annual Allowance of £1200.00 for 2004/05
10.2 Expenses
All travel costs
Child Care Costs (Maximum 7 hours)
Current payment/expenses rates and claim forms are set out in Appendix 3: Payment and Expenses Rates and Appendix 4: Payment and Expenses Claim Form
11. Functions of the Fostering Panel
11.1 Functions Defined by Regulation
In summary the Functions of the Fostering Panel are:
- To consider applications for approval and recommend suitability of applicants;
- To recommend the terms of approval for those recommended to be foster carers;
- To recommend continuing suitability and the appropriateness of the terms of approval on the first Annual Review or on any occasion that the Fostering Panel is asked to do so in accordance with the Fostering Service Regulations 2011;
- Referrals to the Independent Review Mechanism.
And also
- To advise on Annual Review procedures;
- To periodically Monitor the procedures and the reviews;
- Oversee the conduct of assessments;
- Give advice and make recommendations on other matters referred to the Fostering Panel by the fostering service provider.
11.2 Functions Required by RBKC
- Extensions to Fostering Approval
When an extension to a foster carers approval has been agreed in an emergency by the Panel Vice Chair or the Care Resources Head of Service, the Fostering Panel members will be supplied with the Extension Report at the next available Panel.
See Appendix 5: Extension Form for an example of the Extension Form;
- Placements up to 3 months
In these cases Fostering Panel only need to be informed of the extension. The Fostering Panel may request further information and the appearance of the Supervising Social Worker if it considers this necessary at the next Panel but this will only occur in exceptional circumstances, e.g. the Fostering Panel has a genuine concern that a child’s welfare will be compromised by the extension arrangement. Such cases should in the first case be put on the Fostering Panel Agenda as Information Only;
- Placements of more than 3 months
If an extension is to continue for more than 3 months the supervising social worker should book a Panel slot and present to Panel so that Panel can give its agreement to the arrangement.
11.3 Agreement of RBKC Placements with Independent Fostering Agencies
When a placement is made with an Independent Fostering Agency the Fostering Panel should be informed as soon as possible.
- IFA Placements of less than 3 months
See Section 14, Presentation of Reports to Fostering Panel for reports and attendees;
- IFA Placements of more than 3 months.
If the placement is continuing at the time of presentation then the Fostering Panel should give its consent to the matching of child to carer. It is no longer necessary or possible to approve the IFA foster carer.
See Section 14, Presentation of Reports to Fostering Panel for reports and attendees.
11.4 Agreement of Suitability of Private Fostering Arrangements
Also See Section 2, Notifications to the Local Authority of Preventive Services, Private Fostering Procedure
12. Annual Reviews
Foster carers are required to have an Annual Review of their Fostering work. Fostering Services Regulations 2011.
12.1 Short Term Foster Carers
The following Reviews must be presented to Panel:
- The first Review following approval;
- Any Review following an allegation, complaint or serious concern investigation;
- Significant changes in household that affect fostering approval e.g. change of address, changes to bedroom No.s and size, criminal convictions, additional member of household incl. new partner;
- Where there is a request for an additional placement;
- Disputed review recommendations or conclusions;
- Any review requested by the fostering provider.
The following Annual Reviews do not need to be presented to Panel
- No change reviews;
- Non-significant changes e.g. amendments to age range approval due to a carers own children increasing in age;
- Non significant reduction in approvals e.g. carer wishes to reduce number of children they are approved to care for.
These reviews must on completion be given to the Fostering Team Manager for agreement and are signed off by the Head of Service for Care Resources.
12.2 Annual Reviews for Permanent (Long-term) Foster Carers
Foster carers who have long-term placements only should have the annual reviews that need to be presented to a Panel presented to the Adoption Panel.
Foster carers who have both long term and short term foster placements should following confirmation of the permanency arrangement at the Adoption Panel have their next Annual Review presented to the Adoption Panel. All subsequent Panel reviews should go to the Fostering Panel.
13. Presentation of Reports to Fostering Panel
In this section the Reports and Formats required by the Fostering Panel are set out together with who should attend the Panel to present them.
Approvals
- Fee Paid Foster Carers;
- Regulation 24 Carers;
- Kinship Foster Carers.
Annual Reviews
- Fee Paid Foster Carers;
- Kinship Foster Carers;
- Annual Report.
