Job Opportunity with FFP Member, Team Fostering: Independent Panel Members (Yorkshire and East Midlands)

​Base: Team Fostering, 3-4 Shepcote Office Village, Shepcote Lane, Sheffield, S9 1TG

Hours: Variable Monthly (depending on Panel Business)

Responsible to: Independent Panel Chair

Pay: £80.50 attendance per panel, plus expenses (based on an average half day panel)

---

An opportunity has arisen for panel members to join our central list and to complement our Yorkshire and East Midlands Region fostering panel.  As a panel member, you will contribute to the provision of a first-class fostering service for children through effective participation in fostering panel business. Drawing on any relevant knowledge, experience, and skills you will be required to contribute to panel business efficiently in accordance with the fostering regulations and the policies and procedures of Team Fostering. 

Good listening and communication skills are essential along with the ability to make an assessment based on the written and oral information presented to the panel in order to discuss and make recommendations in a balanced and informed manner.  A reasonable knowledge of fostering and the regulatory framework and the fostering standards is also required, as well as evidence of a strong commitment to achieving positive outcomes for children. 

As a panel member, you will need to be available to attend a virtual panel one day a month.

Your responsibilities will include:

• To read the circulated papers carefully before the meeting and to attend the meeting prepared to raise issues and to contribute to the panel discussion.
• To take responsibility for participating in the making of a recommendation on each case, drawing on both personal and professional knowledge and experience.
• To receive, process and communicate sensitive, complex information, and contribute to evaluation of information presented.
• To safeguard the confidentiality of all panel papers and panel discussions.

We are interested in hearing from people with a background in health, social work, foster care, education, or disabilities.  We are particularly interested in hearing from foster carers and people who have direct experience of being fostered.  It is not necessary for applicants to have a social work qualification.  With the exception of people who have experience of being fostered, direct experience of supporting/working with children and/or families is necessary.

At Team Fostering we believe a diverse workplace is a happy workplace.  A culture of equality where ideas are shared is the cornerstone of our business to ensure that the impact on children’s futures is vast.   It is very important to us that our panel members are from different backgrounds to help us ensure we are making the right decisions for the children and young people in our care. Team Fostering strives to be diverse and inclusive – a place where we can ALL be ourselves. We particularly encourage applications from people who identify as Black, Asian or from a Minority Ethnic background, who are underrepresented within the agency.

A formal induction programme is provided for the successful candidate as a requirement of this post.

For an informal discussion please contact Sandra Kennedy, Assistant Director on 0114 2617762 or by email on [email protected]

To apply, please complete an Application Form and Equal Opportunities Form (available below) and return to [email protected] no later than 9am on Friday 25th August. 

Full details and application details here