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- Tasks: Support foster parents with advice, training, and regular visits to ensure children's well-being.
- Company: Join the UK's first independent Foster Care agency with over 30 years of experience.
- Benefits: Enjoy 30 days annual leave, a pension scheme, life assurance, and employee discounts.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in children's lives while working in a supportive, therapeutic environment.
- Qualifications: Experience in fostering or child care, good IT skills, and a full driving licence required.
- Other info: Flexible working days and a commitment to safeguarding children.
The predicted salary is between 17760 - 19120 £ per year.
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
Like our children, foster parents need support, encouragement and practical advice and sometimes just someone to listen.
The Fostering Advisors in our teams are key to all of the support required to our foster parents and this critical role will be accountable for regularly visiting foster parents, offering advice and information regarding all the services and support available to them at ISP, Including matching considerations, respite, training, supervised contact, and transportation.
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
INDCOMHP
Fostering Advisor in Milton Keynes employer: ISP
Contact Detail:
ISP Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Fostering Advisor in Milton Keynes
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the specific fostering regulations and standards mentioned in the job description, such as the Children’s Act and Fostering Service National Minimum Standards. This knowledge will not only help you understand the role better but also demonstrate your commitment to the field during interviews.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with current or former fostering advisors or professionals in the field. Engaging in conversations with them can provide you with valuable insights into the role and the challenges they face, which can be beneficial when discussing your understanding of the position.
✨Tip Number 3
Highlight any relevant experience you have in therapeutic models of child care or supporting foster parents. Be prepared to share specific examples of how you've successfully built relationships and provided support in similar roles, as this will resonate well with the hiring team.
✨Tip Number 4
Demonstrate your organisational skills by preparing a plan for how you would manage your workload and priorities in this part-time role. Being able to articulate your approach to time management and service requirements will show that you are proactive and ready to take on the responsibilities of the position.
We think you need these skills to ace Fostering Advisor in Milton Keynes
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role: Before applying, make sure you fully understand the responsibilities and requirements of the Fostering Advisor position. Tailor your application to highlight relevant experiences and skills that align with the job description.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that showcases your passion for fostering and your understanding of the therapeutic model of child care. Use specific examples from your experience to demonstrate how you can support foster parents effectively.
Highlight Relevant Experience: In your CV, emphasise any previous experience in fostering or working with children and families. Mention your understanding of fostering regulations and your ability to build relationships with professionals and foster parents.
Proofread Your Application: Before submitting, carefully proofread your application for any spelling or grammatical errors. A well-presented application reflects your attention to detail and professionalism, which is crucial for this role.
How to prepare for a job interview at ISP
✨Understand the Role
Make sure you have a clear understanding of what a Fostering Advisor does. Familiarise yourself with the responsibilities outlined in the job description, such as providing support to foster parents and coordinating training. This will help you answer questions confidently and demonstrate your suitability for the role.
✨Show Your Passion for Fostering
Since the company was founded by passionate foster parents, it's important to convey your enthusiasm for fostering and child welfare. Share any personal experiences or insights you have that relate to fostering, and express your commitment to supporting both children and foster families.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect to be asked how you would handle specific situations related to fostering. Think about potential challenges foster parents might face and how you would provide support. Practising your responses to these scenario-based questions can help you feel more prepared and articulate during the interview.
✨Demonstrate Teamwork Skills
As a Fostering Advisor, you'll need to work closely with various professionals and foster parents. Be ready to discuss your experience working in teams and how you build positive relationships with colleagues and stakeholders. Highlight any examples where you've successfully collaborated to achieve a common goal.
