fostering panel https://www.thefosteringnetwork.org.uk/ en Why panel members should be more self aware https://www.thefosteringnetwork.org.uk/blogs/arlene-weekes <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--blog.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--blog.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>Why panel members should be more self aware</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--blog.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--blog.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> <span lang="" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">DavidEggboro</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--blog.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--blog.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span>Wed, 08/18/2021 - 11:54</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/tfnetwork/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/tfnetwork/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-introduction--blog.html.twig * field--node--field-introduction.html.twig * field--node--blog.html.twig * field--field-introduction.html.twig * field--text-long.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-introduction field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field--item"><p>Dr Arlene Weekes believes that the decisions that fostering and adoption panel members make are too often influenced by their own biases and backgrounds. She is calling for radical reform of how they are hired – and fired</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--blog.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--blog.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><p><strong>Dr Arlene Weekes is a social work service manager, lecturer, trainer, independent adoption vice chair and fostering panel chair who believes that fostering and  adoption panel members should be more conscious of their biases and trained beyond just knowing the National Minimum Standards.</strong><br /> <br /> Weekes recently completed <a href="http://www.eppj.org">PhD research</a> into understanding how the attitudes and values of adoption and fostering panel members influence their role and the recommendations they make.</p> <p>The idea for Weekes’ research began many years ago, she says, when she was chairing a local authority adoption panel. </p> <p>‘An older male panel member, who was an adoptee from Eastern Europe, who did not believe that his, or anyone’s, cultural origin should play a significant role in recommendations. The negative effects of this were revealed when he made an inappropriate comment to a woman of dual heritage (stating that clearly race had not been an issue for her), who was applying to adopt, and who had herself been adopted by a white woman.’</p> <p>This incident caused Weekes to question how panel members’ personal experiences and beliefs influence their recommendations. </p> <p>‘I continued to encounter panel members and professionals who acted as though their values and personal experiences had no bearing on their judgements, as though they were a blank sheet, completely impartial,’ she says. ‘I was amazed by this. Surely people knew their previous experiences impact the decisions they make.’</p> <p>Weekes believes class, race and faith have a large bearing on judgements, citing scenarios such as ‘the assumption that applicants or carers who have a faith will inherently be more likely to have adverse reactions to same-sex issues than an atheist’. She also believes that a child’s race has become ‘almost unimportant’ in the matching process over the past decade.</p> <h4>Power imbalance and scrutiny</h4> <p>Weekes’ research reveals a lack of regular, structured support and guidance for panel members. She also highlights that panel members who lack confidence defer to the panel chair or more experienced panel members rather than having the confidence to voice their own opinions.</p> <p>‘Panel chairs can often go unchallenged,’ says Weekes. ‘People need to remember the chair facilitates panel but doesn’t have any more power in the decision-making process than other panel members.’ </p> <p>Panel members are also seen by attendees as the decision-makers, even though, in reality, the ultimate decision is the agency decision maker. ‘Panel members are there to scrutinise the information provided in the paperwork and make a recommendation, rather than interrogate attendees on the day,’ says Weekes. ‘Panel members need to be supported to recognise the power they have and be guided not to abuse this power,’ explains Weekes.</p> <p>Weekes’ research also stresses the need to ensure good quality assurance and scrutiny is in place rather than a ‘conveyor belt/rubber-stamping of recommendations’.</p> <h4>People who have experienced trauma</h4> <p>Many people who have experienced trauma or suffering in their own childhood may seek roles in the caring professions, such as becoming a panel member. ‘Awareness needs to be raised about this,’ says Weekes. ‘An understanding is needed of the potential risks and benefits of early childhood adversity and adult life experiences, as these are still felt consciously or unconsciously.’</p> <p>Weekes would like to see all panel members supported to use their life experiences in more effective ways. She explains: ‘These adverse experiences are valuable in providing unique insights which can be used empathically in the performance of an individual in their role, as long as the individual concerned is aware of, and can manage, their conscious and unconscious emotions.’</p> <h4>Calling time on panel</h4> <p>Once recruited, Weekes recommends that panel members have appraisals rather than reviews to ‘constructively explore’ whether they are effectively contributing to the panel, using a coined term from a Panel Advisor colleague ‘current currency’.</p> <p>‘If panel members are no longer suitable to remain in their role, fostering and adoption services should have transparent processes to terminate their employment,’ says Weekes.</p> <p>Weekes also recommends a return to a fixed-term length of panel membership in place of the current indefinite term.</p> <h4>Key findings</h4> <p>There are several findings and eighteen recommendations from her research which can be read in the full research available <a href="http://www.eppj.org">here</a>.