Fostering Panel Advisor (Kingston & Richmond)

Job Category : Social Care & Health Qualified (Kingston & Richmond)

Location : 44 York Street, Achieving for Children

Hours Per Week :28.80

Start Date : Immediate Start

Start Time : 09:00

End Time : 17:00

Salary: £26.94

The postholder will act as the agency panel adviser (PA) and support the Agency Decision Making process and quality assure reports presented to the panel. They will provide communication and liaison between the panels, the branch managers, and the service and brief the agency decision makers on panel matters in both IFA branches. They will provide consistent support and challenge across both areas to ensure that prospective and existing carers receive a high standard of service and support, while upholding national minimum standards and fostering regulations of foster carers and fostering services. The PA will develop robust quality assurance mechanisms, which are independent of the team management structure. Ensuring the panel documents, meetings, minutes and agency decision maker decisions are compliant with fostering regulations, collaborates and works alongside the panel administrators to ensure the functionality of the panel. The role will deliver innovative improvement plans for the panel service, provide relevant training to services within AfC to ensure professional understanding of processes and requirements. There is no direct budget oversight, however consideration of budgeting restrictions for the panel service need to be considered and discussed with the budget holder. The PA is responsible for the safer recruitment of all panel members, ensuring that these documents, checks, and appraisals are up to date and collated together, as well as ensuring required or relevant training is offered to the panel members. The PA will attend relevant management level meetings including IFA board. Each panel will provide an annual report for the service which is collaborated by the panel chair, vice chair with contribution from panel members and advisor as appropriate; the PA will ensure this is done within required timeframes, and throughout the panel year raise themes, concerns or recognised patterns while providing constructive feedback to supervising social workers, children social workers, fostering service and fostering reviewing officers. Ofsted inspections and assurance visits, will also require preparation and involvement from the PA.