Independent Adoption Panel Vice-Chair

Panel Locations: Virtual

Panel Rates of Pay: £500 per full-day panel attended (£250 per half-day) + travel expenses at 45p/mile

Adoption Panel Frequency: Monthly as standard on Thursday with potential panels to take through the year as required according to the agency’s volume of applications being brought to panel.

About Us

Adopters for Adoption is a national UK adoption agency, based in Worcestershire. The agency was set up to not only provide adoption services to those looking to become adoptive parents, but to also have a positive impact on the way those people are supported in the adoption process.

Panel Vice Chair’s Responsibilities

• To satisfy the requirements as outlined in Adopters for Adoption central list agreement.
• To ensure that the panel operates within the relevant law, regulation and guidance.
• To ensure that the panel operates within the policies of Adopters for Adoption.
• To prepare for each panel meeting by reading all panel papers carefully and critically.
• To chair meetings of the panel and to ensure that all those attending panel are treated with respect and courtesy.
• To respect at all times the confidential nature of the agency’s work.
• To address diversity issues and to promote anti-discriminatory practice at all times.
• To facilitate panel members to consider the information presented to them before making their recommendation, reaching a consensus wherever possible.
• To manage the process of identifying the questions which panel will explore with social workers and/or applicants and agreeing who will ask those questions.
• To meet with applicants prior to them joining the panel, to explain the process.
• To ensure that the panel is clear about the reasons for its recommendations and that these are recorded in the minutes.
• Where there is a split or contentious panel recommendation, to facilitate each panel member in turn to explain the reason for her/his views and to ensure that these are formally recorded in the minutes.
• To enable those attending panel to contribute effectively (e.g. enabling social workers to present their case in a constructive manner).
• To ensure that the minutes of the panel are accurate and are signed and returned to the agency in a timely manner.
• To attend meetings of the Independent Review Mechanism if required.
• To facilitate the panels in their role of monitoring the quality of work presented to the panel.
• To feedback any concerns about the management of cases through the appropriate departmental channels.
• To attend the quarterly review panel meetings to review the management and the functioning of the panel.
• To attend two panel training days each year and complete all mandatory training as identified by the agency.
• To keep abreast of current practice issues in adoption, fostering and other permanent placements and seek to promote best practice within the panel and the agency.
• To assist the agency to identify training needs within the panels and the agency.
• To take part in the interviewing of prospective panel members and advise the agency on appointments to the panels.
• To assist in the induction of new panel members.
• Together with the agency adviser, to undertake the annual review of the performance of panel members.
• To bring to the attention of the panel manager, situations in which panel members are not meeting the requirements of the central list agreement for panel members.

Requirements

• Experience, either professionally or personally or both, of the placement of children in adoptive/foster families and of children being cared for away from their birth family.
• Extensive experience of chairing child care meetings e.g. panels, child protection conferences.
• Sound understanding of the adoption and fostering process and relevant legislation, guidance, regulations, and standards.
• Knowledge of the importance of partnership in adoption and fostering practice.
• Understanding, knowledge, and experience relating to children and young people and their needs throughout their development.
• Understanding of the role of adoption and fostering in safeguarding children.
• Knowledge of couple relationships and relationships within wider networks.
• Authority and expertise to chair panels, ensuring that the business is covered and that the panel operates in accordance with regulations, guidance, and the policies and procedures of the agency.
• Ability to assist panels in the effective use of time.
• Ability to analyse and explain complex information.
• Ability to identify and summarise key issues clearly and succinctly.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to enable all participants to contribute effectively.
• Ability to monitor the performance of panel members.
• Ability to ask questions that are relevant, sensitive, diplomatic, and appropriate.
• Ability to manage the expression of strongly held but possibly conflicting views by panel members, and to help the panel reach a recommendation that takes account of all of these views.
• Ability to scrutinise, monitor, and challenge practice.
• A commitment to safeguarding and the need to offer a safe re-parenting experience.
• A commitment to promoting children’s welfare.
• A commitment to children retaining contact with members of their birth family if this is in their best interests.
• A commitment to keeping children within their own family or community where this is possible.
• A commitment to fostering and adoption as a way of meeting a child’s need.
• Recognition of the lifelong impact of fostering and adoption on all parties.
• An awareness of the richness of different kinds of families and their potential for meeting children’s needs.
• An appreciation of the impact of loss and separation on both adults and children.
• An understanding and knowledge of families and how they are affected by change.

Other Requirements

• Must not be a current employee of the agency.
• A valuing of diversity in relation to issues of ethnicity, religion, gender, disability, and sexuality.
• Commitment to continuing personal and professional developments to maintain and update knowledge and skills.
• Satisfactory DBS disclosure.
• Understanding of, and a commitment to, the need for confidentiality.
• A willingness to increase knowledge and understanding of issues through reading, discussion and training.

What We Offer

• Full induction.
• Annual training.
• Annual appraisal with the Head of Service.

For an informal discussion about this post please contact Jane Lees on 07826 902602. 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, the cost of which will be met by Adopters for Adoption. Adopters for Adoption is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates. Adopters for Adoption is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff to share this commitment.