Fostering Panel Member - Vice Chair (Office Holder)

Fostering Panel Member - Vice-Chair

Up to 20 days per year (+ training days) - Panel Meets on Friday

£150 per Panel (£300 if required to substitute for Chair of Panel)

TACT is the UK's largest fostering charity and now has over 500 dedicated carers, who look after over 600 children and young people across the nation. Our reputation and growth rests upon our strength in providing successful child centred placements.  As a charity, we do not have shareholders who receive profits and we invest all of our surplus income into the service, carers, staff and our children's development.

We are currently recruiting a Panel Vice Chair to support the Chair of the Fostering Panel in our South West Area. In line with our values, we expect each panel member to ensure that all decisions are made with regard to the interest of  ‘children in care,’  foster carers, and the community in which they live. 

Our SW Panel would welcome applications from candidates with equivalent qualifications in non social work settings such as health and medicine, law and law enforcement, education and training to bring differing areas of expertise to the group. Our South West Panel meetings are held online on a monthly basis (Fridays).  The Fostering Panel Vice Chair may need to travel to Bristol to attend occasional in person meetings and for at least 2 training days per year. The Panel Vice Chair will be dealing with fostering casework across Bristol, Bath, Somerset, North Somerset, Wiltshire, Swindon, South Gloucestershire and Gloucestershire.

As our South West Fostering Panel Vice Chair, you will be able to evidence:

  • Your understanding of the fostering process and practice within the legislative framework or similar.
  • A history of employment experience at team manager level or above, ideally in a social work or family placement setting.
  • Having substantial experience of chairing child focussed meetings e.g. child protection, childcare reviews.
  • An ability to evaluate complex reports and assessments while maintaining clarity within the decision-making parameters.
  • The capability to develop, monitor and maintain policies and procedures to the highest standard within TACT

As a Fostering Panel Vice Chair your duties will include:

  • Occasionally chairing Panel meetings, in the absence of the Chair, ensuring that multifaceted issues are thoroughly considered and recorded, having undertaken thorough preparation for meetings.
  • Co-ordinating and directing the work of the Fostering Panel and ensure the quality of foster carers recruited, meet relevant standards.
  • Facilitation of the active participation of all panel members alongside the Chair of Panel.
  • Regular liaison with the Chair of Panel, decision-maker and with other senior managers as required.
  • Participation in the recruitment, selection and induction of new panel members.
  • To assist the Chair in regular planning of training for and appraisal of panel members and support with Ofsted Inspections as and when required.

Full details of the Fostering Panel Vice Chair role is available via the Job Description tab and our Applicant Information Booklet - a social work qualification may not always be necessary contact us at [email protected] if you need clarification.

A Standard DBS clearance is required for the Fostering Panel Vice Chair role. This check will be undertaken by TACT on your behalf. You will be required to have professional membership to a social work body if you are currently a practicing social worker or other professional. 

  • Closing: Midnight on Monday 18th October 2021
  • Interviews: Tuesday 26th October 2021 via Microsoft Teams

TACT reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so we advise you to submit your application as early as possible to prevent disappointment.

Safeguarding is everyone’s business and TACT believe that only the people with the right skills and values should work in social work.  As part of TACT’s commitment to safeguarding, we properly examine the skills, experience, qualifications and values of potential staff in relation to our work with vulnerable young children.  We use rigorous and consistent recruitment approaches to help safeguard TACT’s young people.  All our staff are expected to work in line with TACT’s safeguarding policies.

TACT does not accept unsolicited CVs from external recruitment agencies nor accept the fees associated with them.