As an approved Shared Lives carer, you’ll know that going to Panel is a really important part of the assessment process for new carers. It can be a little bit daunting but it’s also an opportunity for carers to show that they’re prepared for the life changing and rewarding experience of being a Shared Lives carer. It’s really important to us that our panels are built up of people who have a passion for good social care, and have the lived experience of being a Shared Lives carer behind them.
Here’s what Panel is all about:
What is Panel?
The main reason we have Panel is so there’s an independent part of our approval process that makes sure the quality of our Shared Lives carers is top notch. Panel are also an important factor in making a decision to de-approve a Shared Lives carer if they’re no longer delivering that high quality of support.
Who can sit on Panel?
To help us recruit the very best carers about, we rally a troop of experts together – this could be our staff, current carers, people we support, family members, professionals and others who are passionate about people and social care. This diverse group form our Shared Lives Panel and assess potential Shared Lives carers and current carers, only approving those who are fantastic at what they do.
It’s so important that we get this right for the people we support and have people on the panel who understand the responsibility of the role in prioritising the happiest and safest future for people who use the service.
Why should you become a panel member?
There’s loads of great reasons that you should become a PSS Panel member. Here’s a few:
- You’ll be helping to recruit more carers who live the same values as you do
- You’ll improve your IT skills on our virtual Panels
- You’ll get all the perks of a PSS volunteer like vouchers, access to Charity Worker discounts and a lovely bunch of volunteers to get to know
Not only is panel considered to be a really enjoyable afternoon but feedback tells us that it’s one of the best ways to get to know the best of Shared Lives too.
What's the committment?
Initial training would be provided, this would be around one hour with our Panel Development Worker, Abi.
- A panel session lasts between one to three hours depending on the number of assessments being presented, plus some independent reading time beforehand.
- Our panels are hosted virtually on zoom on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. We have three panels per month nationwide and the regional team host one panel every other month – that’s a total of six over a year. You can join the regional team or any of the other teams now they are virtual. There’s plenty of opportunities to get involved that will fit into your diary.
- We ask that panel members commit to at least two panels per year so that skills are retained but you can attend as many as you are able to.
How can I get started?
Contact volunteer development worker Abi.Reese@pss.org.uk to get involved.