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- Tasks: Support foster families and ensure children thrive in a nurturing environment.
- Company: Foster Care Associates is a leading fostering agency dedicated to making a positive impact on children's lives.
- Benefits: Enjoy a company car or allowance, 30+ days of leave, life assurance, and employee discounts.
- Why this job: Join a supportive family-like culture focused on helping children reach their full potential.
- Qualifications: Must have a Social Work qualification and professional registration with Social Work England.
- Other info: Home-based role covering Cumbria with opportunities for personal and professional growth.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 36000 £ per year.
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. Our purpose remains the same; 'to make a positive and lasting difference for children, families and communities', underpinned by values designed to help us assist children and young people to reach their full potential.
DUTIES WILL INCLUDE:
- Support foster parents and their families to achieve outstanding outcomes for all children and young people in foster care.
- Support and monitor the continued suitability and competence of Foster parents ensuring they provide a safe, healthy, nurturing and learning environment for children/young people.
- Ensure that carers fully understand the fostering task, competencies to be achieved and the standards expected, including complaints and representation procedures as detailed in the FCA policies and procedures.
- Provide and record regular supervision to allocated foster parents in line with FCA's Operational Standards.
- Work in partnership in a team parenting approach to help identify any needs within the foster family e.g. respite, activities, therapy, holidays, with all members of the child's network, including contributing to all relevant meetings and any other tasks defined.
- Ensure each child and foster parent are fully compliant in respect of all key documentation.
- Attend meetings and/or provide reports for Commissioning Teams to address individual packages of care.
- Promote participation of children/young people in the development of the agency and in accessing resources and opportunities in their local community.
- Participate in an 'out of hours' support service on a rota basis.
- Undertake occasional initial home visits and Form F Assessments.
YOU MUST HAVE:
- A Social Work qualification.
- Professional registration with Social Work England or equivalent.
- Proven ability to produce a high standard of report writing.
- A comprehensive working knowledge of relevant legislation and child safeguarding procedures.
- The willingness and ability to travel extensively (including occasional nights away).
- Confidence with transporting children and young people in sometimes stressful/difficult situations.
- Full driving licence.
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.
Supervising Social Worker employer: Polaris Community
Contact Detail:
Polaris Community Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Supervising Social Worker
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the values and mission of Foster Care Associates. Understanding their commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of children and families will help you align your responses during interviews and demonstrate your passion for the role.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with current or former employees of FCA if possible. They can provide valuable insights into the company culture and expectations, which can help you tailor your approach and show that you’re genuinely interested in being part of their team.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare specific examples from your past experience that showcase your ability to support foster parents and children effectively. Highlighting your practical skills and experiences will make you stand out as a candidate who can hit the ground running.
✨Tip Number 4
Be ready to discuss your understanding of child safeguarding procedures and relevant legislation. This is crucial for the Supervising Social Worker role, and demonstrating your knowledge will show that you are well-prepared and serious about the position.
We think you need these skills to ace Supervising Social Worker
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role: Read the job description thoroughly to understand the responsibilities and requirements of the Supervising Social Worker position. Tailor your application to highlight how your skills and experiences align with these expectations.
Highlight Relevant Experience: In your CV and cover letter, emphasise your social work qualifications and any relevant experience you have in fostering or child safeguarding. Use specific examples to demonstrate your ability to support foster parents and children effectively.
Showcase Report Writing Skills: Since the role requires high standards of report writing, include examples of reports or documentation you have produced in previous roles. This will showcase your writing skills and attention to detail.
Personalise Your Application: Address your cover letter to the hiring manager, if possible, and express your genuine interest in working for Foster Care Associates. Mention their values and how they resonate with your own commitment to making a positive difference in children's lives.
How to prepare for a job interview at Polaris Community
✨Understand the Agency's Values
Before your interview, take some time to familiarise yourself with Foster Care Associates' mission and values. They focus on making a positive difference in the lives of children and families, so be prepared to discuss how your personal values align with theirs.
✨Showcase Your Experience
Be ready to provide specific examples from your past work that demonstrate your ability to support foster parents and children. Highlight any relevant experience in social work, particularly in fostering or child safeguarding, as this will be crucial for the role.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect scenario-based questions that assess your problem-solving skills and ability to handle difficult situations. Think about how you would approach various challenges in fostering, such as supporting a struggling foster parent or addressing a child's needs.
✨Ask Insightful Questions
At the end of the interview, have a few thoughtful questions ready to ask. This could include inquiries about the support provided to foster parents or how the agency measures success in their fostering programmes. It shows your genuine interest in the role and the organisation.
