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Contents

1. Terms of Reference
2. Constitution and Membership
3. Quoracy
4. Confidentiality
5. Conflict of Interest
6. Foster Carer Approvals and Categories
7. Action after Panel Recommendations are made

1. Terms of Reference

It is Lewisham Council Policy to maintain a Fostering Panel for its sole use, in line with the Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011.  The Fostering Panel considers issues and makes recommendations about the following:

• All new assessments of Carers;
• The first annual review of Carers;
• Subsequent annual reviews (at least every three years);
• All reviews to change a Carers approval e.g. to increase or decrease bed spaces or age range of children fostered, or whether they should  foster children on a short term or on a permanency basis;
• Reassessments of Carers for specific children;
• Reviewing a Carer in the event of child protection issues or serious concerns arising;
• Concerns in relation to the care planning for a child;
• Any significant change in Carers circumstances, i.e. if a new adult joins the household;
• Significant life events which necessitate an annual review being presented to Panel;
• The termination of approval. This does not include resignation.

1.1	The Panel shall also advise on procedures for reviews of approval and periodically monitor their effectiveness, oversee quality of assessments, and generally provide consultation as appropriate.
1.2	The Panel considers reports about Carers approved for: Short term fostering; Permanency fostering; Short break Carers for disabled children; Family and friends care.
1.3	For children where the permanence plan is long-term fostering then the Fostering Panel will consider the agreement for the match of the child/young person aged below 16 years with the identified prospective permanency foster carers.

2. Constitution and Membership

2.1	The Fostering Panel will be made up of people who have specialist knowledge and experience of children's issues and children's services.
2.2	Membership is drawn from a Central List of people and this will include: A chair who is an independent person with appropriate skills and experience; Social Workers, one with child care experience and/or one with fostering expertise of at least three years post qualifying standing; At least one elected member; At least 6 independent members, one of whom has been a foster Carer in the past 2 years for another provider; Either on or two of the above appointed as vice chairs.
2.3	Panel members will have a contract and job description.
2.4	All members will provide a curriculum vitae and hold a clear CRB check.
2.5	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.
2.6	Panel members' performance is reviewed annually.
2.7	Panel members are expected to attend training at least annually provided by the Fostering Service.

3. Quoracy

3.1	At least five members including the Chair/Vice-chair, one Social Worker employed by the Department, and at least two of the independent members must be present from the Central List if the Panel is to be quorate.
3.2	Panel members must attend at least 75% of panels within any given year.

4. Confidentiality

4.1	All information presented to the Panel is confidential. This will be clearly stated in the Panel members' contract.
4.2	Panel members must return all documentation to the Panel administrator.

5. Conflict of Interest

5.1	Any Panel member who has direct knowledge of an item being presented must declare an interest. The Chair will decide whether that interest is such to prevent the member from participating in the discussion or reaching a decision.

6. Foster Carer Approvals and Categories

6.1	The Fostering Services (England) Regulations 2011 state that children must only be placed with foster Carers in accordance with their approval. In order that Regulations are complied with standard age bands for approval have been adopted in Lewisham, but within these bands, recommendations are made that reflect individual strengths and/or circumstances and preferences.
6.2	The approval categories are as follows: 0-3 years; 0-18 years; 5-18 years; 11- 18 years.
6.3	In some circumstances it may be possible to approve Carers across more than one band, for example 0 -18 yrs.
6.4	Carers will be approved as short term, family based short break, family and friends  or permanence Carers.
6.5	Exemptions, variations or emergency placements can be found in Limit on Number of Children in Foster Homes Procedure.

7. Action after Panel Recommendations are made

7.1	The Panel Chair will write to the Carer(s)/prospective Carers to inform them of the panels recommendation. After Fostering Panel has made its recommendations, the Chair of the  Panel obtains ratification for the recommendations from Designated Manager (Foster Carer Approval) who will reach decisions within seven working days of receiving the panels recommendations.
7.2	Designated Manager will make a decision and write to the Carer(s) in confirmation within five working days.
7.3	Once decisions are ratified the Fostering Panel Administrator will inform the Fostering Team Panel Member , the assessing/Supervising Social Worker, and Fostering Business Process Team; and telephone within two working days the foster carers.

End