Fostering Advisor

ISP; Greater London; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 24,000; Part time

Job summary

An independent fostering agency in Milton Keynes is seeking a Part Time Fostering Advisor to support foster parents and children. Responsibilities include maintaining contact with foster parents, providing resources, coordinating training, and ensuring compliance with fostering regulations. The ideal candidate will have relevant experience in fostering or child care, good interpersonal skills, and an understanding of therapeutic approaches. A driving license is required for this role, which offers a competitive salary and additional benefits.

Benefits

30 days' Annual Leave

Company Pension

Life Assurance

Employee Discount Scheme

Medical Cash

Qualifications

• Understanding of Fostering regulations and standards.
• Experience in a therapeutic model of child care.
• Ability to recognize foster parents as professionals.

Responsibilities

• Maintain regular contact with foster parents.
• Conduct agreed home visits.
• Provide information and advice on support and services.
• Coordinate training for foster parents.
• Support children and young people in activities.

Skills

Understanding of Fostering regulations

Experience of providing support to foster parents

Intermediate IT skills

Ability to build good working relationships

Planning and organizing experience

Driving confidence

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Integrated Services Programme (ISP)

Part Time Fostering Advisor

Salary: £22,300 - £23,900 prorated dependent on experience

Core Hours: 9am - 5pm 3 days per week (21 hours)

Working Days: Negotiable

Location: Milton Keynes

Benefits

30 days' Annual Leave (increasing to 35 days with length of service) + Bank Holidays, Company Pension, Life Assurance, Employee Discount Scheme & Medical Cash (all benefits will be prorated)

About Us

Set up in 1987 by a small but passionate group of Foster Parents, we became the UK's first independent Foster Care agency. That gives us the benefit of over 30 years' of fostering experience and we're still going strong!

The founder members recognised that looked after children - especially those who'd had very difficult starts in life - needed specialist support. So right from the beginning they put the child at the centre of their thinking and surrounded them with an integrated range of support services. In fact, that's what ISP means : Integrated Service Programme.

Over time, this circle of support has increased to include a whole range of professionals that children and foster parents can tap into, whenever they need to. This includes social workers, fostering advisors, teachers and therapists, who all work with our foster parents and the children they look after, helping them understand and manage even the most challenging situations. This is what's known as a 'therapeutic approach' to fostering and it's something that we pioneered.

What we are looking for

Have you previously been a foster parent and looking for a career change, then the role of Fostering Advisor could be the for you.

Like our children, foster parents need support, encouragement and practical advice and sometimes just someone to listen.

Role responsibilities

• To have regular phone contact with foster parents to discuss general progress and to share ideas and strategies
• To make home visits agreed with the ISP Social Worker and Registered Manager
• To provide foster parents with information and advice, as appropriate, on support and services available to them through ISP and the Fostering Network, especially information and procedures to be followed if an allegation or complaint is made.
• To co-ordinate training for foster parents
• To be actively involved with:

• Contact arrangements and supervised contact
• Respite and transport arrangements, and to transport children directly where required
• TSDS Training
• Crisis intervention
• Matching considerations

• To support children and young people in their leisure activities
• To assist in facilitating discussion groups and presentations at the Centre, including attending discussions groups and team meetings
• To maintain accurate, comprehensive and up to date records as required
• To be conversant with applicable regulations and standards
• To undertake other duties, tasks or projects as requested by the Registered Manager
• Work as an effective team member and attend other ISP events, e.g. programme meetings.

What you will need

• Understanding of Fostering regulations and standards i.e. the Children's Act & Fostering Service National Minimum Standards
• Some first-hand knowledge or experience of Fostering, ideally as a foster parent or as part of a Fostering family
• Previous experience or a want to work in a therapeutic model of child care
• Previous experience of providing support to foster parents and young people
• Good understanding of Attachment and working within a therapeutic model
• Ability to recognise people who foster as professionals and challenge appropriately where necessary in a way that is effective and sustains the relationship
• Ability to build good working relationships with professionals from various disciplines
• Intermediate IT skills to include Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint) and experience of using spreadsheets and databases
• Experience of planning, organising and prioritising workloads to meet deadlines and service requirements
• Commitment to developing positive working relationships with other staff, outside agencies, our children & young people and foster parents
• A full driving licence, unrestricted access to your own vehicle and confidence driving across the region

The successful candidate will be required to complete an enhanced DBS Check, cost of which will be met by ISP.

ISP is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates.

ISP is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff to share this commitment.