13.1 Approvals
| a. | Fee Paid; Format:
Attendees: Assessing FPU Social Worker and Prospective Foster Carer (Compulsory); |
| b. | Regulation 24 - These assessments do not need to be presented to Fostering Panel but must be agreed by the Head of Service North or Central and South within the 16 week period allowed. Also see LAC Procedures: Guidance for Placement of LAC with a Connected Person on the RBKC Intranet; Format:
Attendees: Assessing FPU Social Worker, Child’s Social Worker, Prospective Foster Carer (Optional); |
| c. | Kinship Foster Carer – These cases must be presented to Fostering Panel. Also see LAC Procedures as b) Regulation 24 above. Format:
Attendees: Assessing FPU Social Worker, Child’s Social Worker, Prospective Foster Carer (Compulsory). |
13.2 Annual Reviews
Annual reviews are required for all fee paid and kinship foster carers. The same formats are used regardless of type.
Format:
- Annual Review Form Parts A B and C;
- Foster Carers Feedback Form;
- Foster Carers Children Feedback Form;
- Fostered Child’s Feedback Form;
- Parents Feedback Form;
- Social Workers Feedback Form.
Attendees: Family Placement Quality Assurance Officer, Supervising Social Worker (For any significant change or allegations/complaints Annual Reviews) Foster Carer (Optional)
13.3 Extensions to Approval
| 1. | For Placements up to 3 Months: Format:
Attendees: None – (occasional attendance may be required by supervising social workers in complex cases); |
| 2. | For Extensions of more than 3 Months, or up to 3 Months where more detail has been requested by Panel: Format:
|
13.4 Independent Fostering Agency Placements
| a. | For Placements of less than 3 Months: Format:
|
| b. | For Placements of more than 3 Months: Format:
Attendees: Fostering Social Worker, Locality Social Worker, IFA Supervising Social Worker, IFA Foster Carer (Optional). |
13.5 Resignations, Terminations and De-registration
The Fostering Panel must be notified through Annual Review Reports or a Resignation Report written by the supervising social worker of all resignations. The regulations require that foster carers should give at least 1 months written notice of their intention to resign and a copy of the letter should accompany any review or report to Panel.
Format:
- Resignation and Termination Report (Headings to be Confirmed);
- Resignation Letter.
Attendees: Supervising Social Worker (May be required for complex cases or where the carer elects to attend). Foster Carer (Optional).
13.6 Annual Reports
Two annual Reports will be provided for the Fostering Panel:
| 1. | Management information about the outcome of Annual Reviews - presented by the Family Placement Quality Assurance Officer; |
| 2. | Work carried out by Fostering Panel and the Fostering Team during the year including:
|
This report will be presented by the Fostering Team Manager and a copy also be sent to the Oversight and Scrutiny Committee (OSC).
Both reports should be presented to the Fostering Panel in May of the following year to which the report relates.
14. Prospective and Approved Foster Carers Panel Attendance
Foster carers should be made aware by their assessing or supervising social worker of all occasions when a report about them is to be presented to the Fostering Panel. They should be invited by the social worker to attend. The social worker should prepare the applicant for attendance giving details of:
- Location;
- Description of room and layout;
- Membership of Panel;
- Panel processes e.g. function of Chair, Panels recommending role and the role of the Decision Maker;
- Potential questions that may be asked of the prospective carer;
- Preparation of questions the prospective carer may have of Panel or comments they may wish to make.
The Royal Borough requires all prospective fee paid foster carers to attend the initial Panel. Fee paid foster carers should also attend the first Annual Review presentation at Panel and then be invited to attend subsequent Panels though attendance at these is not required.
Prospective kinship foster carers for specific children should also be invited to attend by the assessing social worker but this is not a requirement either for approval or Annual Reviews.
15. Management Information
Once the Decision Maker has concluded the recommendations of the Fostering Panel, the Fostering Panel Business Support Officer will enter details of the approvals and de-registrations on the respective spread sheet or data collection format. Currently (Jan 2003) these are Excel Spread sheets:
- Approvals;
- De-registrations;
- IFA approvals;
- Other Panel Work.
16. Fostering Panel Minutes
The Fostering Panel Business Support Officer will record the minutes of each Fostering Panel. These will usually be written in draft form within 3 working days of the Fostering Panel. On completion of the draft they are sent to the:
- Chair;
- Vice Chair;
- Panel Advisor.
They should be returned with corrections within 10 working days to the Fostering Panel Business Support Officer who will send the revised copy to all Panel Members and the Decision Maker. The Fostering Panel will then agree the minutes at the next meeting and a copy of final version will be sent to the Decision Maker.
The Fostering Panel Business Support Officer is responsible for compiling a hard copy record of the Minutes and Reports that should be maintained in a lever arch file.
