Independent Fostering Panel Vice Chair

This is NOT a North Somerset Council vacancy, please contact Harriet Johnstone for further details.

Location – North Somerset Council – Town Hall – Weston Super Mare/Hybrid Teams panels

Contract – Freelance/Self employed

Fee – £150 per panel to include £75 reading fee and £75 attendance fee.

Frequency – Panel meetings are fortnightly, majority Teams based, on a Wednesday, 9-2pm.

Commitment – The Vice chair is expected to attend at least 80% of meetings annually including panel training and business meetings, appraisals and other relevant meetings.

North Somerset Council is looking to recruit an Independent Fostering Panel Vice Chair for their foster panel in Weston Super Mare. The fostering panel provides independent oversight of the recruitment, assessment and review of foster carers and connected person/kinship carers; you will draw on your personal and professional knowledge and experience and make reasoned recommendations on applicants/carers suitability to foster.

The role of Panel Vice Chair is crucial to our success in improving outcomes for our children in care. You will need to have experience and confidence in effectively chairing complex meetings, underpinned by a sound understanding of Fostering Panel processes and the legislative landscape within which panel operates, including safeguarding procedures.

You will be responsible for ensuring our Fostering Panel is an inclusive, anti-discriminatory forum which promotes sound and responsible recommendations with children at its heart. You will demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the legislative framework and National Minimum Standards for Fostering and current best practice initiatives. As Panel Vice Chair you will have excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication skills, experience of managing complex dynamics within meetings and be able to put prospective and approved foster carers at ease.

As Vice Chair, you will support the Panel Chair in ensuring that panel business is conducted effectively, fairly and in accordance with fostering regulations, statutory guidance and best practice. You will deputise for the Chair when required and help maintain a culture of professional curiosity, respectful challenge and child-centred decision-making.

Your role will extend to supporting the development of our Fostering Service, through strong links to the Panel Chair, Panel Advisor, Fostering Management Team and Agency Decision Maker. The expectation is that you will provide leadership to the Panel by being well prepared, reading panel papers carefully, identifying key issues and alerting the Panel Advisor, if necessary, to any concerns.

In addition to vice chairing the Fostering Panel, there will be Business meetings, Practice meetings, panel appraisals and training events which need your input over the year. Contracts are reviewed annually as part of the appraisal process.

Panels are currently held virtually, On Teams with quarterly panels held in person at the Town Hall, in Weston Super Mare. Ability to attend both and have flexibility for change is essential.

North Somerset Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and we expect all employees to share this commitment and undertake appropriate checks. Successful applicants will be required to undertake relevant DBS checks.

Due to the requirement for panel to be independent from the Local Authority we regret that we cannot accept applications from current or previous North Somerset Foster Carers.

We welcome applications from all sections of the community and are committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion. We particularly encourage applications from individuals who can bring diverse perspectives and lived experience to the role.

For an informal chat please contact Harriet Johnstone, Panel Advisor - harriet.johnstone@n-somerset.gov.uk

If you wish to apply, please read the Job Description and person specification and send a CV and covering letter stating how you meet the job description and person specification to – harriet.johnstone@n-somerset.gov.uk

Closing date for application is 8th December 2026, with interviews planned for early 2027.