At a Glance
- Tasks: Support and supervise foster parents while ensuring high standards of care for children.
- Company: Join the UK's first independent foster care agency with over 30 years of experience.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, generous annual leave, pension scheme, and employee discounts.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for professional growth and collaboration with diverse professionals.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in children's lives through a therapeutic approach to fostering.
- Qualifications: Must hold a recognised Social Work qualification and have experience in children’s services.
The predicted salary is between 29600 - 29600 £ per year.
Base Location: Chesham
Covering Area: Aylesbury, Bracknell, Reading and Woking
Salary: £29,600 per annum, £37,000 FTE
Hours: 4 days per week, 28 hours
30 days’ annual leave, increasing to 35 days with length of service
Bank Holidays
Company Pension
Life Assurance x2
Employee Discount Scheme & Medical Cash Plan
All benefits will be pro‑rated
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 Services 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.
Requirements
- Hold a Social Work England‑recognised qualification in Social Work or equivalent
- Previous experience of children and families social work
- Previous experience of, or a desire to work in, a therapeutic model of childcare
- A comprehensive working knowledge of all relevant legislation pertaining to children’s services as well as publications
- Full driving licence with unrestricted access to your own car
ISP Chesham is currently seeking a qualified and experienced Social Worker who is enthusiastic, committed and has an appreciation of the role and skills of foster parents. We ask our Social Workers to take a collaborative approach with foster parents in order to promote meaningful and relevant supervision of placements. Experience of working with foster parents as professional colleagues and working within a multi‑discipline arena is essential, as is holding a full driving licence and having unrestricted access to your own car. This is a demanding position which includes both a quality assurance role to maintain high standards and a training role to prospective and current foster parents. You will be an excellent report writer and able to work to strict deadlines.
Responsibilities
- Provide direct support to foster parents within a realistic caseload which enables a high level of supervision
- Provide regular supervision to allocated foster parents, enabling and monitoring their practice and ensuring their compliance with regulatory standards
- Work in partnership with children, young people, foster parents and other professionals, local authorities and stakeholders, enabling full participation in assessment, planning, review and decision‑making relating to safeguarding and child protection
The successful candidate will be required to complete an enhanced DBS check, the 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.
