Fostering Panel Member

Who are we?

Kibble is Scotland’s specialist provider of services for at risk children and young people. By providing a range of integrated services, we help build positive futures for children and young people, with complex social, emotional and educational needs. 

Job Purpose:

We are currently seeking passionate and knowledgeable individuals for our Fostering Panel who have a professional and/or personal experience with looked after children.

Our panel has a very important role at Kibble as it considers and approves applications from those wishing to become foster carers. We are looking for the right people to do this in a way that meets the requirements set out in the regulations, guidance and standards.

Successful candidates will have excellent leadership qualities. You will be required to read and assimilate complex material, identify relevant matters, and participate in professional discussions, ensuring that recommendations made are balanced, evidence based and informed.  In return you will be offered an enhanced induction programme in a supportive environment with access to Kibble’s amazing training and development as well as the opportunity to attend external training. Most importantly you will play an important role in supporting children to have the stability, safety and love that they deserve. 

Main Duties:

• Preparation for participating in Kibble Panels i.e., reading relevant reports carefully before the meeting 

• Attend the meeting prepared to raise issues and to contribute to confidential pre-panel discussions and Kibble Panel proceedings

• Take responsibility for participating in the making of a recommendation, on each case, drawing on both personal and professional knowledge and experience

• Contributing to practice standards within the Fostering Service and the Adult Placement Service based on your relevant experience on the needs of young people at risk 

• Attending annual training, business meetings and up to four Kibble panels per annum 

• To be prepared to attend additional panels, if possible, if requested

• To participate, with other members, in advising on policy and procedure matters as required

• To address diversity issues and promote anti-discriminatory practice

• To safeguard the confidentiality of all panel papers and panel discussions

• To participate constructively in the annual review of your panel membership

• Liaising with both the Kibble Panel Chair and Professional Advisor (Panel Coordinator) in facilitating your duties as a Kibble Panel member i.e. attendance, additional information required

• To undertake any other reasonable tasks as requested by the Kibble Panel Chair or other senior member of staff in discharging the role of Kibble Panel member e.g. involvement in presentations to other agencies.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• Broad life experience with particular experience in understanding the needs of ‘at risk’ young people including their faith, cultural and spiritual needs

• Experience of working in a professional, paid or voluntary capacity with ‘looked-after’ young people involved in the children’s hearing system

• Accountability and flexible working

• Ability to evidence child centred practice

• Good knowledge of child development

• Ability to work as part of a professional team

• Ability to liaise with relevant persons and professionals

• Good verbal and written communication skills

• Good assessment skills

• Promotes an equal opportunities perspective that respects diversity

• The ability to read, process and analyse large amounts of complex and sometimes distressing information

• The ability to make an assessment and to form a view, based on the written and verbal information presented to panel, and the confidence to articulate this at panel

• The ability to attend panel meetings as required, arriving on time, and to attend at least one training day each year

• An understanding of, and a commitment to, the need for confidentiality

Desirable

• Experience in working within community-based settings to support ‘at risk’ young people
• Experience of young people placed with foster carers and adult placement carers
• Experience of working with foster carers and adult placement carers
• Experience of report writing and assessment
• Broad understanding of the needs of individuals and groups within society i.e. impact of racism, disability and discrimination.
• An appreciation of the effect of separation and loss on children
• An awareness of the richness of different kinds of families and their potential for meeting young people’s needs
• Some understanding of the purpose and function of the panel and of the agency that the panel is serving or a willingness to learn
• A commitment to keeping young people within their own family or community where possible and to maintaining an appropriate type and level of contact between young people and their birth families where this appears to be in the young person’s best interest
• A commitment to fostering as a way of meeting a young person’s needs for security, safety and nurturing when these are not available within their birth family
• A willingness to increase knowledge and understanding of issues through reading, discussion and training
• A willingness to contribute constructively to discussion of your panel membership and functioning