that the functioning and recommendations of a panel rely on the efficient use of personal beliefs and values. But how can this be achieved?

The research findings support the contention that historical material can be seen as a continuum from undermining and chaotic to informative and enhancing, that is as a tool for challenging what may otherwise be unconscious bias, depending on the individual and the organisational understanding and management of the material. The difficulty therefore lies not with the biographical material per se, but with its individual and organisational containment. Thus, the responsibility for the management of personal beliefs and values lies with both the individuals and the professional system in which they operate. The research supports this view with the finding that panels that were securely managed and chaired were more successful at containing individuals’ own personal material and displayed enhanced overall functioning.

The consciousness/constructiveness axis discussed earlier provided the foundation to develop the EPPJ model. This essentially encourages decision-makers to recognise, analyse and adapt personal values and preferences to help them become more professionally proficient, particularly in relation to decisions about others. This approach could have wider application, such as when considering the membership of a team and the balance of individuals in the various categories within it, so that the strengths of some compensate for the weaknesses of others, and vice versa. For example, those in the reflective and professional quadrants can be helped by individuals in the low consciousness/low constructiveness group to develop some personal and professional distance from their internal drivers. They need to cultivate the capacity to self-manage and should be assisted by the panel chair in self-regulating. ‘Good’ panels and teams, ‘held’ by a panel chair or manager, can be supported in using their personal biographies to enable them to function effectively. Similarly, some members are guarded about what they share yet demonstrate an ability to remain on task; however, they need encouragement to be more empathetic through the appropriate sharing of their experiences and selves that should help them to develop a less officious manner. The understanding and use of more EPPJ is a first step.

Discussion The purpose of this study was to explore the ways in which personal biographies, attitudes and values influence the role and recommendation-making of members of adoption and fostering panels. While there is evidence from the literature that, in many contexts, group decision-making can have advantages over individual decision-making, a significant body of work indicates that these strengths can be overridden by a mixture of unconscious biases and collective thinking. It is possible that in the specific context of adoption and fostering panels, this can lead to flawed decisions. The research set out to investigate the extent to which this is the case.

But before discussing this specific weakness of panels, it is important to acknowledge a general strength. The study provides clear evidence that the panel system performs a valuable function for its major stakeholders; it certainly achieves what is intended in terms of having a representative constitution and providing considered recommendations in a timely manner to the ADM.