Partnership meetings

Background

NAFP has a long history of facilitating regular meetings for its independent fostering agency (IFA) members working in particular geographical areas. These regional/national meetings have focused on understanding the specific needs of an area and members are supported with issues relevant to commissioning and contracting. Over recent years, both IFAs and local authorities have voiced a desire to have more opportunities to meet together to work collaboratively to address collective challenges in the sector. For this reason, in December 2024, NAFP reviewed these terms of reference for the regional/national meetings so that commissioning colleagues and invited guests are able to join us for the first hour. The remaining half an hour will remain as a members only meeting.

Logistics

Frequency - approximately every six - eight weeks (attendees will be informed of the date of meetings at least six weeks in advance)

Agendas - sent out two weeks prior to the meeting

Administration - brief notes will be made available to attendees/invitees

Dates - to be shared approximately six weeks in advance

Duration - 1.5 hrs (1 hr commissioners and IFAs, followed by 0.5 hr IFA members only)

Location - usually via Zoom (please ensure your IT system is able to support this) some meetings may be in person, agenda dependant

Coverage - in England, the geographical area covered will mirror the ADCS regional footprints; in Scotland and Wales, partnership meetings will have national coverage

Attendees

• NAFP IFA members with responsibility for working in partnership with commissioning colleagues, organisational developments, management oversight of contracting responsibilities
• Representatives of local authority foster care commissioning and placement team managers
• NAFP representatives (to host and chair)
• IFAs who are not members of NAFP , but who are considering joining, may also be invited

Purpose

The partnership meetings will have the following key purposes:

1.  To ensure all attendees have a common understanding of the contractual arrangements across the region and any developing  or planned commissioning or procurement activity.
2. To provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and information between IFAs and local authority commissioning representatives, with a shared commitment to transparency, within agreed realms of confidentiality and business sensitivity.
3. To provide an opportunity for local authority commissioning representatives and IFAs working across a region/nation to come together to discuss specific topics relevant to commissioning activity in the region/nation (including challenges around sufficiency and specificity). The meetings will focus on strategies for improved partnership working. Partners will also explore and seek to collaboratively address challenges either party may have in complying with contractual terms (though not in relation to individual children or individual IFAs/local authorities).
4. To support information exchange, ensuring attendees are aware of any important national developments and to share lessons learnt from other areas.
5. To provide an opportunity for NAFP members to share any thoughts or experiences in a members-only forum.

Agenda (example template)

1. Introductions
2. Developments in the region/nation, including the status of any commissioning and procurement activity
3. Discussion about any specific issues, related to commissioning or operational practice, where it is identified that a collaborative and risk-sharing approach is needed.
4. Summary of national developments and sharing of lessons learned from other areas
5. NAFP member-only session (30 mins)

Preparation

Attendees should come prepared with any topics they wish to raise. It is helpful if local authority colleagues / consortia leads with responsibility for contract managing a DPS / framework (or similar) attend prepared to give a brief update on contract performance, any associated working groups and any plans for improvement / renewal.

If attendees do not wish to raise a topic directly, they should email [email protected] before the meeting so that we can raise the issue in more general terms.

If attendees wish to give colleagues time to prepare/think about a specific topic before the meeting, please let Marie know at least a week in advance.

Meeting etiquette

Please keep cameras on and consider muting if you have background noise.

Please come ready to talk, share and ask questions. The richer the discussion, the more meaningful the experience is for everyone involved.  

If you would like to be included on the invitation list, please email [email protected] stating which regional meeting you are interested in joining

15 May 2025