Participation Officer (Children & Families - Fostering)

FCA; Sheffield; Hybrid; GBP 23,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading fostering agency is seeking a Participation Officer to engage with children and families, advocating for their voices and supporting their needs. The role involves organizing activities, maintaining relationships with stakeholders, and ensuring compliance with professional standards. Ideal candidates should possess experience working with young people, strong communication skills, and a relevant qualification. A full driving license is essential. This position offers a full-time work schedule with opportunities for travel across the region.

Benefits

Company car or £2,000 car allowance

30 days' annual leave (rising to 35 with service)

Company pension and life assurance

Employee discount scheme

On-site parking

Qualifications

• Experience working with children advocating for their needs.
• Ability to support children who have experienced trauma.
• Qualification or training in relevant fields like social work or psychology is ideal.
• Strong communication skills to connect with children and adults.
• Ability to stay calm in stressful situations.
• Written skills and proficiency in Microsoft Office.
• Valid driving license and access to a vehicle.

Responsibilities

• Support delivery of the agency's Participation Service.
• Arrange activities and workshops for children in care.
• Foster close relationships with parents and professionals.
• Attend meetings with various professionals.
• Maintain clear records in accordance with policies.
• Support families to promote stability in foster placements.

Skills

Experience with children and young people advocating for their voices

Understanding of trauma and its effects on children

Excellent communication skills

Calmness under pressure

Intermediate IT skills (Microsoft Office)

Full driving licence

Education

Relevant qualification in childcare, education, social work, or psychology

Job description

FOSTER CARE ASSOCIATES (THE FCA)

Participation Officer (Children & Families - Fostering) - Full-Time 35 Hours

Location

The successful candidate will be expected to regularly travel to the regional office based in Sheffield. There will be an expectation that if successful you will travel throughout the region that includes Yorks, Lincs, East Midlands and Northants. There will be some opportunity to work from home when relevant.

Basic Salary

£23,000 per annum

Benefits

Company Car or £2,000 car allowance (pro rata), 30 days' Annual Leave (rising to 35 with length of service) + Bank Holidays, Company Pension, Life Assurance x2, Employee Discount Scheme & On-site Parking

About Us

Set up by a former foster parent and former social worker in 1994, Foster Care Associates (FCA) is an established fostering agency which forms part of the Polaris Community - one of the UK's largest leading communities of children's service providers.

Today, we're one of the country's largest and most experienced independent fostering agencies. But just because we're large doesn't mean we're impersonal. At FCA we're one big family, and we're committed to supporting every single child and foster parent, every single minute of the day.

Role responsibilities

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who is passionate about working with children and supporting them to make a difference in their community. The successful candidate will be part of a small team supporting the delivery of the agency's Participation Service.

• Arranging activities and workshops for children in our care and children who foster
• Planning family events and days out

• Forge close and productive working relationships with regional colleagues, Foster Parents, external professionals and multi-agency networks
• Attendance at meetings with Professionals from Education, Health and Social Services sectors to support our Children and Young People's care plans
• Maintain clear records
• Be aware of, and take responsibility for staying up to date with professional practice standards, legislation and company policy including confidentiality, GDPR, safeguarding, equality, diversity and inclusion
• Provide support and guidance to our families and help promote the stability of foster placements

About You

• Ideally you will have some experience of working with children and young people, supporting and advocating to ensure their voices are heard
• Some experience of working with and/or understanding of children and young people who have experienced trauma, helping them to achieve positive outcomes, will be useful
• Ideally you will possess a relevant qualification or evidence of formal training in childcare, childhood studies, education, social work, youth work, community work and/or psychology
• You will have excellent communication skills, with an ability to build a strong rapport with both children and adults with an array of different needs and expectations
• Able to remain calm when under high levels of pressure, emotionally traumatic situations and when dealing with difficult or confrontational behaviour
• Good written skills with Intermediate IT skills to include Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint) and databases
• Have a full driving licence and unrestricted access to your own vehicle
• Be willing to undertake an Enhanced DBS check

FCA is part of the Polaris group being a family of independent fostering agencies, all with our own individual areas of expertise, but with one shared vision. We want to give children across the country who have had a difficult start in life, the support they need to build themselves a stronger and happier future. For our Foster Parents, we provide a close network of support that becomes like a second family.

For an informal discussion about this exciting role, please contact Jo Barrass - Fostering Service Manager on 07967 381036.

No agencies please.

Equal Opportunities

Foster Care Associates is an equal opportunities employer and has been awarded the disability confident employer by the jobcentre plus. The successful applicant will be subject to a DBS check at enhanced level if successful for the position.