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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Support foster parents with advice, training, and resources to enhance their fostering experience.
- 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 team environment.
- Qualifications: Experience in fostering or child care, strong communication skills, and a full driving licence.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for personal growth and professional development.
The predicted salary is between 22000 - 26000 £ per year.
Overview
Role: Fostering Advisor
Salary: £22,000 – £26,000 (dependent on experience)
Core Hours: 9am – 5pm
Office Location: Enfield
Benefits: 30 days\’ Annual Leave (increasing to 35 days with length of service) + Bank Holidays, Company Pension, Life Assurance, Employee Discount Scheme & Medical Cash
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 role for you.
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 Workers 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
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Fostering Advisor employer: Polaris Community
Contact Detail:
Polaris Community Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Fostering Advisor
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the fostering community or related fields. Attend local events or workshops where you can meet people who might know about job openings or can give you insider tips.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews! Research ISP and understand their values and mission. Think about how your experience as a foster parent can relate to the role of a Fostering Advisor, and be ready to share those stories.
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t underestimate the power of follow-ups! After an interview, drop a quick thank-you email to express your appreciation. It shows your enthusiasm and keeps you fresh in their minds.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of our team at ISP.
We think you need these skills to ace Fostering Advisor
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion: When writing your application, let your passion for fostering shine through! We want to see why you care about supporting foster parents and children. Share any personal experiences or insights that highlight your commitment to this important work.
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Fostering Advisor role. Highlight relevant experience, especially if you've been a foster parent or worked in a similar environment. We love seeing how your background aligns with our mission!
Be Clear and Concise: Keep your application clear and to the point. Use straightforward language and avoid jargon. We appreciate when candidates can communicate effectively, as this is key in the role of a Fostering Advisor.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it gives you a chance to explore more about who we are and what we do!
How to prepare for a job interview at Polaris Community
✨Know Your Fostering Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of fostering regulations and standards, like the Children’s Act and Fostering Service National Minimum Standards. Being able to discuss these confidently will show that you understand the framework within which you'll be working.
✨Share Your Personal Experience
If you've been a foster parent or have experience in a fostering family, don’t hold back! Share your personal stories and insights during the interview. This can really help you connect with the interviewers and demonstrate your passion for supporting foster parents and children.
✨Showcase Your Team Spirit
This role is all about collaboration, so be ready to talk about your experiences working in teams. Highlight any examples where you’ve successfully built relationships with professionals from different disciplines, as this will be key in your role as a Fostering Advisor.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect questions that ask how you would handle specific situations, especially those involving crisis intervention or supporting foster parents. Think through some scenarios in advance and prepare your responses to demonstrate your problem-solving skills and understanding of a therapeutic approach.
