How to Prepare for the Fostering Panel in Wales: What to Expect and How to Present Yourself

The fostering panel is the final formal step before the Agency Decision Maker (ADM) confirms your approval as a foster carer in Wales. Most applicants approach it with more anxiety than it deserves — because very few people arrive at panel without a positive recommendation already in place — but it is also a step where preparation matters. Knowing the format, the likely questions, and your rights makes a meaningful difference to how the day feels and how you present yourself.

The short answer on preparation: read your Form F report carefully before the panel, prepare to speak to any areas the social worker has flagged as needing development, and understand that the panel is not trying to catch you out — its function under the Fostering Panels (Establishment and Functions) (Wales) Regulations 2018 is to provide independent quality assurance, not to conduct a second assessment.

What the Welsh Fostering Panel Is and What It Is Not

The fostering panel is a statutory independent body that reviews the social worker's assessment report (Form F) and makes a recommendation to the ADM on whether you should be approved. It is not the same as the ADM's decision, which follows after the panel.

The panel does not conduct new interviews or gather new evidence. It reviews what is already in the assessment, asks questions to satisfy itself that the assessment is thorough and accurate, and invites you to speak to your application. You are not on trial. You are being given the opportunity to add context and affirm what the social worker has already concluded.

The ADM — a senior officer in the fostering service — then reviews the panel's recommendation and makes the final legal determination on your approval. In practice, the ADM follows the panel's recommendation in the large majority of cases.

Panel Constitution Under the 2018 Regulations

The Fostering Panels (Establishment and Functions) (Wales) Regulations 2018 set out the legal requirements for who can sit on a Welsh fostering panel. This matters because the composition tells you who you will be speaking to.

Most panels have 5–8 members. The independent chair manages the meeting. The social worker presenting your case is typically not your assessing social worker — a different worker presents the report to maintain independence.

You are usually invited to attend the panel meeting. You will not be in the room while the panel deliberates and makes its recommendation, but you will have the opportunity to speak and to answer questions before they do.

What the Panel Covers

The panel reviews your Form F report in full and considers:

• Whether the assessment is thorough, balanced, and consistent
• Whether it has addressed all relevant areas under the Welsh National Minimum Standards for Fostering Services
• Any aspects of your history, circumstances, or capacity that the panel wants to explore further
• The social worker's recommendation for approval, including any proposed conditions or limitations (such as approval for specific age groups or numbers of children)

The panel is particularly likely to ask questions about:

• Any concerns or "development areas" flagged in the Form F: If the social worker has noted something that requires development — a skill you are still building, an area of uncertainty — the panel will ask about it
• Your motivation: Why fostering, why now, and what specific type of placement you are seeking
• Your support network: Who will provide practical help and emotional support when fostering becomes demanding
• How your household will manage specific scenarios: Particularly challenging behaviour, contact with birth families, or placement endings
• Your understanding of the Welsh framework: Panels in Wales will often ask about the SSWBA 2014, the UNCRC rights of the child, and the Active Offer, particularly for carers who may be assessed for Welsh-speaking placements

Preparing Effectively

Read your Form F report: Your assessing social worker should share the draft report with you before it goes to panel. Read it carefully. You are entitled to add a statement if you disagree with anything or want to provide additional context. If there are factual errors, raise them with your social worker before the report is submitted.

Understand the recommendation and any conditions: If the social worker is recommending approval for a specific age range (e.g., 5–12 years, no children under school age), understand why and be prepared to speak to it. If you want to be considered for a broader range, the panel meeting is not the moment to argue this — that conversation should happen with your social worker before the report is finalised.

Prepare for likely questions: Think through your answers to questions about your support network, your household's capacity for challenging behaviour, your relationship with birth families of looked-after children, and your understanding of the child's right to maintain their cultural identity — including Welsh language if relevant.

Bring your partner: If you are a couple, both partners attend panel. Panel members may direct questions to either or both of you.

Know your rights: You can be accompanied to the panel. You can submit a written statement if you want to provide context the Form F does not fully capture. If the ADM's decision goes against you, you have the right to apply to the Independent Review Mechanism (IRM) Wales — a formal route for challenging a decision with independent oversight.

The Gap Between the Panel and the ADM Decision

There is typically a short gap — a few days to a week — between the panel making its recommendation and the ADM issuing the formal approval decision. The ADM may:

• Agree with the panel recommendation and approve you
• Agree with a positive recommendation with conditions
• In rare cases, reach a different conclusion from the panel — if so, they must give written reasons

If you are approved, your fostering service will issue a formal approval letter specifying the terms of your approval (type of care, age range, number of children). This document is the legal basis for your role as a foster carer in Wales.

What Happens If the Panel Recommends Against Approval

This is uncommon for applicants who have completed the full Stage 2 assessment. The Form F process is designed so that any significant concerns are identified and addressed during the assessment, not at panel. If a recommendation against approval is made, the ADM will notify you in writing with reasons. You then have 28 days to request that the decision be reconsidered, either by the ADM directly or by referring the case to the IRM Wales for an independent review.

Who This Is For

• Applicants who have completed Stage 2 of the Welsh fostering assessment and have a panel date confirmed
• Anyone who has received a draft Form F report and wants to understand how to engage with it effectively before panel
• Couples preparing jointly for their panel appearance
• Applicants who have concerns flagged in their assessment and want to understand how these will be handled at panel

Who This Is NOT For

• Applicants who are still in Stage 1 or have not yet started their assessment: the panel is the final step, not an early preparation priority
• People who have already been through panel and are in the IRM review process: the IRM has its own procedures and the right support at that stage is a fostering solicitor or the Fostering Network Cymru advocacy service

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to attend the fostering panel, or is it optional in Wales?

You are usually invited and strongly encouraged to attend, but attendance is not legally mandatory under the Fostering Panels (Establishment and Functions) (Wales) Regulations 2018. However, attending gives you the opportunity to speak to your application, provide context, and demonstrate your engagement with the process. Not attending can occasionally raise questions. If there is a genuine reason you cannot attend — illness, an emergency — your social worker can advise on whether the panel can be postponed or proceed in your absence.

How long does a fostering panel meeting last?

Your portion of the panel typically runs 30–60 minutes. You are present for the introductions, the social worker's presentation of the Form F summary, and the question-and-answer session. You then leave the room while the panel deliberates. Panels often run multiple cases in a single day, so the total meeting length varies — your session is scheduled specifically.

Will I see the Form F report before the panel in Wales?

Yes. You have the right to see the draft Form F report before it is submitted to panel, and you are invited to sign it. You can add a statement if you disagree with any section or want to provide additional context. Read the report carefully — the panel will have read it in full before they meet you, and any areas of concern in the report will inform their questions.

What should I wear to a fostering panel?

Smart but professional. The panel is a formal process conducted by experienced professionals, and presenting yourself as someone who takes the role seriously matters. You do not need to dress as you would for a job interview in a law firm, but jeans and a casual top undermine the impression you want to make.

What is the Independent Review Mechanism (IRM) in Wales, and when does it apply?

The IRM Wales is an independent body that reviews disputed fostering decisions. If the ADM issues a qualifying determination — a decision not to approve you, or to impose conditions you disagree with — you have 28 days to request reconsideration. You can ask the fostering service's own ADM to reconsider, or you can refer the case directly to the IRM for an independent panel review. The IRM's recommendation is then returned to the agency ADM for a final decision. The Fostering Network Cymru can provide guidance and support if you reach this stage.

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