What is the Fostering Panel?

Before you get approved as a foster carer, your application will be presented to the Fusion Fostering Panel. This is the final stages of the assessment process. Once all information has been presented to panel and a recommendation has been made, this will be passed onto the Agency Decsion Maker (ADM) who will make the decision based on the panel minutes and all information presented regarding you becoming an approved foster carer with Fusion.

The fostering panel will be a local meeting between our staff members as well as independent panel members who have a wide breadth of knowledge, skills and experience in the field. The panel will include an experienced independent chair, a health practitioner, education professional, ex-service user as well as independent registered social workers. The diversity of the panel ensures a wide variety of experience is brought to the table to judge your application and individual circumstances.

It may sound daunting, but the fostering panel isn’t intended to scare you. Our team will make sure you are fully prepared and confident as you walk into the panel.

Outcomes

The panel meeting would normally last no longer than an hour and you will often be informed of the recommendations there and then. The panel may suggest one of the following outcomes:

• Recommendation for approval
• Recommendation to reject the application
• Recommendation for a deferral of application until further information can be collected and presented for further consideration

Whatever the result, Fusion Fostering will be able to guide you as to the next steps. We can take you through the appeals process if required or help you to gather more information to satisfy the needs of the panel.

Agency Decision Maker Role

Once the panel has provided their recommendation, the final approval is up to Fusion Fostering’s ADM. The ADM makes the final decision regarding any application that has been presented to the panel. They will look at the same information as the panel members before the panel meeting, together with the minutes of the panel meeting after it has occurred. The ADM then uses their experience and authority to make an informed decision based on all information present. You will be notified of the result as soon as the ADM has confirmed their decision.