Fostering Panel Secretary

Support the administration and functioning of the Fostering and Permanency Panel by maintaining the Fostering Panel Central List, ensuring the panel is quorate at all times, and participating in the safe recruitment of fostering panel members.

Effectively liaise with the panel advisor, panel chair, panel members, team managers, supervising social workers, foster carers, and other key stakeholders involved in the fostering assessment and permanency approval and review process.

Ensure the panel's yearly schedule and agenda are organized and received by key stakeholders in a timely manner, and that panel members receive relevant paperwork within the specified timeframe, in accordance with protocol.

Ensure the accurate and timely provision of high-quality meeting records within tight deadlines.

Coordinate the annual review and training of panel members.

This role requires significant senior experience and demands a high degree of emotional resilience, as it involves participating in highly sensitive and confidential discussions.

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Organise and Coordinate:

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Task: Plan and set up meetings, including room bookings, diary management, and invitations.

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Outcome: Effective meeting management.

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Produce:

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Task: Create a comprehensive record of discussions and recommendations for the Fostering Panel, for approval and signature by the Panel Chair and Agency Decision Maker.
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Outcome: Ensure meetings are recorded accurately.

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Support:

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Task: Assist the Fostering Panel and relevant Social Work teams by timely delivery of tasks, prioritizing work where there are conflicting demands.
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Outcome: Effective management of fostering panel member inquiries, post-panel expenses, and allocated resources.

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Contribute:

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Task: Aid in the development and training of Fostering Panel policies and procedures.
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Outcome: Enable the Fostering Panel to deliver effective services that are well understood by stakeholders and consistently up-to-date with practice development.

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Deliver Against Specific Targets:

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Task: Manage and coordinate monthly fostering panel meetings. Liaise with social workers to prepare panel documents pre
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Outcome: Effective fostering panel service and foster carer review process.
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Provide Core Administration and System Support:

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  Task: Produce high-quality letters, reports, strategic policies, and procedures in line with defined guidelines. Provide specialist system support such as Liquid Logic, Agresso, , and finance support.

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Outcome: The Fostering Service receives high-quality support, enabling safe and effective Children's services.
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Organise Work and Set Specific Targets:

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  Task: Set individual and shared targets and objectives as defined annually within the Fostering Service performance management framework.

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Outcome: Achieved targets and objectives.

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Maintain:

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Task: Maintain specific areas of expertise and work as part of the Fostering Panel administrative function to ensure the panel is well-organized.
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Outcome: Highly functioning and organized panel.

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Provide Administration Support:

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Task: Assist Senior Management in producing high-quality letters related to their Agency Decision Maker role for fostering assessments and reviews presented to the panel and approved by the Head of Service in line with the Fostering Regulations.
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Outcome: Effective support for the Agency Decision Maker.

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Maintain Awareness:

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Task: Carry out post responsibilities with due regard to equal opportunities, GDPR, confidentiality, and Fostering Regulations.
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Outcome: Adherence to all appropriate policies.

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Develop & Maintain:

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Task: Maintain effective data systems, both paper-based and electronic, in line with council retention, access policies, policy guidelines, and GDPR regulations, ensuring client and service user confidentiality.
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Outcome: Efficient and effective management of documentation.

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Facilitate:

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Task: Provide data relevant to yearly Fostering Service reporting and Ofsted, including managing the Fostering Service Foster Carer Register.
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Outcome: Efficient and effective management of documentation.

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Attend and Participate:

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Task: Attend and participate in team meetings and related professional development groups.
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Outcome: Active participation in meetings and development groups.

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Respond:

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Task: Address face-to-face and telephone inquiries from panel members, social workers, and foster carers.
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Outcome: Provide quality and appropriate responses to stakeholders.

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Identify:

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Task: Identify foster carers and family and friends' c

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