Fostering Panel

Fostering agencies are required by law to establish Fostering Panels and their composition and functions are specified by regulations and national minimum standards.

FCA has established regionally based Fostering Panels, each of which observes regulatory requirements for membership and aims to reflect cultural diversity of the community the panel serves .

This includes having three FCA staff on each Panel, two social workers and a senior manager, but all other Panel members are independent of FCA. Some will have relevant professional backgrounds and others will have relevant life and care experience, eg experience of being fostered or being a foster carer. The maximum membership for each Panel is 10.

In addition to each Panel's collective expertise, members also have access to specialist medical and legal advice as required.

• To consider applications to foster and make recommendations about the suitability of applicants. This also includes making recommendations about the number, age range and backgrounds of the children/young people placed with carers.
  
  
• To review the continued suitability of FCA foster carers. All foster carers must be reviewed at least every 12 months. The FCA Fostering Panels consider all first reviews, and reviews due to major changes in foster carers' circumstances, or following any serious complaint or allegation against the foster carer.
  
  
• To provide a quality control function through advising on FCA policies, procedures and good professional practice in assessing and supporting foster carers to care for children.
  
  

Decisions about approval, refusal, or alteration/termination of approval of foster carers are made by FCA "Agency Decision Makers" (usually the FCA Regional Director) following consideration of panel recommendations.

A copy of FCA's detailed operational procedure for our Fostering Panels is available on request. All minutes of panel deliberations are confidential.