Bridge Foster Carer

We Manage Jobs(WMJobs); Stafford; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

Staffordshire County Council is seeking compassionate individuals to become Bridge Foster Carers in Staffordshire. You will provide a safe, stable home for children entering care in emergencies, offering reassurance and guidance as professionals assess their needs and plan for their future.

Training, DBS checks and medical clearances are part of the pre-approval process, and carers operate as self-employed associates.

Qualifications

• Approval process includes pre-approval training, professional assessment, medical and DBS checks.
• Foster carers are self-employed under Bridge Foster Care.
• Experience helping children and young people is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide a safe, stable and nurturing home for children entering care in emergencies.
• Support children to feel safe, valued and cared for while long-term plans are developed.
• Help with short-term placement planning and transition when appropriate.

Job description

Become a Bridge Foster Carer

Be the safe place a child needs when they need it most.

Staffordshire's new Bridge Foster Care Scheme is looking for compassionate, resilient individuals and couples who can provide a safe, stable and nurturing home for children and young people entering care in an emergency.

As a Bridge Foster Carer, you will play a vital role in supporting children at a critical point in their lives, helping them feel safe, valued and cared for while longer-term plans are put in place.

Main Responsibilities

About the Bridge Foster Care Scheme

Bridge Foster Care is a specialist short-term fostering scheme designed to provide emergency homes for children and young people who enter care at short notice.

By offering a stable and supportive home environment, Bridge Foster Carers give children the immediate care they need while professionals assess their circumstances, understand their needs and plan for their future. This may involve returning home to their family or moving on to a mainstream foster placement.

The Ideal Candidate

Becoming a foster carer

The approval process to become a Bridge foster carer will include pre-approval training and a professional assessment, plus medical and DBS checks.

As a bridge foster care you will become self-employed.

Make a Difference From Day One

Bridge Foster Carers provide more than just a place to stay. They offer reassurance, stability and hope at a time when children need it most.

Could you be the bridge between crisis and a brighter future?

About Staffordshire County Council

We are no ordinary county council:

Our Values:

The core of who we are as an organisation. Just like we all have personal values that shape our thoughts and behaviour, organisational values drive how we think and act collectively.

Our values were created and shaped by colleague feedback and national best practice and they sit at the heart of People Strategy:

We have a real sense of community spirit that brings our people together. This feeling of belonging means we are all connected to what we do and take pride in the difference we make every day for Staffordshire people. We are ambitious and our sights are set firmly on a better future.

We look forward and race ahead - that goes for your career too.

Our benefits:

We recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive working environment where employees can achieve their full potential and achieve a healthy work-life balance.

In addition to your salary, as a member of staff, you will have access to Our rewards and benefits - Careers at Staffordshire

Our recruitment process:

As an Authority we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Staffordshire County Council is an equal opportunities organisation and Disability Confident employer. We encourage applications from all background and communities

As part of our commitment as a Disability Confident employer, a Gold Award Armed Forces employer and our commitment to supporting care leavers - we offer a guaranteed interview as long as yourapplication meets the minimum criteria for the post.