Independent Adoption Panel Vice-Chair

<div><div style="color: #3f4e55; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.6;"><p><strong>Role:</strong> Independent Adoption Panel Vice-Chair<br /><strong>Panel Locations:</strong> Virtual<br /><strong>Panel Rates of Pay:</strong> £500 per full-day panel attended (£250 per half-day) + travel expenses at 45p/mile<br /><strong>Adoption Panel Frequency:</strong> 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</p><p><strong>About Us</strong></p><p>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.</p><p><strong>Role Details</strong></p><p>Adopters for Adoption is recruiting and an exciting opportunity has arisen for an Independent Adoption Panel Vice-Chair to join our established Adoption Panel.</p><p><strong>Panel Vice Chair's Responsibilities</strong></p><ul><li>To satisfy the requirements as outlined in Adopters for Adoption central list agreement</li><li>To ensure that the panel operates within the relevant law, regulation and guidance</li><li>To ensure that the panel operates within the policies of Adopters for Adoption</li><li>To prepare for each panel meeting by reading all panel papers carefully and critically</li><li>To chair meetings of the panel and to ensure that all those attending panel are treated with respect and courtesy</li><li>To respect at all times the confidential nature of the agency's work</li><li>To address diversity issues and to promote anti-discriminatory practice at all times</li><li>To facilitate panel members to consider the information presented to them before making their recommendation, reaching a consensus wherever possible</li><li>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</li><li>To meet with applicants prior to them joining the panel, to explain the process</li><li>To ensure that the panel is clear about the reasons for its recommendations and that these are recorded in the minutes</li><li>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</li><li>To enable those attending panel to contribute effectively (e.g. enabling social workers to present their case in a constructive manner)</li><li>To ensure that the minutes of the panel are accurate and are signed and returned to the agency in a timely manner</li><li>To attend meetings of the Independent Review Mechanism if required</li><li>To facilitate the panels in their role of monitoring the quality of work presented to the panel</li><li>To feedback any concerns about the management of cases through the appropriate departmental channels</li><li>To attend the quarterly review panel meetings to review the management and the functioning of the panel</li><li>To attend two panel training days each year and complete all mandatory training as identified by the agency</li><li>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</li><li>To assist the agency to identify training needs within the panels and the agency</li><li>To take part in the interviewing of prospective panel members and advise the agency on appointments to the panels</li><li>To assist in the induction of new panel members</li><li>Together with the agency adviser, to undertake the annual review of the performance of panel members</li><li>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</li></ul><p><strong>Requirements</strong></p><ul><li>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</li><li>Extensive experience of chairing child care meetings e.g. panels, child protection conferences</li><li>Sound understanding of the adoption and fostering process and relevant legislation, guidance, regulations, and standards</li><li>Knowledge of the importance of partnership in adoption and fostering practice</li><li>Understanding, knowledge, and experience relating to children and young people and their needs throughout their development</li><li>Understanding of the role of adoption and fostering in safeguarding children</li><li>Knowledge of couple relationships and relationships within wider networks</li><li>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</li><li>Ability to assist panels in the effective use of time</li><li>Ability to analyse and explain complex information</li><li>Ability to identify and summarise key issues clearly and succinctly</li><li>Excellent oral and written communication skills</li><li>Ability to enable all participants to contribute effectively</li><li>Ability to monitor the performance of panel members</li><li>Ability to ask questions that are relevant, sensitive, diplomatic, and appropriate</li><li>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</li><li>Ability to scrutinise, monitor, and challenge practice</li><li>A commitment to safeguarding and the need to offer a safe re-parenting experience</li><li>A commitment to promoting children's welfare</li><li>A commitment to children retaining contact with members of their birth family if this is in their best interests</li><li>A commitment to keeping children within their own family or community where this is possible</li><li>A commitment to fostering and adoption as a way of meeting a child's need</li><li>Recognition of the lifelong impact of fostering and adoption on all parties</li><li>An awareness of the richness of different kinds of families and their potential for meeting children's needs</li><li>An appreciation of the impact of loss and separation on both adults and children</li><li>An understanding and knowledge of families and how they are affected by change</li></ul><p><strong>Other Requirements</strong></p><ul><li>Must not be a current employee of the agency</li><li>A valuing of diversity in relation to issues of ethnicity, religion, gender, disability, and sexuality</li><li>Commitment to continuing personal and professional developments to maintain and update knowledge and skills</li><li>Satisfactory DBS disclosure</li><li>An understanding of, and a commitment to, the need for confidentiality</li><li>A willingness to increase knowledge and understanding of issues through reading, discussion and training</li></ul><p><strong>What We Offer</strong></p><ul><li>Full induction</li><li>Annual training</li><li>Annual appraisal with the Head of Service</li></ul><p>For an informal discussion about this post please contact Jane Lees on 07826 902602.</p><p>To be considered for this position please submit an application and we will be in touch.</p><p>The successful candidate will be required to complete an enhanced DBS check, the cost of which will be met by Adopters for Adoption.</p><p>Adopters for Adoption is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates.</p><p>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.</p></div></div><div> </div><div> </div>PandoLogic. Category:Personal Care, Keywords:Foster Parent, Location:Bromsgrove, ENG-B60 4AD