Introducing Nadeem; our Vice Panel Chair

Hello everyone, I’m Nadeem Salim.

I was so pleased to have been asked to join Skylark Fostering by Trish, Tim and Maureen. Being part of a new fostering agency from the get-go is a real honour and privilege.

Trish and Tim both have many years of experience in social work and the world of fostering, and Maureen has extensive experience in the field as a Social Worker and as an Independent Assessor.

I, too, bring a wealth of experience, having worked in local government since 1989 initially as a Youth and Community Worker and then from August 1995 as a Social Worker working in the area of children and families, child protection, children’s disability services and adult care.

I began working as a panel member in 2012 whilst also working in the public sector in a Social Work post until 2020 at which point I became an Independent Social Worker.

My main role now involves me sitting on both Local Authority fostering panels and several Independent Fostering Agencies. I also undertake reviews of Foster Parents and support Social Work Students in their formal social work training as a Practice Educator.

Given my experience of working with children, young people and families enables me to hold a unique position of having a professional understanding of the needs of children and young people. The roles that I currently undertake allow me to have a clear comprehensive understanding of the fostering role and the key ingredients that are required to support children and young people who are in foster care.

I understand that all children and young people are different, and their previous experiences have shaped their lives, and many will have faced numerous challenges and traumas. Offering a child a secure and loving home can bring them stability, routine and structure and can see them flourish emotionally, socially, and educationally.

As a Foster Parent, you can support and shape their world and provide them with a sense of belonging and acceptance, showing them empathy, care, and compassion, which are just a few key elements required to support them in a child-friendly environment.

Fostering children will not be easy and each day may bring new challenges, but with the support and supervision from your Supervising Social Worker and Skylark Fostering you will be guided and supported throughout your journey. In return you will be able to play a significant part in a child and young person’s life and, in time, see positive outcomes and changes. The rewards are undoubtedly immense and very rewarding!

My colleague Maureen (Panel Chair) has already spoken about the panel process, but I also want to assure you that we are a friendly group of professionals with a variety of backgrounds and experiences.

Panel Members will have read the assessment and supplementary information, i.e. references, pet assessment, school references etc, ahead of meeting you. On the day we may ask you some further questions for clarification, there will not be any trick questions and questions will be formed based on the information received. Ultimately, the panel’s function is to make a recommendation about your suitability to foster.

As a panel and new agency, your comments and feedback on your assessment process, panel experience, and anything else will be invaluable. This will help shape and develop the service and panel going forward.

Finally, I am looking forward to working with Skylark Fostering and hopefully see some of you at fostering panel.