# can you take a moment to tell me your panel experiences?



## keemjay (Jan 19, 2004)

I'm joining our LA focus group..to help improve the service.. maybe  
one thing i have a bee in my bonnet about is panel..(mainly because we had a hideous experience but i know we are not the only ones from reading various message boards) but also because the way it operates currently just doesnt make sense to me..
i want to know if the way our LA operates is standard/recommended practice across the country or whether each LA does it differently..just so i know where i stand asking it to be looked at.
with our LA you go to panel..they 'recommend' (hopefully!) the approval/match and then the paperwork is reviewed by the Independant Decision Maker who will hopefully ratify the approval/match,which is  within either 7 or 10 days, cant remember...you are told that its highly unusual for the DM not to uphold the panels recommendation
my bugbear with this is that you leave panel amongst congratulations and with a general celebratory air around you, even though you know the Decision maker has the final 'rubber stamp' on it. I feel this is wrong..I think you shouldnt know whether you have been approved or not until the DM ratifies it..if there's a real possibility that they may go against the panels recommendation then NOBODY should be handing out congratulations!
in addition, in the case of a match being recommended, after panel you are expected to go and make your final organisations ready for your imminent arrival so that once the DM has ratified then Intros are ready to begin straight away! So in our case, when they found out the DM wouldnt ratify the match, we were just hrs away from our planning meeting after which we were supposed to be meeting LO! not a happy scenario  

So if you wouldnt mind taking a moment I'd really like to hear how different LA's and VA's deal with the whole panel/decision maker thing so that i have a picture of how it works countrywide..
thanks v much  
kj x


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## Anthony Reid (Jan 1, 2002)

Thats pretty much how it worked for us.... I cannot say where though - but it was way out of Essex.

My bugbear is that the adoption services we used  do competitive matching and frankly that stinks.


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## someday (Sep 11, 2008)

i'm a long way from panel but i've just read adoption diary. their VA did what Tony was talking about and it was awful for them. there were lots of couples in the for the child they were told about and this happened more than once. they were shown photos etc it was awful


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## popsi (Oct 11, 2007)

yep thats the way our worked too... i agree totally with what your saying, you should not know either way until DM .. or DM should be onsite and you would wait the few mins for the "rubber stamp" ! so to speak... we were so excited coming from panel then stressed for next few days waiting for letter.... and also we had a competitive match which we did not "win" ! (horrible way of putting it but was way we felt at the time   , and were not told for 3 weeks..pure hell)... this should not be allowed, our daughter was only linked with us and we were told immediately that it would proceed ... hope this helps a little... you will do fab on your new role, I honestly dont know if we we would have gone ahead with our Daugther if it was not for the help and information you gave us at the time.... and how wrong would that have been we now know 2 fantastic years in xxx


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## Ruthiebabe (Dec 15, 2003)

It's the same procedure in the 3 (!) LAs we went through for our 3. Thankfully we never had DM differ from panels recommendation, so I may have a different perspective. But I'd find it really hard to wait, I'd like to know panels recommendation ASAP, with the understanding it is just a recomnendation??


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## MrsYG (Oct 30, 2007)

Our LA works exactly the same way, recommendation then DM ratification 10 days later.  We were told not to worry about the DM, as it was unanimous.

I imagine it would be awful to be knocked back by DM though, we go to MP in 3 weeks and LO's room is all ready, I would be gutted if it all went wrong now.  Same as you we have panel, 10 days for ratification and then planning meeting the next morning meeting LO in the afternoon.

I agree that the DM should be present at Panel, and then its all sorted in one day.  Seems ridiculous that they don't attend really when you think about it   

Good luck with your new role too!


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## Old Timer (Jan 23, 2005)

Both the LAs we have been through did it the same as you describe.
I do know our LA and another LA that have approved as adopters and approved the match on the same day (2 of my BIL's children) so it is possible.....
Personally I think they should have the DM on the panels (or someone who is able to rubber stamp it there and then) especially the matching panel as you have such a short space of time after before intros start.  When you are adopting for a 2nd time you don't have long to prepare your existing child of the iniment arrival of a sibling and the upheaval of intros.
Competitive Matching should be banned     Its such a horrible experience to go through, having to open your heart to a child (which imo you have to do to get an idea of whether you could be a good match) and face not getting chosen.  As if adoption isn't hard enough and most adopters have been through years of pain before hand too.
OT x


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## keemjay (Jan 19, 2004)

thanks for the input so far..seems like it might be a countrywide policy then..might be harder to change   still one can try!
i dont think the DM is allowed to attend panel..i think thats the point, they are 'independent' so cant be swayed one way or another by actually being there. but i dont see why they cant sit in a next door room, or do it within 24 hrs or at the most 48  
I know our experience heavily sways how i feel but i know it can, and does, happen and it was so absolutely dreadful i want it to never ever happen to anyone else..
fortunately our LA dont do competitive matching   thats something you can all fight out with your own LA's  

kj x


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## GERTIE179 (Apr 20, 2005)

Hi Kemjay,

I am not actually sure why the DM step is there as surely the panel should be trusted to do their job ( and in most cases they do). Maybe if they had an audit/appeal process for people to take that route if Approval Panel has not been held properly or prospective Adopters feel they have not been heard.

Re Matching Panel, I've yet to get to that stage but again feel the Linking meeting and Matching Panel process should be sufficient (and so far I see it as robust). This would also help speed up the process IMHO.

Happy to help if you would like more - although my experience has been very positive so far 

G x


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## AoC (Oct 28, 2008)

KJ, the DM ratifying the panel's decision is a statutory requirement - see http://minimumstandards.org/adop_seventeen.html and http://www.adoption.org.uk/information/adoption_panel.html.

I'm so sorry it worked so badly for you. (((((hugs)))))) I think most DM's will agree with the SW's recommendation over the panel's recommendation, which is why SW's give us the option to withdraw at that stage. I wonder if the "within seven working days" thing is a bit like a cooling off period, so that the DM does properly and dilligently review the case, rather than just rubber stamping? It's all very complicated, isn't it?

I think from my own preference, I'd rather know the panel's decision and accept it's not finalised until the DM has formalised it, than wait in suspense not knowing the Panel's recommendation. But everyone has their own take!

I'm glad you're on the focus group! Well done to you! 

/links


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## Dame Edna (May 17, 2007)

Our LA worked the same regarding the DM having final say ...

Perhaps it should be changed so that the DM only gets involved IF the decision by panel is NOT unanimous ....?

Good luck
X


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## Iman (Oct 11, 2007)

Our was the same

I can't see why the DM is not on the panel - you know, like as The Chair/in place of The Chair ? 

Also can anyone tell me, is the ratification letter a legally binding document? and does it detail anything other than the decision (i.e. the comments of the panel, if any)

Thanks


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## keemjay (Jan 19, 2004)

hmm not sure about that Iman..the letter itself to you the adopters is just informing you of the ratification but i'm sure theres a more formal document confirming it..but how that stands legally i've no idea..
kj x


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## Kaytie (May 7, 2005)

Same process for us too (Scotland). The panel tried to get the DM to confirm it on the same day, but it didn't happen as DM was tied up in other meetings. At least they tried.
Our letter just confimed the ratification and that DM agreed with the panel's recommendation.

Kaytie x


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