</p> <p>These recommendations include:</p> <ul> <li>a need to recruit a diverse panel member in terms of their personal identities, experience, and professional expertise</li> <li>a far more rigorous recruitment process for panel members, to ‘assess character and mindset, alongside their ability to form and maintain appropriate relationships and personal boundaries with others, their emotional resilience in working with challenges and their use of authority and power’</li> <li>transparent contract termination processes and an end to indefinite panel membership terms</li> <li>improved inductions for new panel members which should go beyond an observation of panel before starting but to include shadowing of, and mentoring by, an experienced panel member</li> <li>training for panel members should increase from once to twice a year – and one session should focus on the role and function of the panel, and the other covering topics such as conformational bias, groupwork and anti-discriminatory practice. </li> </ul> <p>A key outcome is Weekes’ conclusion that ‘increased personal awareness increases professional effectiveness’. In response, she has developed a process called ‘Effective Personal and Professional Judgement’ (EPPJ) whereby individuals fit into one of four different quadrants that determines their levels of self-awareness and how this influences how effective their decision-making is.</p> <p>‘By recognising, analysing, and adapting personal values and preferences,decision-makers will become professionally proficient, particularly in relation to decisions about others, she says.  ‘the notion of being non-judgmental is a fallacy, it is not possible to avoid stereotypes and generalisations, instead individuals and groups need to guard against unconscious acting-out of our biases - in a discriminatory way.’</p> <h4><a href="http://www.eppj.org">Read the full research paper</a>.<br />  </h4> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-blog-tags--blog.html.twig * field--node--field-blog-tags.html.twig * field--node--blog.html.twig * field--field-blog-tags.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-blog-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field--items"> <div class="field--item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/1982" hreflang="en">fostering panel</a></div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="flag.link_builder:build" arguments="0=node&amp;1=12272&amp;2=favourite_content" token="xgL7dZlM55K7yhw6qk08Sp95ylZApli9BRHIQbFcqdo"></drupal-render-placeholder> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-comment--blog.html.twig * field--node--field-comment.html.twig * field--node--blog.html.twig * field--field-comment.html.twig x field--comment.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/comment/templates/field--comment.html.twig' --> <section> <h2>Add new comment</h2> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderForm" arguments="0=node&amp;1=12272&amp;2=field_comment&amp;3=comment" token="rNujNZxcrqBPuDrLDs0X3XrZ9nFr7TmqE4Uyoyh9my8"></drupal-render-placeholder> </section> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/comment/templates/field--comment.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-picture--blog.html.twig * field--node--field-picture.html.twig * field--node--blog.html.twig * field--field-picture.html.twig * field--image.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-picture field--type-image field--label-above"> <div class="field--label">picture</div> <div class="field--item"> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image_formatter' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/image/templates/image-formatter.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'image' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/image.html.twig' --> <img src="/sites/default/files/2021-08/Arlene%20Weekes%20high%20res.jpg" width="440" height="550" alt="Dr Arlene Weekes" typeof="foaf:Image" class="img-responsive" /> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/system/image.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/image/templates/image-formatter.html.twig' --> </div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> Wed, 18 Aug 2021 11:54:49 +0000 DavidEggboro 12272 at https://www.thefosteringnetwork.org.uk https://www.thefosteringnetwork.org.uk/blogs/arlene-weekes#comments How to become a foster carer https://www.thefosteringnetwork.org.uk/blogs/n-b-lakhani/how-become-foster-carer <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--title--blog.html.twig x field--node--title.html.twig * field--node--blog.html.twig * field--title.html.twig * field--string.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <span>How to become a foster carer</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--title.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--uid--blog.html.twig x field--node--uid.html.twig * field--node--blog.html.twig * field--uid.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <span> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'username' --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> <span lang="" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype="">N B Lakhani</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/user/templates/username.html.twig' --> </span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--uid.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--created--blog.html.twig x field--node--created.html.twig * field--node--blog.html.twig * field--created.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <span>Mon, 05/21/2018 - 13:59</span> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/node/templates/field--node--created.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'links__node' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * links--node.html.twig x links.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/tfnetwork/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/custom/tfnetwork/templates/system/links.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-introduction--blog.html.twig * field--node--field-introduction.html.twig * field--node--blog.html.twig * field--field-introduction.html.twig * field--text-long.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-introduction field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field--item"><p>So, you’ve made the decision that you’d like to become a foster carer. You think you have the right skills and experience, you have the desire to offer a safe and caring home to a child or young person…and, of course, you have a spare room. Now what happens?</p> <p>Becoming a foster carer will typically take around eight months from the first enquiry. There is a series of visits and assessments with a social worker before and final interview with a panel which will make a decision as to whether you will be approved to foster.