The Chair or Vice Chair should sign off the approved final copy of the minutes using The Minutes Signing Off Form.
17. Notification of Decisions
The Fostering Panel Business Support Officer should on receipt of the outcome of the Decision Makers deliberations draft appropriate letters.
Letter Formats:
- FP1 Approval of a new foster carer;
- FP2 Non approval of new foster carer;
- FP3 Annual Review Decision (if case presented to Fostering Panel);
- FP4 Resignation Letter;
- FP5 Termination Letter;
- FP6 Letter to carers local authority;
- FP7 Extension of Approval.
The draft letters are then sent to the Decision Maker to sign (except FP6) and are returned to the Fostering Panel Business Support Officer for distribution to the addressee along with a copy of the relevant section of the minutes.
The Fostering Panel Business Support Officer gives a copy of the letter and when agreed the relevant minutes to the Supervising Social Worker for placement on the foster carer’s file and distribution to the foster carer. The Supervising Social Worker should check the minutes for third party information and check with the third party (except Panel Members and Departmental staff) whether they agree that the information can be shared with the foster carer. Any discussion should be confirmed in writing. The letter should be placed in the correspondence section and the Panel minutes attached to the relevant report and a copy given to the foster carer by the Supervising Social Worker.
If a social worker or foster carer wishes to amend the minutes they should notify the Panel Business Support Officer in writing and the Panel Business Support Officer will raise the matter at the next available Panel.
18. Appeals
If a foster carer wishes to appeal against a decision made by the Decision Maker they should within 28 days of receipt of the written notice send a written notice of their own to the Director for Family Services outlining the reasons for their appeal. The address for correspondence is:
Director
Family Services
Rm. 248A
Town Hall
Hornton St.
London
W8 7NX
Or Email: socmmg@rbkc.gov.uk
The Director may ask the Fostering Panel to re-consider at the next available Panel its previous recommendation in the light of the appeal and any new information supplied. The appealing foster carer may attend any subsequent Panel considering the case.
The Fostering Panel will then make a recommendation to the Director for a final decision on the matter.
19. Panel Training and Development
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.
Appendix 1: Fostering Panel Administrative Flow Chart
| 2 WEEKS PRIOR TO PANEL DEADLINE
Reports all in from Social Workers with front sheets Draft agenda Start photocopying reports |
 |
| WEEK FOLLOWING DEADLINE
Agenda typed and agreed with Fostering Manager All reports collated Once agenda agreed reports placed in files |
|
| FRIDAY - ONE WEEK BEFORE PANEL
Mail out documents to Panel attendees using the blue envelopes N.B. Include Alistair Pettigrew |
|
| MONDAY - ONE WEEK BEFORE PANEL
Order Refreshments |
|
| DAY OF PANEL
'Panel Kit' includes: Name plates for Panel attendees Note pad and pen Telephone numbers for Social Workers attending Panel Foster Panel Recommendation Form List of Apologies |
|
| AFTER PANEL
Collect all the green files and sealed envelopes and deliver back to the office for shredding Send out Recommendations from previous minutes to Social Workers presenting Type up and send out recommendation letters Update outstanding actions Inform Fostering Clerk of changes/new approvals Type up minutes |
Appendix 2: Fostering Panel Membership
| No. | Panel Post | Designation | Name | Panel Member Date | Term No. |
| 1 | Chair | Independent | Frankie Merz | ||
| 2 | Vice Chair | Team Manager | Tim O’Neill | ||
| 3 | RBKC SW CC | SW Lad. North | Michelle Roberts | ||
| 4 | RBKC SW Fos Expert | CR Head of Service | John Page | ||
| 5 | Ind Member | Foster Carer | Brenda Walkington | ||
| 6 | Ind Member | LA Experience | Shally Gadhoke | ||
| 7 | Ind Member | Fam. Centre. Man. | Esther Munro | ||
| 8 | Ind Member | Clinical Psychologist | Barbara Daniel | ||
| 9 | Member | Residential | Donald Thomas | ||
| 10 | Elected Member | Councillor | Councillor Buxton | 07.07.03 | 1 |
| No. | Panel Post | Designation | Name |
| 1 | Decision Maker | Head of Service (Acting) | Richard Holden |
| 2 | Adviser | Fostering Team Manager | Martin Fry |
| 3 | Minute Taker | FPU Admin Officer | Jeni Ingram |
Appendix 3: Payment and Expenses Rates
To follow
Appendix 4: Payment and Expenses Claim Form
To follow
Appendix 5: Extension Form
To follow
End