Fostering Support Worker

Three full time permanent positions.

If the postholder requires a Standard or Enhanced DBS disclosure the candidate is required to declare full details of everything on their criminal record unless the conviction/s and/or caution/s are considered “protected” in line with filtering rules for DBS checks.

ROLE AND PURPOSE

To support the recruitment of foster carers, including connected persons, through dealing with initial enquiries from the public, completing initial visits and fostering checks. To undertake placement finding for children and young people, ensuring best match with foster carers and placement planning. To work within the Fostering Service to assist in the delivery of other day to day services.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• To promote and safeguard the welfare of children and young people including the children of foster carers or prospective foster carers.
• Contributes to the overarching strategy in Hull Children’s Social Care Services to ensure that the Fostering Team actively plans for the safety, permanency and stability of children and young people.
• Assists in the Fostering service’s marketing and recruitment, and undertakes initial discussions and then initial assessments of the viability of potential foster carers including explaining process and criteria to them, completing statutory checks and references.
• Attends and contributes to the delivery of information/presentations at events aimed at recruiting, developing, supporting and retaining good quality foster carers.
• Undertakes direct work with children, young people, parents and carers as required to support the service e.g. transporting, wishes and feelings work with children.
• Receives and processes requests for fostering placements, then carries out all tasks involved in identifying suitable matches to achieve best allocation of carers to children.
• Maintains accurate records to ensure that all fostering information and other recording is purposeful and up to date on the services’ database (currently Liquid Logic), and contributes to performance management information.
• Engages in critical reflection and constructive challenge to ensure best practice and safe services are delivered to children and young people, working with colleagues, other agencies, parents and carers.
• Works with colleagues in the team to ensure that children, young people, carers and families are regularly and actively communicated with, and feedback is obtained from other staff, applicants, carers and children.
• Engages in the professional development framework for Hull Children’s Social Care Services (including attendance at practice development groups) and continuous learning relevant to the role.
• Participates in team meetings and other developmental groups as directed by the team manager.
• The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and associated legislation places responsibilities for health and safety on Hull City Council, as your employer and you as an employee of the council. In addition to the Councils overall duties, the post holder has personal responsibility for their own health & safety and that of other employees; additional and more specific responsibilities are identified in the Council’s Corporate H&S policy.

Compensation Grades: GRADES 6.

Pay Ranges: £29,540.00 - £32,061.00

Benefits of Working of Hull City Council:

• A competitive salary
• An excellent pension through the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• Initially 23 days annual leave depending on length of service. You will also get eight public holidays per year, and three additional days off, one in May/August and one during the Christmas/New year period
• Career development and learning experiences from a range of training courses and learning methods
• Supportive and forward-thinking culture
• Great career development opportunities

Please ensure that you complete and submit your application by midnight prior to the closing date. Please ensure that your application demonstrates how you meet the essential criteria against the person specification as listed in the job description. We are committed to increasing the diversity, equality, and inclusion within our workforce to represent the people we serve and build an environment in which everyone can feel like they belong. We encourage people from all backgrounds to apply. We adopt a ‘name blind’ approach to shortlisting. Recruiting managers will not have access to personal information, including your name and contact details, until a shortlisting decision has been made. Equality monitoring information is not accessible by recruiting managers at any stage.

We reserve the right to amend the dates associated with this advert, which may include closing the advert early where required. The Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment. Online searches, including social media, may be carried out as part of the recruitment process.