Job summary
North Yorkshire and York Council are looking to recruit an enthusiastic and motivated person/s to chair the Joint One Adoption North and Humber panel for the regional adoption agency, One Adoption North and Humber. This agency comprises of five local authorities: Hull City Council, North East Lincolnshire Council, East Riding of Yorkshire Council, City of York Council and North Yorkshire Council, all of whom work together to provide services for children who are in need of permanent homes outside of their family and families.
The joint adoption panel makes recommendations on cases presented which includes plans of adoption for children, adopter approvals and matches between children and adoptive families. The panel has an important function in the quality assurance of reports and ensuring a degree of independent scrutiny over cases presented and reporting back to the agency.
The panel chair is paid a fee per panel which is set at £400 plus travel expenses (where applicable). This includes all reading of papers and preparation for the panel, chairing of the meeting and finalising of the minutes. The chair manages panel members in the meeting and completes annual reviews of all members alongside the agency advisor. The panel chair is supported in their role by vice chairs.
Main duties of the job
Candidates will need a sound knowledge of adoption. This needs to include an understanding of permanency planning for children, the impact of trauma and loss and the lifelong nature of adoption. You will need to understand the recruitment and assessment of adopters and adoption support. A working knowledge of relevant legal frameworks, national standards and regulations is required. You will also need to demonstrate the excellent communication and interpersonal skills necessary to deal with sensitive situations and be able to analyse and explain complex information. You will require excellent interpersonal skills, oral and written communication skills and have the ability to identify key issues, problems and solutions and have experience of chairing complex meetings.
Suitably qualified applicants are requested to email their CV and supporting statement to our Business Support Team
AdoptionAdmin.Thurston@northyorks.gov.uk
About us
One Adoption North and Humber has two joint panels the North panel and the Humber panel. The North panel services children and families from the York and North Yorkshire areas and the Humber panel serves the children and families from the Hull, North East Lincolnshire and East Riding areas. This post is specifically for the North region and the successful candidate/s will sit on the joint North Yorkshire and York adoption panel.
We are committed to providing the best service for adoptive families, children and their birth families. We are determined to drive forward best practice across our region with creativity and innovation, the adoption panel has an important role in this. We are committed to improving our service through listening to the voice of our service users.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job Summary
To chair Adoption Panel meetings, ensuring that all items of business are covered and
that the Panel operates in accordance with Regulations and Guidance and the policies
and procedures of the Agency.
To prepare for Panel meetings, reading Panel papers carefully, identifying key issues
and alerting the Agency Advisor if necessary to ensure, as far as possible, that the
case is adequate for submission to Panel.
To facilitate the active participate of all Panel members in contributing to the Panels
consideration of cases and to the making of clear and well-evidenced
recommendations with the reasons for these.
To ensure that all those attending Panel are treated with respect and courtesy.
To address diversity issues and to promote anti-discriminatory practice at all times.
To ensure that clear and accurate minutes are written, which record and serious
reservations which Panel members may have, and to be involved in checking and
agreeing the minutes with other Panel members before they are sent to the Agency
Decision Maker.
To liaise with the Agency Decision Maker and with other senior managers as required.
To ensure, with the Agency Advisor, that senior managers are aware of issues of
concern, in relation both to individual cases and to more general matters.
To be involved, as appropriate, in the recruitment and appointment of central list and
Panel members and in any consideration about terminating the appointment of a Panel
member.
To review, with the Agency Advisor, the performance of central list and Panel
members as the need arises, and at least annually.
To assist in developing, promoting and monitoring policies and procedures and high
standards of work in adoption and permanence services in the Agency.
To assist in planning training events for members and to participate in this at least one
day per year.
To safeguard the confidentiality of all Panel papers and Panel discussions.
To be involved in:
deciding whether a case is adequate for submission to Panel
OFFICIAL
deciding on the attendance of observers at Panel
deciding on the participation of a Panel member who declares an interest in a
case
deciding when an extra Panel meeting may be necessary
The chair will be involved in preparing an annual report on the Joint Panels work.
Currently all the panels are run virtually via Microsoft Teams with all paperwork sent
electronically, so access to a computer or laptop devise is essential. If in the future
the North panel was to be held via a face-to-face meeting, this would be at the Local
Authority City of York Offices.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job Summary
To chair Adoption Panel meetings, ensuring that all items of business are covered and
that the Panel operates in accordance with Regulations and Guidance and the policies
and procedures of the Agency.
To prepare for Panel meetings, reading Panel papers carefully, identifying key issues
and alerting the Agency Advisor if necessary to ensure, as far as possible, that the
case is adequate for submission to Panel.
To facilitate the active participate of all Panel members in contributing to the Panels
consideration of cases and to the making of clear and well-evidenced
recommendations with the reasons for these.
To ensure that all those attending Panel are treated with respect and courtesy.
To address diversity issues and to promote anti-discriminatory practice at all times.
To ensure that clear and accurate minutes are written, which record and serious
reservations which Panel members may have, and to be involved in checking and
agreeing the minutes with other Panel members before they are sent to the Agency
Decision Maker.
To liaise with the Agency Decision Maker and with other senior managers as required.
To ensure, with the Agency Advisor, that senior managers are aware of issues of
concern, in relation both to individual cases and to more general matters.
To be involved, as appropriate, in the recruitment and appointment of central list and
Panel members and in any consideration about terminating the appointment of a Panel
member.
