Foster panel query

[Worried6483]

Hi, I'm looking for some advice please for my friend.
She is currently looking after 2 little girls and is waiting to go to foster panel to hopefully be approved to keep them.
They have not been permanently removed as the court will not do that until she has been to panel and approved, this is so they can remain with her.

She currently has a partner who is on all of the paperwork and due to go to panel with her. The girls do not know her partner very well yet as he was working away and has only recently returned.
She however has built an incredible bond with them and was looking after them alone very successfully before his return.

Now the tricky bit, she really wants to end the relationship, it has broken down on her side and she wants out.
She is worried though that if she leaves the relationship that it will look really bad at panel and she would lose the children.

So, she doesn't know whether to stick it out until after panel just in case, or end it now and try to proceed alone.

She has been told by all the professionals involved that they are completely satisfied that she could do it alone. However they do not know she wants to end the relationship.

Has anyone had experience of this? Would it be better to leave now and remove him from the application or will this go against her at panel??

Thank you

The report and recommendation for approval that goes to panel is based on the prospective fc being completely open and honest. THis issue needs to be raised prior to panel so that the assessing SW can raise relevant issues with the propspective fc and prepare answers to panel. I think a dim view would be taken if it is found that the f/c deliberately concealed material facts.

I'd tell them that I'm going to remove myself from the relationship with my partner and focus on the children!

100% do it before otherwise you will have to go back to panel because of a significant change in circumstances. It is better to be honest from the start

I sit in foster panels. She needs to be honest about it now. Foster couples split up and get divorced and children remain in the family. If she is able to, and has been, caring for them on her own then there is no reason for that to continue. It will show her openness and ability to keep the children's needs foremost if she is honest about this. It'll the children barely know him it will be fine.

Thank you so much for your advice.
I have told her as much but she is just really scared.