Panel Chair (Office Holder)

Fostering Panel Chair

Up to 20 days per year (+ training days)

£300 per 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 Chair to lead the Fostering Panel in our Scotland 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 Scotland Panel meetings are held online on a monthly basis on the second Tuesday of the month.  The Fostering Panel Chair will need to based within a reasonable distance of travel across Scotland to attend occasional in person meetings and for at least 2 training days per year.

As our Scotland Fostering Panel Chair, you will be able to evidence:

• Your understanding of the fostering process and practice within the legislative framework.
• A history of employment experience at team manager level or above, ideally in a social work or family placement setting.
• Having at least three years’ experience of chairing childcare 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 Chair your duties will include:

• Chairing Panel meetings, 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.
• Regular liaison with the decision-maker and with other senior managers as required.
• Participation in the recruitment, selection and induction of new panel members.
• To assist in regular planning of training for and appraisal of panel members and support with Ofsted Inspections as and when required.

Full details of the Panel Chair role are available via the Job Description tab.

A Disclosure Scotland clearance is required for the Fostering Panel 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. 

• Closing: Thursday 18th November 2021
• Interviews: Friday 3rd December 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.