What happens during a fostering agency’s approval panel in Walsall?

A fostering agency’s approval panel is a formal review of your fostering assessment. Its role is to consider the evidence gathered about your circumstances, skills, household and ability to care for a child, then make a recommendation about whether you should be approved and on what terms. The final decision is made by the agency decision-maker rather than by the panel itself.

By the time you reach panel, your assessing social worker will normally have completed the main assessment and gathered the required information. This can include:

• your fostering assessment report, often known as a Form F assessment;
• references and identity checks;
• local authority and other safeguarding checks;
• medical information relevant to your ability to foster;
• information about everyone living in, or regularly using, your household;
• details of your home, support network, finances and employment;
• your preparation training and understanding of safer caring; and
• any matters that need to be considered when identifying suitable placements.

The panel members read this information before the meeting. They are not there simply to look for faults. They need to test whether the assessment is complete, identify any unresolved issues and decide whether the proposed recommendation is supported by the evidence.

Who attends the panel?

The exact membership varies between fostering services, but a panel usually includes a chair, people with relevant social care or fostering experience, and independent members. The agency social worker who completed your assessment will normally attend to present the report and answer questions. Other agency professionals may also contribute where their expertise is relevant.

You will usually be invited to attend for part of the meeting. Your assessing social worker should explain the arrangements beforehand, including who will be present, what information the panel has received and whether you need to bring anything. You may attend with your assessing social worker or another agreed support person, subject to the agency’s arrangements.

What questions might the panel ask?

Panel members may ask you to expand on information in your assessment or clarify how you would respond to practical situations. Questions could cover:

• why you want to foster and what you understand about the needs of children in care;
• how you would manage behaviour, boundaries, routines and contact with a child’s family;
• how fostering could affect your household, relationships, work and existing children;
• how you would work with social workers, education staff, health professionals and birth family members;
• how you would protect a child and other household members through safer-care arrangements;
• what support you would use if a placement became difficult; and
• how you would respond to allegations, complaints or information that challenged your expectations.

Questions are not intended to test whether you can give perfect answers. The panel is looking for honest, considered responses and evidence that you can reflect, seek help and put a child’s welfare first. If you do not understand a question, ask for it to be explained before answering.

What terms of approval may be considered?

Approval is not necessarily unrestricted. The panel may consider the type of fostering you can safely offer, such as the age range, number of children, circumstances or placement needs that are appropriate for your household. It may also identify conditions or recommendations, for example further preparation, additional support or a review of a particular issue before a placement is made.

These terms should reflect your assessment rather than a general assumption about what every foster carer can do. Your household circumstances, experience, accommodation, availability for fostering tasks and ability to meet particular needs will all be relevant. A recommendation can also be reviewed later if your circumstances or fostering experience changes.

What happens after the discussion?

After asking questions, the panel normally discusses the assessment without you present. It considers whether the evidence supports approval, whether any further information is needed and what terms of approval should be recommended. You should be told the recommendation before leaving or informed how and when it will be communicated.

The agency decision-maker then considers the panel’s recommendation and the assessment information before making the formal decision. The decision-maker may agree with the recommendation or reach a different conclusion, but must consider the reasons properly. You should receive the outcome and the reasons in writing, together with details of your terms of approval if you are approved.

Possible outcomes include approval, a request for further information before a decision is made, or a decision not to approve. A request for more information does not automatically mean that approval will be refused; it means the agency considers that an issue needs to be clarified before the process can be completed.

If the outcome is not approval, the agency should explain the reasons and tell you about the relevant representations or independent review arrangements that may apply. Your assessing social worker or fostering team should explain the next steps and any applicable deadlines. If you disagree with the outcome, read the written decision carefully and obtain advice promptly, as the options available to you depend on the circumstances and the applicable procedure.

How to prepare for panel

• Read your assessment and tell your social worker about any factual errors or changes in your circumstances.
• Think about practical examples that show how you deal with stress, conflict, change and responsibility.
• Be ready to explain your support network and how you would ask for help.
• Discuss any concerns openly rather than trying to provide an answer you think the panel wants to hear.
• Check the proposed terms of approval and ask for any unfamiliar wording to be explained.
• Raise questions about training, supervision, placements, allowances and ongoing support before the decision is made.

Panel approval is an important stage, but it is not the end of the assessment of a particular placement. Each proposed placement must still be considered against your terms of approval, the child’s needs and the information available at the time. Your agency should continue to provide guidance as you move from assessment into approved fostering.