</p> <p>This sounds quite onerous, but it’s a very important part of your fostering journey – it gives you plenty of time to ask questions and reflect on what it will mean being a foster carer (not just for you, but for your family and friends), and allows your fostering service to ensure that you are going to be a good foster carer.</p> <p>This blog gives a summary of the various stages of becoming a foster carer. For more comprehensive information read our <a href="https://www.thefosteringnetwork.org.uk/advice-information/could-you-foster/frequently-asked-questions">frequently asked questions.</a></p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--body--blog.html.twig * field--node--body.html.twig * field--node--blog.html.twig * field--body.html.twig * field--text-with-summary.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><h3>Step one: Decide what type of fostering you want to do</h3> <p>There are several different types of foster care such as short-term, long-term, emergency, short break care and support care. There are more details on these on our <a href="https://www.thefosteringnetwork.org.uk/advice-information/could-you-foster/types-fostering">types of fostering page</a>.</p> <p>You also need to decide who you want to foster (also known as your approval range). You can foster children from newborn to 18 years old (and now some young people stay living with their former foster carers until they are 21). You should decide upon an age group that you would feel most comfortable looking after.</p> <p>Over time your fostering service may want to build up your skills so that you can widen your approval range. A further consideration is whether you would be willing and able to look after children with additional needs such as those with disabilities. You should let the service know your thoughts when you make enquiries, but they will also explore this further during step three.</p> <h3>Step two: Decide on a fostering service</h3> <p>This is a key decision and can be the difference between being a successful foster carer or not. Your fostering services should be knowledgeable, approachable and supportive. Speak to a few services and ask them lots of questions. There is more information about this on our <a href="https://www.thefosteringnetwork.org.uk/advice-information/could-you-foster/choosing-foster">choosing to foster page</a> and you can find contact details for a service near you on our <a href="https://www.thefosteringnetwork.org.uk/providers">find a fostering service page.</a></p> <h3>Step three: Training and assessment</h3> <p>Once you find a service you will be invited to attend their pre-approval training - The Skills to Foster<sup>TM</sup> - which takes place over four to five evenings and/or weekends, depending on the fostering service.</p> <p>The longest part of becoming a foster carer is the assessment by a social worker as to the suitability of your skills, experience and home environment for fostering, as well as an assessment of others in your household, including any children.</p> <p>This is very in-depth and will allow plenty of opportunity for reflection. This stage can take around four to five months, after which your assessor will submit a full report, including input from you, to the fostering panel.</p> <h3>Step four: Panel</h3> <p>The fostering panel is a group of people with a range of skills, knowledge and experience to help make a decision as to whether you will be a suitable foster carer. Some panel members have a professional background in child or social care, and others have direct experience with the fostering process, either through being a foster carer themselves or through being fostered in the past.</p> <p>They will consider your suitability to foster after reading through your assessment report and then asking you and the social worker questions relating to the report at an interview. After the interview the panel will make a recommendation about your approval to the fostering service.</p> <h3>Step five: Your first arrival</h3> <p>Once you have been approved as a foster carer you will be preparing for your first arrival. A child may be placed with you as soon as you are approved or it might take a while for a child to arrive. It is important that your fostering service makes sure you are the right foster carer to look after a particular child. Making a good match is essential for a successful fostering placement.</p> <p>Read our <a href="https://www.thefosteringnetwork.org.uk/blogs/n-b-lakhani/first-arrival">Before the first arrival</a> blog for tips when you’re from other foster carers.</p> <p>For more information, check out our could you foster page <a href="https://www.thefosteringnetwork.org.uk/advice-information/could-you-foster">here</a>.</p> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-blog-tags--blog.html.twig * field--node--field-blog-tags.html.twig * field--node--blog.html.twig * field--field-blog-tags.html.twig * field--entity-reference.html.twig x field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <div class="field field--name-field-blog-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field--items"> <div class="field--item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/1712" hreflang="en">could you foster</a></div> <div class="field--item"><a href="/taxonomy/term/1982" hreflang="en">fostering panel</a></div> </div> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'themes/contrib/bootstrap/templates/field/field.html.twig' --> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="flag.link_builder:build" arguments="0=node&amp;1=11295&amp;2=favourite_content" token="PJuOGl3N9YuIY0lzBjUcMxDBkIqJyEc4aQcmT9tQRZg"></drupal-render-placeholder> <!-- THEME DEBUG --> <!-- THEME HOOK: 'field' --> <!-- FILE NAME SUGGESTIONS: * field--node--field-comment--blog.html.twig * field--node--field-comment.html.twig * field--node--blog.html.twig * field--field-comment.html.twig x field--comment.html.twig * field.html.twig --> <!-- BEGIN OUTPUT from 'core/modules/comment/templates/field--comment.html.twig' --> <section> <h2>Add new comment</h2> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderForm" arguments="0=node&amp;1=11295&amp;2=field_comment&amp;3=comment" token="bVQYz11eGjXDX--a4D0iacAM6Vzq4dJcAsbr64AHFJQ"></drupal-render-placeholder> </section> <!-- END OUTPUT from 'core/modules/comment/templates/field--comment.html.twig' --> Mon, 21 May 2018 13:59:11 +0000 N B Lakhani 11295 at https://www.thefosteringnetwork.org.uk https://www.thefosteringnetwork.org.uk/blogs/n-b-lakhani/how-become-foster-carer#comments