Foster Carer

We Manage Jobs(WMJobs); Stafford; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fostering payment up to £679.73 per wk

Initial training and ongoing dev

24-hour support and guidance

Supervising social worker

Local support groups and activities

Peer support from other foster carers

Specialist fostering skills

Membership of The Fostering Network

Job summary

Staffordshire County Council is seeking compassionate individuals and families to become Foster Carers. You'll provide a safe, stable home and support children who cannot live with their birth families. Applicants must be 21+, live in Staffordshire, and have a spare bedroom.

No formal childcare qualifications are required, but a caring, patient mindset is essential. What we offer includes a generous fostering payment up to £679.73 per child per week, initial training, ongoing development,

Qualifications

• Must be at least 21 years old.
• Caring, patient and understanding.
• Emotionally resilient and adaptable.
• Able to provide a safe, stable home.
• Live in Staffordshire with the right to work in the UK.
• Must have a spare bedroom for a foster child.
• Willing to undertake training and ongoing development.

Responsibilities

• Provide a safe, nurturing and stable family environment.
• Support children with their emotional wellbeing and development.
• Take children to school, appointments and activities.
• Help with homework and encouraging educational achievement.
• Promote positive routines, healthy lifestyles and independence skills.
• Support contact with family members where appropriate.
• Attend meetings with social workers and other professionals.
• Maintain records and contribute to care planning.
• Encourage children to pursue hobbies, interests and friendships.

Skills

Age 21+

Caring

Emotionally resilient

Team player

Willing to train

Job description

Make a Difference Every Day

Could you offer a child a safe, stable and caring home?

We are looking for compassionate, resilient individuals and families to become Foster Carers and help transform the lives of children and young people who are unable to live with their birth families.

As a Foster Carer, you’ll provide more than just a place to stay. You’ll offer stability, encouragement and support during what can be a challenging time in a child's life. Every child deserves to feel safe, valued and loved, and you could play a vital role in helping them achieve their full potential.

Main Responsibilities

As a Foster Carer, you will welcome a child or young person into your home and provide the care, guidance and support they need to thrive.

No two days are the same, but your role may include:

• Providing a safe, nurturing and stable family environment


• Supporting children with their emotional wellbeing and development


• Taking children to school, appointments and activities


• Helping with homework and encouraging educational achievement


• Promoting positive routines, healthy lifestyles and independence skills


• Supporting contact with family members where appropriate


• Attending meetings with social workers and other professionals


• Maintaining records and contributing to care planning


• Encouraging children to pursue hobbies, interests and friendships

The Ideal Candidate

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, whether you’re single, married, employed, self-employed, retired or renting your home.

You’ll need to be:

• At least 21 years old


• Caring, patient and understanding


• Emotionally resilient and adaptable


• Committed to providing a safe and stable home


• Able to work as part of a professional team


• Willing to undertake training and ongoing development


• In possession of a spare bedroom for a foster child


• Live in Staffordshire and have the right to work in the UK

You don't need formal childcare qualifications. What matters most is your ability to provide a warm, supportive and nurturing home.

What We Offer

As a Foster Carer, you’ll receive:

• A generous fostering payment of up to £679.73 per child per week


• Comprehensive initial training and ongoing development


• 24-hour support and guidance 365 days a year


• A dedicated supervising social worker


• Local support groups and activities for you and your family


• Access to peer support from other foster carers


• Opportunities to develop specialist fostering skills


• Membership of The Fostering Network

Why Foster?

Fostering is one of the most rewarding roles you can undertake. By opening your home and your heart, you can help a child build confidence, overcome challenges and create brighter futures.

A spare room can change a life. Could you be the person who makes that difference?

You can learn more about the different types of foster carer you can become on our website http://www.fosterwithstaffordshire.co.uk/

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.