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Review Panels

Review Panels that are set up to review your case are set up independently from your adoption agency. They are designed to consider adoption suitability cases.

The panel is designed to be independent from those who have rejected you. Therefore when the panel is being convened they will not include any review panel member who is or was:

  • employed in the past year by the adoption or fostering service provider who made the qualifying determination,
  • who knows the applicant in a personal or professional capacity,
  • or who was approved as a prospective adopter or foster carer by the agency which gave the qualifying determination.

When you receive a list of the attendees of your review panel you will be able to tell the IRM if you believe a particular review panel member should not be appointed to consider your case.

Locations of the Review Panel meeting

Review panels will be held on a monthly basis as required in Leeds and twice a month in London. Once your application has been received the IRM will identify the panel most suitable to consider your case, taking into account other cases that need to be heard.

Members on the Review Panel

Adoption suitability cases

The panels looking at adoption suitability cases will have a membership of between 6 and 10 people. All panel members will have professional or personal experience of adoption or fostering. The make up of the panel will depend on the type of case being heard.
Each panel will have a:

  • a Chair able to hear adoption suitability cases,
  • a Vice-Chair able to hear adoption suitability  cases,
  • Lay Members with related experience e.g. education, psychologists, children’s guardians, retired social workers,
  • Panel members with personal experience of adoption  and
  • Social workers with specialist knowledge of either adoption or fostering.
  • A registered Medical Practitioner
Professional Advice to Panels on all Cases

This will be provided by a Professional Adviser who will be an experienced social worker with knowledge of both adoption and fostering legislation and practice and a Legal Adviser who will prepare a written report for the panel in all cases.)

A Panel Secretary will be present to make a record of the meeting.

 
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