To review, with the Agency Advisor, the performance of central list and Panel
members as the need arises, and at least annually.
To assist in developing, promoting and monitoring policies and procedures and high
standards of work in adoption and permanence services in the Agency.
To assist in planning training events for members and to participate in this at least one
day per year.
To safeguard the confidentiality of all Panel papers and Panel discussions.
To be involved in:
deciding whether a case is adequate for submission to Panel
OFFICIAL
deciding on the attendance of observers at Panel
deciding on the participation of a Panel member who declares an interest in a
case
deciding when an extra Panel meeting may be necessary
The chair will be involved in preparing an annual report on the Joint Panels work.
Currently all the panels are run virtually via Microsoft Teams with all paperwork sent
electronically, so access to a computer or laptop devise is essential. If in the future
the North panel was to be held via a face-to-face meeting, this would be at the Local
Authority City of York Offices.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Panel Chair/Vice Chair Role Skills and Assessment criteria
- As the panel chair/vice chair you will be expected to be able to quickly assimilate information to identify essential issues, seeking clarification where necessary so a clear understanding of this information is gained.
- Assessment criteria:
- 1. Excellent analytical skills and a consistency of decision-making and
- administrative direction.
- Managing work effectively
- A large amount of panel work takes place outside of the panel setting and therefore the Chairs are expected to work effectively both in the Panel and preparing for the panel
- Assessment criteria:
- 2. An ability to prioritise work effectively.
- 3. Demonstrates resilience responding calmly and flexibly to changing circumstances.
- Working with others
- An ability to work constructively with others whilst demonstrating an awareness of diversity and showing empathy and sensitivity in building relationships is required in this post.
- Assessment criteria:
- 4. Treats people with respect, sensitivity and in a fair manner without
- discrimination; ensuring the requirements of those with differing
- needs are properly met.
- Communicating effectively
- The panel chair must be excellent communicators. They must be sensitive and, as far as possible, responsive to the needs and requirements of those who engage with the service and also possess the awareness to manage their expectations of the process. They must be IT literate and provide clear directions whilst creating a safe, harmonious and effective working environment through co-operative working.
- Assessment Criteria:
- 5. Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- 6. Establishes authority and inspires respect and confidence.
- 7. Remains calm and authoritative even when challenged.
- Exercising judgement
- OFFICIAL
- They must demonstrate integrity and apply independence of mind to make incisive, fair, and legally sound decisions.
- Assessment criteria:
- 8. Able to deal with emotionally charged situations that require sensitive handling and confident/positive judgement.
Experience
Essential
- Possessing and Building Knowledge
- It is the responsibility of the Panel Cahir to keep an up-to-date working knowledge
- of adoption law, practice and guidance. They should take part in any local training
- as appropriate. They are expected to take part in the on-going yearly assistant
- coroner appraisal scheme to build upon their knowledge and skills.
- Assessment criteria:
- 9. Thorough, up to date knowledge of legislation, case law and guidance
- relating to adoption.
- 10.Knowledge of the organisational structures of local government
- including an understanding of the challenges facing local government,
- both at present and in the future.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Panel Chair/Vice Chair Role Skills and Assessment criteria
- As the panel chair/vice chair you will be expected to be able to quickly assimilate information to identify essential issues, seeking clarification where necessary so a clear understanding of this information is gained.
- Assessment criteria:
- 1. Excellent analytical skills and a consistency of decision-making and
- administrative direction.
- Managing work effectively
- A large amount of panel work takes place outside of the panel setting and therefore the Chairs are expected to work effectively both in the Panel and preparing for the panel
- Assessment criteria:
- 2. An ability to prioritise work effectively.
- 3. Demonstrates resilience responding calmly and flexibly to changing circumstances.
- Working with others
- An ability to work constructively with others whilst demonstrating an awareness of diversity and showing empathy and sensitivity in building relationships is required in this post.
- Assessment criteria:
- 4. Treats people with respect, sensitivity and in a fair manner without
- discrimination; ensuring the requirements of those with differing
- needs are properly met.
- Communicating effectively
- The panel chair must be excellent communicators. They must be sensitive and, as far as possible, responsive to the needs and requirements of those who engage with the service and also possess the awareness to manage their expectations of the process. They must be IT literate and provide clear directions whilst creating a safe, harmonious and effective working environment through co-operative working.
- Assessment Criteria:
- 5. Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- 6. Establishes authority and inspires respect and confidence.
- 7. Remains calm and authoritative even when challenged.
- Exercising judgement
- OFFICIAL
- They must demonstrate integrity and apply independence of mind to make incisive, fair, and legally sound decisions.
- Assessment criteria:
- 8. Able to deal with emotionally charged situations that require sensitive handling and confident/positive judgement.
Experience
Essential
- Possessing and Building Knowledge
- It is the responsibility of the Panel Cahir to keep an up-to-date working knowledge
- of adoption law, practice and guidance. They should take part in any local training
- as appropriate. They are expected to take part in the on-going yearly assistant
- coroner appraisal scheme to build upon their knowledge and skills.
- Assessment criteria:
- 9. Thorough, up to date knowledge of legislation, case law and guidance
- relating to adoption.
- 10.Knowledge of the organisational structures of local government
- including an understanding of the challenges facing local government,
- both at present and in the future.
